Recordpub.com - One for the Books: Current Best-Sellers

The current best-seller lists offer quite a variety of entertaining options.

Once again, Dan Brown is at the top of the sales lists around the world. In "The Lost Symbol," he presents the standard race-through-the-streets, brutal-psychotic-murderer, is-there-a-traitor-hidden-in-the-woodwork thriller plot pattern he perfected in his earlier novels, a pattern that has been copied by many other authors. But he adds more: fascinating subject matter. The protagonists aren't just looking for a mysterious McGuffin; they're out to save the country, and along the way we're given something intriguing to think about. From the Catholic Church in "Angels & Demons" to the myths and mysteries surrounding Jesus in "The Da Vinci Code," Brown's well-researched text has captivated the reader, and in "Symbol," he delivers cutting-edge material on noetic science mixed with the elusive mysteries of the Freemasons in the midst of a 24-hour chase through Washington, D.C.

In a nutshell, symbologist Robert Langdon receives a message from his longtime mentor, urgently summoning him to the nation's capital. At the same time, a grotesque madman is working to complete his plan to become a god. Meanwhile, the mentor's sister is working on an exciting breakthrough in research on a kind of cosmic consciousness. All of this takes place in a soup of symbols, codes and obfuscating clues we've come to expect from Brown. What's remarkable is that most of Brown's information is absolutely true. His trick is how he marries the true tidbits with some fictional plot points and slips in a few not-quite-truisms to make it all palatable -- and darn-near unputdownable.

His unfolding plot surprised me. But I must say, it seemed a bit preachy. There are nice little asides about life, the soul, science, and the power of knowledge. It will surely annoy the hard-core religious, just as "The Da Vinci Code" did.

"The Help" by Kathryn Stockett is worth its weight in gold. The novel is set in Jackson, Miss., in 1962, the time of JFK, the Rev. Martin Luther King and the Freedom Riders. One white woman -- "Miss Skeeter" -- wakes up to the racism around her. She sees how the black maids who work in the homes of every one of her acquaintances are considered part of the family, but are relegated to a separate bathroom out back; the maids are the white children's caregivers, but the children are taught by their parents that their maid is "dirty" or "might have a disease" and certainly isn't "one of us." Skeeter, an aspiring writer, wants to make a difference in the lives of the black maids. She decides to write a book of "stories about what it's like to work for a white family ... what it's like to be a maid in Jackson." But to do so, she needs input from the maids, who are truly terrified that if their employers found out, not only would they be fired; the repercussions would be unthinkable.

The story is told mostly in the first person, with the narration shared by Skeeter and two black women. One of the maids, who has raised 17 white children, adores her current charge, but can tell that the toddler's mother is starting to teach her how to be a racist: "I want to stop that moment from coming -- and it come in ever white child's life -- when they start to think that colored folks ain't as good as whites," she says. "How we love they kids when they little ... and then they turn out just like they mamas." It's just heart-breaking.

I really immersed myself in the book, in the Southern hospitality, in the net tightly woven between the characters. It's very powerful. Several times I gasped in horrified shock or pleasant surprise. At one point, I said aloud: "Holy s---" and felt chills down my spine. The author really involves the reader by making the characters so complete. The writing is easy to follow and occasionally just lovely, as in the description of one maid's contribution to the book: "Her stories unfold like soft linen." There's even a hilarious scene when Skeeter goes out on a disastrous date. This book is just excellent, all around. Do not miss it.

Mitch Albom is more than a little familiar with the best-seller lists, from his wise and still-inspirational "Tuesdays with Morrie" to the made-ya-think "Five People You Meet in Heaven," among others. He returns to nonfiction with "Have a Little Faith," in which he tells the stories of two men of faith -- a rabbi and a Baptist minister. Albert Lewis, 82, the rabbi of Albom's New Jersey childhood, asks Mitch if he would give the eulogy at his funeral when the time comes. Albom doesn't feel he knows the rabbi well enough, so he starts to visit him on a regular basis. He listens to the rabbi's anecdotes, musical theaterish songs and overabundance of puns. The text is filled with inspirational quotes and short excerpts from the rabbi's sermons. "Faith is about doing," says Lewis. "You are how you act, not just how you believe." Meanwhile, Albom gets to know Henry Covington in Brooklyn. Henry was raised with eight siblings in an apartment filled with rats. He grew up on the streets, getting involved with gangsters and drugs, and ending up in prison. At his lowest point, he turns to God, and later becomes a clergyman.

There's true wisdom in this little book. It's a bit reminiscent of "Tuesdays with Morrie," combining some of Albom's own life stories with insights from thoughtful men. One-tenth of the profits from the book's sale will go to charity.

The reason to read a Pat Conroy novel is the writing, and "South of Broad" is no exception. It begins in 1969 in Charleston, S.C., where troubled 18-year-old Leo King is trying to overcome the trauma of his brother's suicide. Leo explains that no one "could show me the pathway to a normal productive life with that ghoulish entry visa affixed to my passport." Brilliant writing.

Here's another example of Conroy's beautiful words: "I carry the delicate porcelain beauty of Charleston like the hinged shell of some soft-tissued mollusk. ... The high tides of the city flood my consciousness each day, subject to the whims and harmonies of full moons rising out of the Atlantic." Forget the plot: There's a whole lot going on, and it isn't a perfect book. But why not take a nice, long visit to Conroy's lovely South, where "The gardens of Charleston were mysteries walled away in ivied jewel boxes emitting their special fragrances over high walls." Aah.

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Please support all the branches of the Portage County District Library by voting yes on Issue 6 on Nov. 3. We need our libraries more than ever.

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BOOK NOTES, One for the Books Extra Online Exclusives:

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LOCAL BOOK CLUBS:

The Kent Free Library’s book discussion group meets at 6:45 p.m. the third Tuesday of every month in the second floor meeting room at the library. November’s choice is “Moby-Dick” by Herman Melville. Previous books discussed include “The Great Gatsby,” “A Christmas Carol” and “Anna Karenina.”
Members come from Kent, Stow and Rootstown, and everyone is welcome. The discussion is led by librarian Kristin Pool. Any question should be directed to her at 330-673-4414.

The Book Discussion Group at the Randolph Library meets the first Monday of the month, except August, at 6:30 p.m. in the Randolph Senior Center. The group is open to everyone, and new members are always welcome. The library will stock copies of the books each month. Call the library at 330-325-7003.

Pierce-Streetsboro Library’s Book Discussion Group meets regularly on the second Monday of each month at 6:45 p.m. in the library’s meeting room. New members are always welcome to attend and participate in the discussion. The library is located at 8990 Kirby Lane in Streetsboro, next to the administrative offices of the Streetsboro City Schools. For more information, call the library at 330-626-4458.

The Book Discussion Group at the Mogadore Branch of the Akron-Summit County Library, 144 S. Cleveland Ave., 330-628-9228, meets at 6:30 p.m. Wednesdays to discuss books.
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From Shelf Awareness: New Titles Out October 20:

SuperFreakonomics: Global Cooling, Patriotic Prostitutes, and Why Suicide Bombers Should Buy Life Insurance by Steven D. Levitt and Stephen J. Dubner
What the Dog Saw: And Other Adventures by Malcolm Gladwell
The Scarpetta Factor by Patricia Cornwell
Blood Game by Iris Johansen
To Try Men's Souls: A Novel of George Washington and the Fight for American Freedom by Newt Gingrich, William R. Forstchen and Albert S. Hanser
Drinking with George: A Barstool Professional's Guide to Beer by George Wendt
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New Titles Out October 27:

Angel Time: The Songs of the Seraphim by Anne Rice
True Blue by David Baldacci
The Gathering Storm by Robert Jordan and Brandon Sanderson
You Better Not Cry: Stories for Christmas by Augusten Burroughs
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PUBLISHERS WEEKLY BEST-SELLERS
By The Associated Press

HARDCOVER FICTION
1. “The Lost Symbol” by Dan Brown (Doubleday)
2. “Pursuit of Honor: A Novel” by Vince Flynn (Atria) (F-H)
3. “Nine Dragons” by Michael Connelly (Little, Brown) (F-H)
4. “The Last Song” by Nicholas Sparks (Grand Central Publishing)
5. “The Help” by Kathryn Stockett (Putnam/Amy Einhorn)
6. “A Touch of Dead” by Charlaine Harris (Ace)
7. “Half Broke Horses: A True-Life Novel” by Jeannette Walls (Scribner)
8. “Rough Country,” by John Sandford (Putnam Adult)
9. “An Echo in the Bone” by Diana Gabaldon (Delacorte)
10. “Heat Wave” by Richard Castle (Hyperion)
11. “The Professional” by Robert B. Parker (Putnam Adult)
12. “Evidence” by Jonathan Kellerman (Ballantine)
13. “Her Fearful Symmetry” by Audrey Niffenegger (Scribner)
14. “Star Wars: Death Troopers” by Joe Schreiber (Del Rey)
15. “Wolf Hall” by Hilary Mantel (Holt)

HARDCOVER NONFICTION
1. “Have a Little Faith: A True Story” by Mitch Albom (Hyperion)
2. “Arguing With Idiots: How to Stop Small Minds and Big Government” by Glenn Beck (Threshold Editions)
3. “Highest Duty: My Search for What Really Matters” by Chesley B. Sullenberg with Jeffrey Zaslow (William Morrow)
4. “True Compass: A Memoir” by Edward M. Kennedy (Twelve)
5. “Postsecret” by Frank Warren (Morrow)
6. “Moonwalk” by Michael Jackson (Harmony)
7. “Jim Cramer’s Getting Back To Even” by James J. Cramer with Cliff Mason (Simon & Schuster)
8. “The Murder of King Tut” by James Patterson, Martin Dugard (Little, Brown)
9. “Crush It! Why NOW Is the Time to Cash In on Your Passion” by Gary Vaynerchuk (HarperStudio)
10. “Where Men Win Glory: The Odyssey of Pat Tillman” by Jon Krakauer (Doubleday)
11. “The Time of My Life” by Patrick Swayze, Lisa Niemi (Atria)
12. “Outliers: The Story of Success” by Malcolm Gladwell (Little, Brown and Company)
13. “The Greatest Show on Earth: The Evidence for Evolution” by Richard Dawkins (Free Press)
14. “America for Sale: Fighting the New World Order, Surviving a Global Depression, and Preserving USA Sovereignty” by Jerome R. Corsi (Threshold Editions)
15. “Guinness World Records 2010” by Guinness World Records (Guinness)

MASS MARKET PAPERBACKS
1. “The Associate” by John Grisham (Dell)
2. “Cross Country” by James Patterson (Vision)
3. “Heat Lightning” by John Sandford (Berkley)
4. “Just After Sunset: Stories” by Stephen King (Pocket)
5. “True Detectives” by Jonathan Kellerman (Ballantine)
6. “Razor Sharp” by Fern Michaels (Zebra)
7. “The Lovely Bones” by Alice Sebold (Little, Brown)
8. “Born of Night” Sherrilyn Kenyon (Saint Martin’s Paperbacks)
9. “Covet” by J.R. Ward (Signet)
10. “Windfall: Impulse Temptation” by Nora Roberts (Silhouette)
11. “From Dead to Worse” by Charlaine Harris (Ace)
12. “The Renegade Hunter” by Lynsay Sands (Avon)
13. “Extreme Measures” by Vince Flynn (Pocket)
14. “Scarpetta” by Patricia Cornwell (Berkley)
15. “Divine Justice” by David Baldacci (Vision)

TRADE PAPERBACKS
1. “Say You’re One of Them” by Uwem Akpan (Little, Brown)
2. “The Shack” by William P. Young (Windblown Media)
3. “The Time Traveler’s Wife” by Audrey Niffenegger (Mariner Books)
4. “The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo” by Stieg Larsson (Vintage)
5. “Olive Kitteredge” by Elizabeth Strout (Random House Trade Paperbacks)
6. “Push” by Sapphire (Vintage)
7. “Glenn Beck’s Common Sense: The Case Against an Out-of-Control Government, Inspired by Thomas Paine” by Glenn Beck (Threshold Editions)
8. “The Glass Castle: A Memoir” by Jeannette Walls (Scribner)
9. “The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society” by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows (Dial)
10. “Handle With Care: A Novel” by Jodi Picoult (Washington Square Press)
11. “Three Cups of Tea: One Man’s Mission to Promote Peace ... One School at a Time” by Greg Mortenson and David Oliver Relin (Penguin)
12. “I Hope They Serve Beer in Hell” by Tucker Max (Citadel)
13. “The Art of Racing in the Rain” (Garth Stein) (Harper)
14. “The Story of Edgar Sawtelle” by David Wroblewski (Ecco)
15. “The Zombie Survival Guide: Recorded Attacks” by Max Brooks (Three Rivers)

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WALL STREET JOURNAL BEST-SELLERS
By The Associated Press

FICTION
1. “Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Dog Days” by Jeff Kinney (Amulet Books)
2. “The Lost Symbol” by Dan Brown (Doubleday)
3. “Pursuit of Honor: A Novel” by Vince Flynn (Atria)
4. “Nine Dragons” by Michael Connelly (Little, Brown)
5. “Where the Wild Things Are” by Maurice Sendak (HarperTrophy)
6. “The Help” by Kathryn Stockett (Putnam/Amy Einhorn)
7. “The Last Song” by Nicholas Sparks (Grand Central Publishing)
8. “Diary of a Wimpy Kid” by Jeff Kinney (Amulet)
9. “Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Last Straw” by Jeff Kinney (Amulet Books)
10. “Half Broke Horses: A True-Life Novel” by Jeannette Walls (Scribner)
11. “Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Rodrick Rules” by Jeff Kinney (Amulet Books)
12. “A Touch of Dead” by Charlaine Harris (Ace)
13. “The Van Alen Legacy” by Melissa De La Cruz (Hyperion Press)
14. “Rough Country” by John Sandford (Putnam Adult)
15. “An Echo in the Bone” by Diana Gabaldon (Delacorte)

NONFICTION
1. “Have a Little Faith: A True Story” by Mitch Albom (Hyperion)
2. “Arguing with Idiots: How to Stop Small Minds and Big Government” by Glenn Beck and Kevin Balfe (Threshold Editions)
3. “Diary of a Wimpy Kid Do-It-Yourself Book” by Jeff Kinney (Amulet Books)
4. “True Compass: A Memoir” by Edward M. Kennedy (Twelve)
5. “Highest Duty: My Search for What Really Matters” by Chesley B. Sullenberg with Jeffrey Zaslow (William Morrow)
6. “Jim Cramer’s Getting Back To Even” by James J. Cramer with Cliff Mason (Simon & Schuster)
7. “Crush It! Why NOW Is the Time to Cash In on Your Passion” by Gary Vaynerchuk (HarperStudio)
8. “Moonwalk” by Michael Jackson (Harmony)
9. “Guinness World Records 2010” by Guinness World Records (Guinness)
10. “The Twilight Journals” by Stephenie Meyer (Little, Brown Books for Young Readers)
11. “The Murder of King Tut” by James Patterson, Martin Dugard (Little, Brown)
12. “Where Men Win Glory: The Odyssey of Pat Tillman” by Jon Krakauer (Doubleday)
13. “The Time of My Life” by Patrick Swayze, Lisa Niemi (Atria)
14. “The Greatest Show on Earth: The Evidence for Evolution” by Richard Dawkins (Free Press)
15. “How to Raise the Perfect Dog” by Cesar Millan, Melissa Jo Peltier (Harmony)

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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USA Today Best Sellers
By The Associated Press
Key: F-Fiction; NF-Nonfiction; H-Hardcover; P-Paperback

1. “Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Dog Days” by Jeff Kinney (Amulet Books) (F-H)
2. “The Lost Symbol” by Dan Brown (Doubleday) (F-H)
3. “Pursuit of Honor: A Novel” by Vince Flynn (Atria) (F-H)
4. “Where the Wild Things Are” by Maurice Sendak (HarperTrophy) (F-P)
5. “Nine Dragons” by Michael Connelly (Little, Brown) (F-H)
6. “Have a Little Faith: A True Story” by Mitch Albom (Hyperion) (NF-H)
7. “New Moon” by Stephenie Meyer (Little, Brown Books for Young Readers) (F-P)
8. “The Associate” by John Grisham (Dell)(F-P)
9. “Cross Country” by James Patterson (Vision) (F-P)
10. “Arguing With Idiots: How to Stop Small Minds and Big Government” by Glenn Beck (Threshold Editions) (NF-H)
11. “Eclipse” by Stephenie Meyer (Little, Brown Books for Young Readers) (F-H)
12. “New Moon: The Official Illustrated Movie Companion” by Mark Cotta Vaz (Little, Brown Books for Young Readers) (NF-P)
13. “Twilight” by Stephenie Meyer (Little, Brown Books for Young Readers) (F-P)
14. “Breaking Dawn” by Stephenie Meyer (Little, Brown Books for Young Readers) (F-H)
15. “The Shack” by William P. Young (Windblown Media) (F-P)
16. “The Last Song” by Nicholas Sparks (Grand Central Publishing) (F-H)
17. “Heat Lightning” by John Sandford (Berkley) (F-P)
18. “Say You’re One of Them” by Uwem Akpan (Little Brown) (F-P)
19. “The Lovely Bones” by Alice Sebold (Little, Brown) (F-P)
20. “The Help” by Kathryn Stockett (Putnam/Amy Einhorn) (F-H)
21. “Razor Sharp” by Fern Michaels (Zebra) (F-P)
22. “A Touch of Dead” by Charlaine Harris (Ace) (F-H)
23. “Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Last Straw” by Jeff Kinney (Amulet Books) (F-H)
24. “Diary of a Wimpy Kid” by Jeff Kinney (Amulet) (F-H)
25. “The Van Alen Legacy” by Melissa De La Cruz (Hyperion Press) (F-H)
26. “The Time Traveler’s Wife” by Audrey Niffenegger (Mariner Books) (F-P)
27. “Windfall: Impulse Temptation” by Nora Roberts (Silhouette) (F-P)
28. “Envy” by Sandra Brown (Warner) (F-P)
29. “Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Rodrick Rules” by Jeff Kinney (Amulet Books) (F-H)
30. “Rough Country” by John Sandford (Putnam Adult) (F-H)
31. “Highest Duty: My Search for What Really Matters” by Chesley B. Sullenberg with Jeffrey Zaslow (William Morrow) (NF-H)
32. “True Compass: A Memoir” by Edward M. Kennedy (Twelve) (NF-H)
33. “Half Broke Horses: A True-Life Novel” by Jeannette Walls (Scribner) (F-H)
34. “Just After Sunset” by Stephen King (Pocket) (F-P)
35. “That Holiday Feeling” by Debbie Macomber, Sherryl Woods, Robyn Carr (Mira) (F-P)
36. “Born of Night” Sherrilyn Kenyon (Saint Martin’s Paperbacks) (F-P)
37. “Frontline Profit Machine: The Khoury Blueprint for Exploding Profits at the Point of Sale” by Ziad Khoury (Select Books) (NF-H)
38. “The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo” by Stieg Larsson (Vintage) (F-P)
39. “True Detectives” by Jonathan Kellerman (Ballantine) (F-P)
40. “Moonwalk” by Michael Jackson (Harmony) (NF-H)
41. “An Echo in the Bone” by Diana Gabaldon (Delacorte) (F-H)
42. “The Vampire Diaries: The Awakening and The Struggle” by L.J. Smith (HarperTeen) (F-P)
43. “The Time of My Life” by Patrick Swayze, Lisa Niemi (Atria) (NF-H)
44. “Heat Wave” by Richard Castle (Hyperion) (F-H)
45. “Unhallowed Ground” by Heather Graham (Mira) (F-P)
46. “Glenn Beck’s Common Sense: The Case Against an Out-of-Control Government, Inspired by Thomas Paine” by Glenn Beck (Threshold Editions) (NF-P)
47. “Olive Kitteridge” by Elizabeth Strout (Random House) (F-P)
48. “The Perfect Christmas” by Debbie Macomber (Mira) (F-H)
49. “Evidence” by Jonathan Kellerman (Ballantine) (F-H)
50. “Jim Cramer’s Getting Back To Even” by James J. Cramer with Cliff Mason (Simon & Schuster) (NF-H)

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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Here’s a link to a list of authors who are making the media rounds, visiting talk shows, and/or talking about their books:

http://www.recordpub.com/news/article/4694850

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Here are links to other recent One for the Books columns. More links are available on my blog at http://blogs.dixcdn.com/shine_a_light/one-for-the-books/

Picture Books for Ages 4 to 8 -- http://www.recordpub.com/news/article/4684752

All About Food -- http://www.recordpub.com/news/article/4675462

Doctorow, Atwood, Pynchon -- http://www.recordpub.com/news/article/4665676

Thrillers, Dark and Grisly -- http://www.recordpub.com/news/article/4656532

Celebrating Woodstock -- http://www.recordpub.com/news/article/4647537

A Potpourri of Fiction -- http://www.recordpub.com/news/article/4638792

Memorable Friendships -- http://www.recordpub.com/news/article/4634430

Three Fictional Visits to Africa -- http://www.recordpub.com/news/article/4625472

Surprising Adventures in the Lives of Monks -- http://www.recordpub.com/news/article/4616188

Mysteries for Summer Reading -- http://www.recordpub.com/news/article/4606477

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Thanks for reading One for the Books. Please let us know what kind of book news you’d like to see on this page. Send e-mail to Books@recordpub.com. Send other mail to Mary Louise Ruehr, Books Editor, Record-Courier, 126 N. Chestnut St. (P.O. Box 1201), Ravenna, OH 44266.

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