Recordpub.com - One for the Books: Literary Journeys

Let's take a few literary journeys and then set out to find the secret to happiness.

"No-Man's Lands: One Man's Odyssey Through The Odyssey" by Scott Huler is one of the strangest travel memoirs I've ever read. Intrigued by reading James Joyce's "Ulysses," Huler decides to track down its inspiration, Homer's "The Odyssey." Most of us had to read parts of this long poem in school, but Huler says we couldn't have understood all of its nuances when we were teenagers and never really got how great the adventures are. So he sets out to "re-live" the travels of Odysseus (all the time admitting that he was "really on a long Mediterranean vacation"). For each adventure, he goes to the setting (or as near as he can); he reads appropriate passages and then retells his own version and brings the story to life ("In the terrible strait between Scylla and Charybdis he lost only six men, a pretty good deaths-per-affected-crewmen-per-monster ratio -- his best, actually, on the trip"); he gives us his research on history and where any myths may have originated; and he gives us a modern travelogue, with detailed descriptions of locales and colorful characters: "If you're looking for your prototypical medieval Mediterranean town, with the red tile roofs and the stone churches, the louvered shutters and the tiny balconies strung with laundry, the stucco walls and the narrow, curving cobblestone alleyways, go straight to Bonifacio."

Huler takes his title from the episode with the Cyclops -- probably the best-known adventure in the ancient poem -- when Odysseus displays his wit by introducing himself to the one-eyed giant as "No-Man," so that later, when Odysseus blinds him and the Cyclops screams, "Help! No-Man is attacking me," his fellow giants think he's nuts and ignore him. Huler also takes us to the locales of Circe, Calypso and all the others, as well as our hero's home at Ithaca. Some of these places exist and some are mythical, but he manages to find most of them. He also discusses theories surrounding the epic poem: where Odysseus "actually" traveled (as far away as Cuba and Iceland, according to some), whether the poet "Homer" was a woman, and whether the hero's travels were coded directions for ancient traders.

The author is an entertaining, likable guy who's often laugh-out-loud funny: "Different companies sell tickets out of different offices to different ferries, which depart for different islands from different piers, according to sometimes-accurate schedules that are sometimes posted in sometimes easily viewed places in offices that are always about to close." His writing is sometimes lyrical, as when "rolling fields dotted with spiral hay bales alternated with unmown fields, waving gold in the misty dawn." There's even an impressive bibliography. The book ends up being about a guy who just wants to go home to his wife. Hmmm ... sounds like Odysseus. It's very entertaining, but it's a long trip: Pack snacks.

In "Novel Destinations: Literary Landmarks from Jane Austen's Bath to Ernest Hemingway's Key West" by Shannon McKenna Schmidt and Joni Rendon, the authors take us to about 500 literary landmarks in the United States and Europe. The first part of the book is divided into four sections: "Author Houses and Museums" (visit the Anne Frank House in Amsterdam), "Writers at Home and Abroad" (check into the Hotel Crillon in Paris, where Edith Wharton stayed), "Literary Festivals, Tours, and More" (attend the annual James Joyce Bloomsday celebration in Dublin), and "Literary Places to Drink, Dine, and Doze" (sup on Sam Spade's lamb chops at John's Grill in San Francisco, made famous in "The Maltese Falcon"). The rest (about one-third of the book) explores the locales made famous by 10 favorite novelists, including Jane Austen, Charles Dickens and Ernest Hemingway. I love this section, because there are mini biographies, anecdotes, and insight into the authors' motivations, and some of the relationships of the authors with each other are revealed: in Monroeville, Ala., for example, we learn that Harper Lee based the character of Dill in "To Kill a Mockingbird" on her friend since childhood, Truman Capote.

The authors list addresses, phone numbers and Web sites for most of the venues, making this a working reference guide for anyone who wishes to plan a trip to see some of these sites. It's also for the armchair traveler who loves a good book, for trivia fans, and for people who just enjoy a good story. Coming from National Geographic Books, I thought there would be some nice color photographs. There aren't any. But there are lots of small black and white photos, and the lack of color keeps the price affordable at $25.

Finally, we can travel the globe with Eric Weiner in "The Geography of Bliss: One Grump's Search for the Happiest Places in the World." The self-proclaimed "grump" author is an experienced journalist on a mission. He says we talk about happiness as if it were an actual place: we "search for" happiness and "find" contentment. So he goes looking for it. He starts out by doing research at the World Database of Happiness in The Netherlands, which contains some surprising material. The database ranks countries on their happiness quotient, and Weiner picks some of those at the top and bottom to visit, along with a few more. When he asks people if they are happy, they always respond to him with two questions: "How can you measure happiness? How can you even define it?" The government of Bhutan actually measures its own Gross National Happiness, he tells us. In Qatar, he wants to know if having a whole lot of money can buy happiness; says one Qatari woman: "No, ... but ... it helps." From the almost mythical happiness of Iceland to the pure misery of Moldova, he finds that it isn't just the place, or the weather; it's the culture, the priorities and the people that determine the happiest places -- "Happiness is a choice."

He's really very funny: "Europeans love conferences. Get three Europeans together, and chances are quite high a conference will break out." I enjoyed his conversations with people all over the world. And along the way he shares his amusing adventures. He looks at the different cultures from a new and interesting perspective, examines stereotypes, and comes up with bizarre statements such as "Happiness can kill" and "Fondue and war don't mix." His conclusion: "Tolstoy turned on his head. All miserable countries are alike; happy ones are happy in their own ways."

For a list of best-sellers and other book news, go to www.recordpub.com, click on "Lifetimes," and check out "One for the Books" online. Send news to Books@recordpub.com.

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BOOK NOTES,
One for the Books Extra Online Exclusives:

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Bob Adamov, author of the popular Put-In-Bay mystery novels, will be at The Learned Owl Book Shop, 204 N. Main St. in Hudson, from 7 to 8 p.m. on July 25. His appearance is part of the Friday Fresh Voices series.
He will be autographing his newest book, "The Other Side of Hell," which features a bonus 11-song CD from Mike "Mad Dog" Adams. It is the fifth in the series. Refreshments will be served. No reservations are required. A Kent State University graduate, Adamov resides in Wooster. For more information, contact The Learned Owl Book Shop at 330-653-2252 or 800-968-2685 or visit www.learnedowl.com.

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Wine critic and author Gary Vaynerchuk will visit The Learned Owl Book Shop, 204 N. Main St. in Hudson, on July 31. From 7 to 9 p.m., he will sign copies of his book, "Gary Vaynerchuk's 101 Wines Guaranteed to Inspire." A reception and cash wine bar will follow at the Vue Restaurant in the First & Main area of downtown Hudson. All events are open to the public, with no reservations required. For more information or to pre-order a copy of the book, contact the Learned Owl Book Shop at 330-653-2252 or 800-968-2685 or visit www.learnedowl.com.
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The Kent State University Press and editors Bill Touponce and Jon Eller from the Center for Ray Bradbury Studies have reached an agreement to publish a critical edition of all of Ray Bradbury's published short stories in the order in which they were written.
The work is expected to be published in five volumes under the title "The Collected Stories of Ray Bradbury: A Critical Edition," beginning in 2010.

http://bradburymedia.blogspot.com/

If the story isn't on page one, search for June 24, 2008.

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The Today Show's Al Roker has chosen "Artemis Fowl: The Time Paradox" by Eoin Colfer as the 11th selection for Al's Book Club. This is the sixth title in the Artemis Fowl series.

http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/25622723

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from a press release:

Thomas Nelson, Inc. is pleased to announce that The Word of Promise, New Testament Audio Bible has been honored with three Gold Millennium Awards. The project received the top prize in the spring 2008 competition's audio categories for "Direction," "Sound," and "Best Use of Music."

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USA Today reports:

(An uncut edition of Aleksander Solzhenitsyn's The First Circle, a highly praised and controversial novel published 40 years ago and heavily edited because of its story of a Soviet prison camp, is finally coming out in English. "'The First Circle' is one of the most important novels of the 20th century and we are thrilled to be making this masterpiece available in its full glory," Carrie Kania, senior vice president and publisher of Harper Perennial, said Tuesday in a statement. Harper Perennial, a paperback imprint of HarperCollins, will release The First Circle in 2009.)

for the full story:

http://www.usatoday.com/life/books/news/2008-07-15-solzhenitsyn_N.htm

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Kate Summerscale has won this year's Samuel Johnson Prize for nonfiction for The Suspicions of Mr Whicher, which judges described as "absolutely riveting." She won 30,000, beating fellow shortlisted authors Tim Butcher, Mark Cocker, Orlando Figes, Patrick French and Alex Ross.

http://www.thebookseller.com/news/63284-summerscale-takes-samuel-johnson--.html

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Hey, poetry lovers! Actress Joanna Lumley has attacked modern poetry as "maddeningly obscure" and "humdrum." Check out what else she said, and how a few poets responded in defense.

http://books.guardian.co.uk/poetry/features/0,,2291904,00.html

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What's up with all the quotations from poetry showing up as tattoos? (Actually, if I were going to get one, I think a line of poetry would be the perfect choice.)

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/arts/main.jhtml?xml=/arts/2008/07/15/batattoos116.xml

and

http://www.contrariwise.org/

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For dog and cat lovers, like those of you who enjoyed "The Art of Racing in the Rain" (see "One for the Books" July 11), here's a wonderful story. Keep a tissue handy:

http://www.craigslist.org/about/best/tus/487665904.html

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from Publishers Weekly:
"The Fulton Ferry Hotel, made famous by Joseph Mitchell's Up in the Old Hotel, is being renovated. If you've never read Mitchell, one of the great writers of the 20th century, pick up The Bottom of the Harbor, just published by Pantheon. You're in for a literary treat."
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from Bloomberg.com --
What are the top 10 nonfiction best-sellers in China? Well, Confucius tops the list.

http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601088&sid=a2KZVfUqxteg&refer=muse

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Interesting -- from Shelf Awareness:

The Guardian reported that Salman Rushdie claims he recently signed 1,000 copies of The Enchantress of Florence in 57 minutes at Ingram's warehouse in Nashville, Tenn., breaking the previous book signing record held by Malcolm Gluck--1,001 copies in 59 minutes.

"Well, if that's true, I'm humbled," Gluck said. "I'm delighted to learn of Salman's achievement. I think it's very funny actually, it's like men boasting about the size of their sexual equipment, it's got nothing to do with any other aspect of their personality. I doubt there will be any women going for this record, this is just such a male thing."

http://books.guardian.co.uk/news/articles/0,,2291611,00.html

Check it out for information about other fast-signing authors.

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What are the best-selling books in Iran?

http://www.tehrantimes.com/index_View.asp?code=173523

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Joe Nocera has picked "The Best Business Books Ever" for the New York Times --

http://executivesuite.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/07/17/the-best-business-books-ever/

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The Los Angeles Times is getting rid of its standalone Sunday book review section, and many readers aren't happy about it. Join the protest!

http://www.mediabistro.com/fishbowlLA/newspaper_deathwatch/the_philistine_prophecy_la_times_chops_up_book_reviews_89859.asp

http://www.editorandpublisher.com/eandp/news/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1003829885

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/robbie-baitz/fahrenheit-la-times_b_114627.html

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Do we have a civil right to join a union? Well, no, evidently.

http://www.truthdig.com/report/item/20080724_six_little_words/

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If the idea doesn't offend, you, have a look at "Authors offer up a racy view of the Bible" --

http://ncronline3.org/drupal/?q=node/1474

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from the New York Times --

"Breakfast at Tiffany's" is turning 50, and Holly Golightly wannabes abound.

http://theater2.nytimes.com/2008/07/24/fashion/24PLOT.html

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from The Guardian, suggestions for the top 10 books on Beijing:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2008/jul/23/bestbooks

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The Association of Jewish Libraries has announced the Judaica Reference and Bibliography Awards.

http://www.jewishlibraries.org/ajlweb/awards/ref_bib_awards/ref_and_bib2007.htm

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The Telegraph asked "respectable authors" the following: "Which classic are you ashamed to admit you have never read?"

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/arts/main.jhtml?xml=/arts/2008/07/22/bonever122.xml

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from Shelf Awareness: New Books Out July 21 and 22:

Moscow Rules by Daniel Silva
Into the Fire by Suzanne Brockmann
The Man with the Iron Heart by Harry Turtledove
Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter: Guilty Pleasures Volume 2 by Laurell K. Hamilton, Jess Ruffner-Booth, Brett Booth, Ron Lim
Damage Control by J. A. Jance
The Dangerous Days of Daniel X by James Patterson and Michael Ledwidge

New titles appearing July 29:

The Bourne Sanction by Eric Van Lustbader
The Lace Reader by Brunonia Barry
It Only Takes a Moment by Mary Jane Clark
Who's Loving You by Mary B. Morrison

New in paperback:

You've Been Warned by James Patterson and Howard Roughan
Nature Girl by Carl Hiaasen
Turbulent Sea by Christine Feehan
Cry Wolf by Patricia Briggs
The Sanctuary by Raymond Khoury
Left to Die by Lisa Jackson
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More new books -- Publishers Weekly on-sale calendar:

JULY 29

The Lace Reader by Brunonia Barry

Know Your Power: A Message To America's Daughter by Nancy Pelosi with Amy Hill Hearth
Fractured by Karin Slaughter
[c] Madam President by Lane Smith
[c] Cinderella's Fairy-Tale Wedding by Lisa Ann Marsoli
[c] Disney Fairies: Tinker Bell's Tea Party by Lara Bergen
[c] Baby Einstein: Touch and Feel Neighborhood Animals by Julie Aigner-Clark, illus. by Nadeem Zaidi

August 1

The Lizard King: The True Crimes and Passions of the World's Greatest Reptile Smugglers by Bryan Christy

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from Publishers Weekly, Comics and Graphic Novels On-Sale Calendar:

July 16, 2008
Countdown to Final Crisis Vol. 2 (DC)
Goddess of War (Picturebox)
Astro City: The Dark Age Book 1 (DC/ Wildstorm)
Spider Man: Brand New Day Vol. 2 (Marvel)
Houdini: Handcuff King (Hyperion)
Suzunari Vol. 1 (Yen Press)
Ghost Talkers Daydream Vol. 1 (Dark Horse)
Martin & John (Tokyopop)
Real Vol. 1 (Viz Media)
Tokko Vol. 1 (Tokyopop)
Tetragrammaton Labyrinth Vol. 3 (Seven Seas Entertainment)

July 23, 2008
Army @ Love Vol. 2: Generation PWNed (DC/ Vertigo)
Comic Book Tattoo (Image)
Anita Blake Vampire Hunter: Guilty Pleasures Vol. 2 (Marvel)
Red Colored Elegy (Drawn & Quarterly)
Zot Vol. 1: Complete Black and White Stories 1987-1991 (Harper Collins)
Too Cool to be Forgotten (Top Shelf Productions)
Flight Vol. 5 (Villard Books)
Kasumi Vol. 1 (Del Ray Manga)
Zaregoto Vol. 1: The Kubikiri Cyle (Random House)
How to Love (Top Shelf Productions)
Meathaus SOS (Nerdcore LP)
Apocalipstix Vol. 1 (Oni Press)
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OK, this has nothing to do with books, but it's very fun. If you'd like to know what your phone number "spells" -- you know, like 330-CALLSME, this site will automatically figure it out for you.

http://www.phonespell.org/

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Why, again, exactly? TankBooks is issuing several new editions of classic novels packaged in boxes the size and shape of cigarette packs.

http://www.tankmagazine.com/tankbooks/

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Publishers Weekly Religion Bestsellers for July

Hardcover
1 Walking with God: Talk to Him. Hear from Him. Really. John Eldredge.
2 Become a Better You. Joel Osteen.
3 Mistaken Identity. Don & Susie Van Ryn and Newell, Colleen & Whitney Cerak.
4 Love & Respect: The Love She Most Desires, the Respect he Desperately Needs. Emerson Eggerichs.
5 Have a New Kid by Friday. Kevin Leman.
6 Jesus Calling: Seeking Peace in His Presence. Sarah Young.
7 The Secret of True Happiness. Joyce Meyer.
8 Dead Heat. Joel C. Rosenberg.
9 Epicenter: Why the Current Rumblings in the Middle East Will Change Your Future. Joel C. Rosenberg.
10 The Reason for God: Belief in an Age of Skepticism. Timothy Keller.

Paperback
1 The Shack. William P. Young.
2 90 Minutes in Heaven: A True Story of Death and Life. Don Piper with Cecil Murphey.
3 The Five Love Languages. Gary Chapman.
4 Captivating: Unveiling the Mystery of a Woman's Soul. John and Stasi Eldredge.
5 The Forbidden. Beverly Lewis.
6 Mere Christianity. C.S. Lewis.
7 Allison's Journey. Wanda E. Brunstetter.
8 The God Delusion. Richard Dawkins.
9 The Purpose-Driven Life. Rick Warren.
10 Your Best Life Now: 7 Steps to Living at Your Full Potential. Joel Osteen.
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from Publishers Weekly:

Christy Awards --

"For the second year in a row, the ECPA Christian Book of the Year has made history. In 2007, the award went to a novel and to a woman for the first time, when Karen Kingsbury took the top prize for Ever After. This year also broke the mold in two ways: it's the first time an audio book has won, and the first time a Bible has won.Thomas Nelson's The Word of Promise New Testament Audio Bible beat 229 other entries from 35 Christian publishers. The dramatized audio Bible, featuring performances by Jim Caviezel, Michael York and Marisa Tomei, was honored for both its artistic excellence and strong sales. In addition, The Word of Promise tied for the Retailers Choice Award for best audio book, sharing the award with Zondervan for its Inspired By... The Bible Experience: The Complete Bible....The Christy Awards, which recognize excellence in Christian fiction, received the highest-ever number of submissions in nine categories."

http://www.publishersweekly.com/article/CA6581113.html?nid=2287

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PUBLISHERS WEEKLY BEST-SELLERS

HARDCOVER FICTION
1. "Tribute" by Nora Roberts (Putnam)
2. "The Story of Edgar Sawtelle" by David Wroblewski (Ecco)
3. "Rules of Deception" by Christopher Reich (Doubleday)
4. "The Host" by Stephenie Meyer (Little, Brown)
5. "The Last Patriot" by Brad Thor (Atria)
6. "Fearless Fourteen" by Janet Evanovich (St. Martin's Press)
7. "Sail" by James Patterson and Howard Roughan, (Little, Brown)
8. "Just Too Good to Be True: A Novel" by E. Lynn Harris (Doubleday)
9. "Swan Peak: A Dave Robicheaux Novel" by James Lee Burke (Simon & Schuster)
10. "TailSpin" by Catherine Coulter (Putnam)
11. "Chasing Harry Winston: A Novel" by Lauren Weisberger (Simon & Schuster)
12. "Love the One You're With" by Emily Giffin (St. Martin's Press)
13. "Say Goodbye" by Lisa Gardner (Bantam)
14. "Killer View" by Ridley Pearson (Putnam)
15. "The Beach House" by Jane Green (Viking)

NONFICTION/GENERAL
1. "The Last Lecture" by Randy Pausch, Jeffrey Zaslow (Hyperion)
2. "When You Are Engulfed in Flames" by David Sedaris (Little, Brown)
3. "Life with My Sister Madonna" by Christopher Ciccone and Wendy Leigh (Simon Spotlight Entertainment)
4. "The Winners Manual: For the Game of Life" by Jim Tressel, Chris Fabry and John Maxwell (Tyndale House Publishers)
5. "Deceptively Delicious: Simple Secrets to Get Your Kids Eating Good Food" by Jessica Seinfeld (Collins)
6. "The Secret" by Rhonda Byrne (Atria Books/Beyond Words)
7. "Fleeced: How Barack Obama, Media Mockery of Terrorist Threats, Liberals Who Want to Kill Talk Radio, The Do-Nothing Congress, Companies That Help Iran, and Washington Lobbyists for Foreign Governments Are Scamming Us ... and What to Do About It" by Dick Morris, Eileen McGann (Harper)
8. "Are You There, Vodka? It's Me, Chelsea" by Chelsea Handler (Simon Spotlight Entertainment)
9. "What Happened: Inside the Bush White House and Washington's Culture of Deception" by Scott McClellan (PublicAffairs)
10. "The Dark Side: The Inside Story of How the War on Terror Turned into a War on American Ideals" by Jane Mayer (Doubleday)
11. "The Monster of Florence" by Douglas Preston with Mario Spezi (Grand Central)
12. "Stori Telling" by Tori Spelling (Simon Spotlight)
13. "The Post-American World" by Fareed Zakaria (W.W. Norton)
14. "Audition" by Barbara Walters (Knopf)
15. "The South Beach Diet Supercharged: Faster Weight Loss and Better Health for Life" by Arthur Agatston and Joseph Signorile (Rodale Books)

MASS MARKET PAPERBACKS
1. "Lean Mean Thirteen" by Janet Evanovich (St. Martin's Press)
2. "Step on a Crack" by James Patterson and Michael Ledwidge (Vison)
3. "Double Take" by Catherine Coulter (Jove)
4. "The Wheel of Darkness" by Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child (Vision)
5. "The Secret Servant" by Daniel Silva (Signet)
6. "Someday Soon" by Debbie Macomber (Avon)
7. "Bones To Ashes" by Kathy Reichs (Pocket Star)
8. "Dear John" by Nicholas Sparks (Grand Central)
9. "The Navigator" by Clive Cussler, Paul Kemprecos (Berkley)
10. "The Orc King: Transitions, Book 1" by R. A. Salvatore (Wizards of the Coast)
11. "The Tin Roof Blowdown" by James Lee Burke (Pocket)
12. "Sandworms of Dune" by Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson (Tor Books)
13. "Into the Shadow" by Christina Dodd (Signet)
14. "The Judas Strain" by James Rollins (Harper)
15. "Return to Summerhouse" by Jude Deveraux (Pocket Star)

TRADE PAPERBACKS
1. "The Shack" by William P. Young (Windblown Media)
2. "Three Cups of Tea: One Man's Mission to Promote Peace ... One School at a Time" by Greg Mortenson and David Oliver Relin (Penguin)
3. "A New Earth: Awakening to Your Life's Purpose" by Eckhart Tolle (Plume)
4. "Big Russ and Me: Father and Son: Lessons of Life" by Tim Russert (Miramax Books)
5. "Eat, Pray, Love: One Woman's Search for Everything Across Italy, India and Indonesia" by Elizabeth Gilbert (Penguin)
6. "Water for Elephants" by Sara Gruen (Algonquin)
7. "Skinny B----" by Rory Freedman and Kim Barnouin (Running Press)
8. "The Kite Runner" by Khaled Hosseini (Riverhead)
9. "The Audacity of Hope: Thoughts on Reclaiming the American Dream" by Barack Obama (Three Rivers Press)
10. "The Power of Now: A Guide to Spiritual Enlightenment" by Eckhart Tolle (New World Library)
11. "Nineteen Minutes" by Jodi Picoult (Washington Square Press)
12. "The Friday Night Knitting Club" by Kate Jacobs (Berkley)
13. "Wisdom of Our Fathers: Lessons and Letters from Daughters and Sons" by Tim Russert (Random House)
14. "The Alchemist" by Paulo Coelho (Harper)
15. "The Last Summer (of You and Me) by Ann Brashares (Riverhead)
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USA TODAY BEST-SELLERS

Key: F-Fiction; NF-Nonfiction; H-Hardcover; P-Paperback
1. "Twilight" by Stephenie Meyer (Little, Brown) (F-P)
2. "The Shack" by William P. Young (Windblown Media) (F-P)
3. "New Moon" by Stephenie Meyer (Little Brown for Young Readers) (F-H)
4. "Artemis Fowl: The Time Paradox" by Eoin Colfer (Hyperion Books for Children) (F-H)
5. "Eclipse" by Stephenie Meyer (Little, Brown) (F-H)
6. "Tribute" by Nora Roberts (Putnam) (F-H)
7. "Someday Soon" by Debbie Macomber (Avon) (F-P)
8. "The Last Lecture" by Randy Pausch, Jeffrey Zaslow (Hyperion) (NF-H)
9. "Fast Track" by Fern Michaels (Zebra) (F-P)
10. "Three Cups Of Tea: One Man's Mission to Promote Peace ... One School at a Time" by Greg Mortenson and David Oliver Relin (Penguin) (NF-P)
11. "When You Are Engulfed in Flames" by David Sedaris (Little, Brown) (NF-H)
12. "Fearless Fourteen" by Janet Evanovich (St. Martin's Press) (F-H)
13. "The MacGregor Grooms" by Nora Roberts (Silhouette) (F-P)
14. "The Host" by Stephenie Meyer (Little, Brown) (F-H)
15. "Double Take" by Catherine Coulter (Jove) (F-P)
16. "A New Earth: Awakening to Your Life's Purpose" by Eckhart Tolle (Plume) (NF-P)
17. "Deceptively Delicious: Simple Secrets to Get Your Kids Eating Good Food" by Jessica Seinfeld (Collins) (NF-P)
18. "Life with My Sister Madonna" by Christopher Ciccone and Wendy Leigh (Simon Spotlight Entertainment) (NF-H)
19. "Sail" by James Patterson and Howard Roughan (Little, Brown) (F-H)
20. "Bones To Ashes" by Kathy Reichs (Pocket Star) (F-P)
21. "The Secret" by Rhonda Byrne (Atria Books/Beyond Words) (NF-H)
22. "Lean Mean Thirteen" by Janet Evanovich (St. Martin's Press) (F-H)
23. "Dear John" by Nicholas Sparks (Grand Central Publishing) (F-P)
24. "Eat, Pray, Love: One Woman's Search for Everything Across Italy, India and Indonesia" by Elizabeth Gilbert (Penguin) (NF-P)
25. "Just Too Good to Be True: A Novel" by E. Lynn Harris (Doubleday) (F-H)
26. "The Story of Edgar Sawtelle" by David Wroblewski (Ecco) (F-H)
27. "Big Russ and Me: Father and Son: Lessons of Life" by Tim Russert (Miramax Books) (NF-P)
28. "Say Goodbye" by Lisa Gardner (Bantam) (F-H)
29. "High Noon" by Nora Roberts (Jove) (F-P)
30. "Rules of Deception" by Christopher Reich (Doubleday) (F-H)
31. "That Summer Place" by Jill Barnett, Debbie Macomber, Susan Wiggs (Mira) (F-P)
32. "The Last Patriot" by Brad Thor (Atria) (F-H)
33. "Skinny B----" by Rory Freedman and Kim Barnouin (Running Press) (NF-P)
34. "The Clique Summer Collection .4: Kristen" by Lisi Harrison (Poppy) (F-P)
35. "Step on a Crack" by James Patterson and Michael Ledwidge (Vison) (F-P)
36. "The Friday Night Knitting Club" by Kate Jacobs (Berkley) (F-P)
37. "Water for Elephants" by Sara Gruen (Algonquin) (F-P)
38. "The Kite Runner" by Khaled Hosseini (Riverhead) (F-P)
39. "Tail Spin" by Catherine Coulter (Putnam) (F-H)
40. "Return to Summerhouse" by Jude Deveraux (Pocket Star) (F-P)
41. "Diary of a Wimpy Kid" by Jeff Kinney (Abrams Books for Young Readers) (F-H)
42. "The Winners Manual: For the Game of Life" by Jim Tressel, Chris Fabry and John Maxwell (Tyndale House Publishers) (NF-H)
43. "Are You There, Vodka? It's Me, Chelsea" by Chelsea Handler (Simon Spotlight Entertainment) (NF-H)
44. "The Last Summer (of You and Me) by Ann Brashares (Riverhead) (F-P)
45. "Second Chance" by Jane Green (Plume) (F-P)
46. "The Audacity of Hope: Thoughts on Reclaiming the American Dream" by Barack Obama (Three Rivers Press) (NF-P)
47. "Swan Peak: A Dave Robicheaux Novel" by James Lee Burke (Simon & Schuster) (F-H)
48. "Chasing Harry Winston: A Novel" by Lauren Weisberger (Simon & Schuster) (F-H)
49. "Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Rodrick Rules" by Jeff Kinney (Amulet Books) (F-H)
50. "Nineteen Minutes" by Jodi Picoult (Washington Square Press) (NF-P)
Reporting stores include: Amazon.com, B. Dalton Bookseller, Barnes & Noble.com, Barnes & Noble Inc., Books-A-Million and Bookland, Booksamillion.com, Borders Books & Music, Bookstar, Bookstop, Brentano's, Davis Kidd Booksellers in Nashville, Jackson, Memphis, Tenn., Doubleday Book Shops, Hudson Booksellers, Joseph-Beth Booksellers (Lexington, Ky.; Cincinnati, Cleveland), Powell's Books (Portland, Ore.), Powells.com, R.J. Julia Booksellers (Madison, Conn.), Schuler.
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WALL STREET JOURNAL BEST-SELLERS

FICTION
1. "Eclipse" by Stephenie Meyer (Little, Brown)
2. "Tribute" by Nora Roberts (Putnam)
3. "The Story of Edgar Sawtelle" by David Wroblewski (Ecco)
4. "Rules of Deception" by Christopher Reich (Doubleday)
5. "The Host" by Stephenie Meyer (Little, Brown)
6. "The Last Patriot" by Brad Thor (Atria)
7. "Fearless Fourteen" by Janet Evanovich (St. Martin's Press)
8. "Sail" by James Patterson and Howard Roughan, (Little, Brown)
9. "Swan Peak: A Dave Robicheaux Novel" by James Lee Burke (Simon & Schuster)
10. "Just Too Good to Be True: A Novel" by E. Lynn Harris (Doubleday)
11. "Twilight" by Stephenie Meyer (Little, Brown)
12. "Chasing Harry Winston: A Novel" by Lauren Weisberger (Simon & Schuster)
13. "Love the One You're With" by Emily Giffin (St. Martin's Press)
14. "TailSpin" by Catherine Coulter (Putnam)
15. "The Beach House" by Jane Green (Viking)

NONFICTION
1. "The Last Lecture" by Randy Pausch, Jeffrey Zaslow (Hyperion)
2. "When You Are Engulfed in Flames" by David Sedaris (Little, Brown)
3. "Deceptively Delicious: Simple Secrets to Get Your Kids Eating Good Food" by Jessica Seinfeld (Collins)
4. "The Winners Manual: For the Game of Life" by Jim Tressel, Chris Fabry and John Maxwell (Tyndale House Publishers)
5. "Life with My Sister Madonna" by Christopher Ciccone and Wendy Leigh (Simon Spotlight Entertainment)
6. "The Secret" by Rhonda Byrne (Atria Books/Beyond Words)
7. "Six Disciplines Execution Revolution: Solving the One Business Problem That Makes Solving All Other Problems Easier" by Gary Harpst (Six Discipline Publishing)
8. "Are You There, Vodka? It's Me, Chelsea" by Chelsea Handler (Simon Spotlight Entertainment)
9. "Fleeced: How Barack Obama, Media Mockery of Terrorist Threats, Liberals Who Want to Kill Talk Radio, The Do-Nothing Congress, Companies That Help Iran, and Washington Lobbyists for Foreign Governments Are Scamming Us ... and What to Do About It" by Dick Morris, Eileen McGann (Harper)
10. "Stori Telling" by Tori Spelling (Simon Spotlight)
11. "StrengthsFinder 2.0: A New and Upgraded Edition of the Online Test from Gallup's Now, Discover Your Strengths" by Tom Rath (Gallup Press)
12. "The Dark Side: The Inside Story of How the War on Terror Turned into a War on American Ideals" by Jane Mayer (Doubleday)
13. "What Happened: Inside the Bush White House and Washington's Culture of Deception" by Scott McClellan (PublicAffairs)
14. "The Monster of Florence" by Douglas Preston with Mario Spezi (Grand Central)
15. "The Post-American World" by Fareed Zakaria (W.W. Norton)
The Wall Street Journal's list reflects nationwide sales of hardcover books during the week ended last Saturday at more than 2,500 Barnes & Noble, B. Dalton, Bookland, Books-a-Million, Books & Co., Bookstar, Bookstop, Borders, Brentano's, Coles, Coopersmith, Doubleday, Scribners and Waldenbooks stores, as well as sales from online retailers Amazon.com and barnesandnoble.com.

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The following authors are making the media rounds, talking about their books:

--Mark Hyman, Ultrametabolism: The Simple Plan for Automatic Weight Loss
--Ingrid Betancourt, author of Letters To My Mother: A Message of Love, A Plea for Freedom
--Jay Kopelman, From Baghdad to America: Life Lessons From a Dog Named Lava
--George Motz, Hamburger America: One Man's Cross-Country Odyssey to Find the Best Burgers in the Nation
--Marc Gerstein, Flirting with Disaster: Why Accidents Are Rarely Accidental
--Sheryll Cashin, The Agitator's Daughter: A Memoir of Four Generations of One Extraordinary African-American Family
--Steve Hely and Vali Chandrasekaran, authors of The Ridiculous Race
--Julia Reed, The House on First Street: My New Orleans Story
--Christopher Ciccone, Life with My Sister Madonna
--David Kaufman, author of Doris Day: The Untold Story of the Girl Next Door
--Andrew Ward, author of The Slaves' War: The Civil War in the Words of Former Slaves
--Ben Jones, Redneck Boy in the Promised Land: The Confessions of "Crazy Cooter"
--J.E.N. Vernon, A Reef in Time: The Great Barrier Reef from Beginning to End
--John Ivanko and Lisa Kivirist, Ecopreneuring: Putting Purpose and the Planet Before Profits
--Michael Ian Black , My Custom Van: And 50 Other Mind-Blowing Essays that Will Blow Your Mind All Over Your Face
--Aaron David Miller, author of The Much Too Promised Land: America's Elusive Search for Arab-Israeli Peace
--Christopher Reich, author of Rules of Deception
--Lang Lang, author of Journey of a Thousand Miles: My Story
--Lama Surya Das, author of The Big Questions: How to Find Your Own Answers to Life's Essential Mysteries
--Senator Jim Webb, author of A Time to Fight: Reclaiming a Fair and Just America
--David Sedaris, author of When You Are Engulfed in Flames
--Dr. Nicholas Dodman, author of The Well-Adjusted Dog: Canine Chiropractic Methods You Can Do
--Jane Mayer, author of The Dark Side: The Inside Story of How The War on Terror Turned into a War on American Ideals
--Jason L. Riley, author of Let Them In: The Case for Open Borders
--Julie Andrews, author of Home: A Memoir of My Early Years
--Leslie Jordan, author of My Trip Down the Pink Carpet
--Joe Navarro, author of What Every BODY is Saying: An Ex-FBI Agent's Guide to Speed-Reading People
--Trisha Ashworth and Amy Nobile, co-authors of Dirty Little Secrets from Otherwise Perfect Moms
--Kenneth Pollack, author of A Path Out of the Desert: A Grand Strategy for America in the Middle East
--David Iglesias, author of In Justice: Inside the Scandal That Rocked the Bush Administration
--Joey Green, Joey Green's Fix-It Magic: More Than 1,971 Quick-And-Easy Household Solutions Using Brand-Name Products
--Dr. Nicholas Dodman, The Well-Adjusted Dog: Dr. Dodman's Seven Steps to Lifelong Health and Happiness for Your Best Friend
--John Siceloff, Your America: Democracy's Local Heroes
--Tony Dungy, You Can Do It
--Richard Thaler, co-author of Nudge: Improving Decisions About Health, Wealth, and Happiness
--Andrew Klavan, Empire of Lies
--Ross Douthat and Reihan Salam, coauthors of Grand New Party: How Republicans Can Win the Working Class and Save the American Dream
--Chad Ward, author of An Edge in the Kitchen: The Ultimate Guide to Kitchen Knives--How to Buy Them, Keep Them Razor Sharp, and Use Them Like a Pro
--Bruce Herschensohn, author of Above Empyrean: A Novel of the Final Days of the War on Islamic Terrorism
--Tobias Wolff, author of Our Story Begins: New and Selected Stories
--Kenneth M. Pollack, author of A Path Out of the Desert: A Grand Strategy for America in the Middle East
--Leslie Jordan, My Trip Down the Pink Carpet
--John Harwood, Pennsylvania Avenue: Profiles in Backroom Power
--Betsy Carter, author of Swim to Me
--Ted Kerasote, Merle's Door: Lessons from a Freethinking Dog
--Rosemary Poole-Carter, Women of Magdalene
--Parag Khanna, author of The Second World: Empires and Influence in the New Global Order
--Heather Thomas, author of Trophies: A Novel
--Dr. Kevin Leman, author of Have a New Kid by Friday: How to Change Your Child's Attitude, Behavior & Character in 5 Days
--Sharon Weinberger, author of A Nuclear Family Vacation: Travels in the World of Atomic Weaponry
--Jane Mayer, author of The Dark Side: The Inside Story of How the War on Terror Turned into a War on American Ideals
--Mark Krikorian, author of The New Case Against Immigration: Both Legal and Illegal
--Rajmohan Gandhi, author of Gandhi: The Man, His People, and the Empire
--Bruce Herschensohn, author of Above Empyrean: A Novel of the Final Days of the War on Islamic Terrorism
--Michael Paul Mason, author of Head Cases: Stories of Brain Injury and Its Aftermath
--David Turnley, Mandela! Struggle & Triumph
--John Dean and Barry Goldwater, Jr., authors of Pure Goldwater
--Mark O'Connel, author of The Marriage Benefit: The Surprising Rewards of Staying Together
--Don Corace, author of Government Pirates: The Assault on Private Property Rights--and How We Can Fight It
--Michael Dobbs, author of One Minute to Midnight: Kennedy, Khrushchev, and Castro on the Brink of Nuclear War
--David Giffels, author of All the Way Home: Building a Family in a Falling-Down House
--Mario Batali, author of Italian Grill
--Michael S. Gazzaniga, author of Human: The Science Behind What Makes Us Unique
--Shirley MacLaine, Sage-ing While Age-ing
--Edward Dolnick, The Forger's Spell: A True Story of Vermeer, Nazis, and the Greatest Art Hoax of the Twentieth Century
--Adam Mansbach, The End of the Jews
--Peter Gosselin, High Wire: The Precarious Financial Lives of American Families
--Richard Bitner, author of Confessions of a Subprime Lender: An Insider's Tale of Greed, Fraud, and Ignorance
--Jim Webb, author of A Time to Fight: Reclaiming a Fair and Just America
--David Marcum and Steven Smith, Egonomics: What Makes Ego Our Greatest Asset
--Colonel John Nagl, author of Learning to Eat Soup with a Knife: Counterinsurgency Lessons from Malaya and Vietnam
--Jane O'Connor, author of Fancy Nancy's Favorite Fancy Words: From Accessories to Zany
--Monte Burke, author of Sowbelly: The Obsessive Quest for the World-Record Largemouth Bass
--Shellie Rushing Tomlinson, author of Suck Your Stomach In and Put Some Color On: What Southern Mamas Tell Their Daughters that the Rest of Y'all Should Know Too
--Dan Koeppel, author of Banana: The Fate of the Fruit That Changed the World
--T.J. English, author of Havana Nocturne: How the Mob Owned Cuba and Then Lost It to the Revolution
--Francine Pappadis Friedman, MatchDotBomb: A Midlife Journey through Internet Dating
--Peter Moskos, Cop in the Hood: My Year Policing Baltimore's Eastern District
--Alice Feiring, The Battle for Wine and Love: or How I Saved the World from Parkerization
--Rachel Kushner, Telex from Cuba
--Dame Stella Rimington, Illegal Action
--Paul Muolo and Matthew Padilla, Chain of Blame: How Wall Street Caused the Mortgage and Credit Crisis
--Michael S. Gazzaniga, author of Human: The Science Behind What Makes Us Unique
--Don Corace, Government Pirates: The Assault on Private Property Rights--and How We Can Fight It
--Ken Pollack, author of A Path out of the Desert: A Grand Strategy for America in the Middle East
--John Austin, author of Cubicle Warfare: 101 Office Traps and Pranks
--Rudolph Wurlitzer, author of The Drop Edge of Yonder
--Paul Ehrlich, author of The Dominant Animal: Human Evolution and the Environment
--Sidney Poitier, author of Life Beyond Measure: Letters to My Great-Granddaughter
--T.J. English, Havana Nocturne: How the Mob Owned Cuba and Then Lost It to the Revolution
--Edward Dolnick, author of The Forger's Spell: A True Story of Vermeer, Nazis, and the Greatest Art Hoax of the Twentieth Century
--Daniel Koretz, whose book is Measuring Up: What Educational Testing Really Tells Us
--Mike Gravel, A Political Odyssey: The Rise of American Militarism and One Man's Effort to Stop It
--Monte Burke, author of Sowbelly: The Obsessive Quest for the World-Record Largemouth Bass
--Shellie Rushing Tomlinson, Suck Your Stomach In and Put Some Color On! What Southern Mamas Tell Their Daughters that the Rest of Y'all Should Know Too
--Dan Koeppel, Banana: The Fate of the Fruit That Changed the World
--Alison Bass, author of Side Effects: A Prosecutor, a Whistleblower, and a Bestselling Antidepressant on Trial--Bill Bishop, author of The Big Sort: Why the Clustering of Like-Minded America Is Tearing Us Apart
--Ginger Strand, author of Inventing Niagara: Beauty, Power, and Lies
--Mahvish Rukhsana Khan, author of My Guantanamo Diary: The Detainees and the Stories They Told Me
--Steven Greenhouse, author of The Big Squeeze: Tough Times for the American Worker
--Howard Engel, The Man Who Forgot How to Read: A Memoir
--Mark Kurlansky, author of The Last Fish Tale: The Fate of the Atlantic and Survival in Gloucester, America's Oldest Fishing Port and Most Original Town
--Jennifer Sey, author of Chalked Up: Inside Elite Gymnastics' Merciless Coaching, Overzealous Parents, Eating Disorders, and Elusive Olympic Dreams
--Alex S. Vitale, City of Disorder: How the Quality of Life Campaign Transformed New York Politics

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Here are links to other recent One for the Books columns:

Farewell, Harry Potter -- http://www.recordpub.com/news/article/2313851

Armchair Traveling -- http://www.recordpub.com/news/article/1919262

Global Inhumanity -- http://www.recordpub.com/news/article/2253081

Bookmarks -- http://www.recordpub.com/news/article/110723

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"One for the Books" appears the second, fourth, and fifth Fridays of the month in the Record-Courier. Extra columns may appear on occasion, especially preceding Christmas and Hanukkah.