Author Jonathan Safran Does Not Like Factory Farms. I Don't Like Them Either.

"Treat me right."

Everything about factory farming disgusts me. And with respect to factory chickens, it is beyond disgusting (to call them "factory 'raised' chickens" is just a gross misrepresentation). The LA Times talked with author Jonathan Safran about his investigation of factory farms. Check out the interview here.

After you've read the article, check out Safran's Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close, which is an excellent novel about a unique nine-year-old boy, Oskar, searching New York for the lock that matches a key left by his father, who was killed in the September 11 attacks.

And consider eating meat at most once a day, not at every meal. It would be better for everyone. (Check out also this episode of Bones in which a human is murdered at a chicken factory. Details of the factory "experience" are provided.)

"Black Swan Green" by David Mitchell

A piece in the Los Angeles Times yesterday reminded me of a terrific book to consider reading this long, Labor Day weekend: Black Swan Green by David Mitchell.

Mitchell, age 40, has published four novels including Black Swan Green and Cloud Atlas, which was shortlisted for the 2004 Man Booker Prize. According to the LA Times' book blog, Jacket Copy, a conference on Mitchell's work is being held this week at the University of St. Andrews in Scotland. Don't know if four novels provide sufficient material for an academic conference, but I do know that his 2006 book, Black Swan Green, is a wonderful read.

Black Swan Green, set in 1982, is about a year in the life of a 13-year old named Jason Taylor, who is growing up in Worcestershire, England. Jason, a budding poet, navigates being a boy at 13 and coping with all that age and that time, Margaret Thatcher's England, brings. Mitchell's writing is superb and the story enjoyable. If you can't jet over to Scotland for the conference, pick-up a copy of Black Swan Green instead and have a great weekend reading an excellent novel.

L.A. Times Looks at New Books on Golf

Nick Owchar, writing for the L.A. Times book blog Jacket Copy, looks at new books on golf: The Original Rules of Golf (Postcards from...) and What's a Golfer to Do?: 343 Techniques, Tips, and Tricks from the Best Pros.

Best Seller Round-Up

Ernest Hemingway: "You go to the races?"

Interviewer: "Yes, occasionally."

Hemingway: "Then you read the Racing Form . . . .
There you have the true art of fiction."

From The Paris Review Interviews, Vol. 1.

Note: Available this July is a new edition of Ernest Hemingway's A Moveable Feast. According to the publisher, "This new special restored edition presents the original manuscript as the author prepared it to be published."

I. The New York Times.

Published July 10, 2009.

Fiction Paperback (Trade): My Sister's Keeper, Jodi Picoult.
Fiction Hardcover: Swimsuit, James Patterson and Maxine Paetro.

Nonfiction Paperback: Glenn Beck's 'Common Sense', Glenn Beck.

Nonfiction Hardcover: Catastrophe, Dick Morris and Eileen McGann.

II. Los Angeles Times.
Published July 12, 2009.

Fiction Paperback: Pride and Prejudice and Zombies: The Classic Regency Romance - Now with Ultraviolent Zombie Mayhem!, Jane Austen and Seth Grahame-Smith.
Fiction Hardcover: Finger Lickin' Fifteen, Janet Evanovich.
Nonfiction Paperback: Three Cups of Tea, Greg Mortenson and David Oliver Relin.
Nonfiction Hardcover: Outliers, Malcolm Gladwell.

III. Northern California Independent Booksellers.
For the week ending July 5, 2009.

Fiction Paperback (Trade): Olive Kitteridge, Elizabeth Strout.



Fiction Hardcover: The Angel’s Game, Carlos Ruiz Zafón.
Nonfiction Paperback: Three Cups of Tea, Greg Mortenson and David Oliver Relin.
Nonfiction Hardcover: Outliers, Malcolm Gladwell.


IV. Heartland Indie Bestseller List.
Great Lakes Independent Booksellers Association
For the week ending July 5, 2009.

Fiction Paperback (Trade): The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society (Random House Reader's Circle), Mary Ann Shaffer, Annie Barrows.
Fiction Hardcover: Finger Lickin' Fifteen, Janet Evanovich.
Nonfiction Paperback: Glenn Beck's 'Common Sense', Glenn Beck.
Nonfiction Hardcover: Liberty and Tyranny, Mark R. Levin.

Drywall Imported from China may be Defective

The Los Angeles Times reports that drywall imported from China is at the center of complaints of foul odors seeping from walls, corrosion to air conditioners, mirrors, electrical outlets and jewelry. The problem may be a radioactive phosphorus substance -- phosphogypsum -- that is banned for construction use in the U.S. but is used by Chinese manufacturers.

Yet another reason to pause before using building materials imported from China, where an entire new 13-story building recently collapsed.

New Murder Mystery from Chuck Barris

Chuck Barris, who hosted the Gong Show and wrote the memoir Confessions of a Dangerous Mind in which he claimed to have worked for the CIA, has a new book out called Who Killed Art Deco? The L.A. Times has a review.

Best Seller Round-Up

"All good books are alike in that they are truer
than if they had really happened,
and after you are finished reading one,
you will feel that all that happened to you and afterwards it all belongs to you;
the good and the bad, the ecstasy, the remorse, and sorrow,
the people and the places and how the weather was. "

- Ernest Hemingway

I. The New York Times.

Published June 19, 2009.

Fiction Paperback (Trade): The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society, Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows.
Fiction Hardcover: Relentless, Dean Koontz

Nonfiction Paperback: Three Cups of Tea, Greg Mortenson and David Oliver Relin.
Nonfiction Hardcover: Liberty and Tyranny, Mark R. Levin.





II. Los Angeles Times.
Published June 21, 2009.

Fiction Paperback: The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society, Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows.
Fiction Hardcover: The Scarecrow, Michael Connelly.
Nonfiction Paperback: Three Cups of Tea, Greg Mortenson and David Oliver Relin.
Nonfiction Hardcover: Outliers, Malcolm Gladwell.

III. Northern California Independent Booksellers.
For the week ending June 14, 2009.

Fiction Paperback (Trade): The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society, Mary Ann Shaffer, Annie Barrows.
Fiction Hardcover: The Scarecrow, Michael Connelly
Nonfiction Paperback: Three Cups of Tea, Greg Mortenson and David Oliver Relin.
Nonfiction Hardcover: Outliers, Malcolm Gladwell.

IV. Heartland Indie Bestseller List.
Great Lakes Independent Booksellers Association
For the week ending June 14, 2009.

Fiction Paperback (Trade): The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society, Mary Ann Shaffer, Annie Barrows.
Fiction Hardcover: Shanghai Girls, Lisa See.
Nonfiction Paperback: Three Cups of Tea, Greg Mortenson and David Oliver Relin.
Nonfiction Hardcover: Liberty and Tyranny, Mark R. Levin.

Kansas Can't be Trusted With Books

Kansas, a place recently in the news because a physician there was murdered while attending Sunday service at a Wichita church, has some infamous history.

Adding to all of the above, the Los Angeles Times reports that Kansas cannot even be trusted with books. "Books dating back to 1819 recently were vandalized at Watson Library on the University of Kansas campus, causing $5,000 worth of damage," the paper reports.

And what about the mysterious Kansas Rectangle?

Trouble in the garden: A gang of blue flowers menace the rose.

Best Seller Round-Up

"Next to acquiring good friends, the best acquisition is that of good books."

- Charles Caleb Colton.

I. The New York Times.

Published June 12, 2009.

Fiction Paperback (Trade): The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society, Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows.
Fiction Hardcover: Skin Trade, Laurell K. Hamilton.

Nonfiction Paperback: Three Cups of Tea, Greg Mortenson and David Oliver Relin.
Nonfiction Hardcover: Liberty and Tyranny, Mark R. Levin.

II. Los Angeles Times.
Published June 14, 2009.

Fiction Paperback: Pride and Prejudice and Zombies, Jane Austen and Seth Grahame-Smith
Fiction Hardcover: The Last Olympian (Percy Jackson & the Olympians, Book 5) Rick Riordan.
Nonfiction Paperback: Three Cups of Tea, Greg Mortenson and David Oliver Relin.
Nonfiction Hardcover: Outliers, Malcolm Gladwell.

III. Northern California Independent Booksellers.
For the week ending June 7, 2009.

Fiction Paperback (Trade): The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society, Mary Ann Shaffer, Annie Barrows.
Fiction Hardcover: The Scarecrow, Michael Connelly
Nonfiction Paperback: When You Are Engulfed in Flames, David Sedaris.
Nonfiction Hardcover: Outliers, Malcolm Gladwell.




IV. Heartland Indie Bestseller List.
Great Lakes Independent Booksellers Association
For the week ending June 7, 2009.

Fiction Paperback (Trade): The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society, Mary Ann Shaffer, Annie Barrows.
Fiction Hardcover: Shanghai Girls, Lisa See.
Nonfiction Paperback: Three Cups of Tea, Greg Mortenson and David Oliver Relin.
Nonfiction Hardcover: Horse Soldiers, Doug Stanton.

Best Seller Round-Up

“The more that you read, the more things you will know.
The more that you learn, the more places you'll go.”
- Dr. Seuss

I. The New York Times.
Published May 8, 2009.

Fiction Paperback (Trade): Vision in White, Nora Roberts.



Fiction Hardcover: The 8th Confession, James Patterson and Maxine Paetro.




Nonfiction Paperback: Three Cups of Tea, Greg Mortenson and David Oliver Relin.
Nonfiction Hardcover: Liberty and Tyranny, Mark R. Levin.

II. Los Angeles Times.
Published May 10, 2009.

Fiction Paperback: Unaccustomed Earth Jhumpa Lahiri.
Fiction Hardcover: First Family, David Baldacci.
Nonfiction Paperback: Three Cups of Tea, Greg Mortenson, David Oliver Relin.
Nonfiction Hardcover: Outliers, Malcolm Gladwell.

III. Northern California Independent Booksellers.
For the week ending May 3, 2009.

Fiction Paperback (Trade): Unaccustomed Earth, Jhumpa Lahiri.
Fiction Hardcover: Tea Time for the Traditionally Built, Alexander McCall Smith.
Nonfiction Paperback:Three Cups of Tea, Greg Mortenson, David Oliver Relin.
Nonfiction Hardcover: Outliers, Malcolm Gladwell.

IV. Heartland Indie Bestseller List.
Great Lakes Independent Booksellers Association
For the week ending May 3, 2009.

Fiction Paperback (Trade): The Shack, William P. Young.
Fiction Hardcover: Home Safe, Elizabeth Berg.



Nonfiction Hardcover: Liberty and Tyranny, Mark R. Levin.
Nonfiction Paperback (Trade): Three Cups of Tea, Greg Mortenson, David Oliver Relin.

Best Seller Round-Up

". . . there are books of which the backs and covers are by far the best parts."

- Charles Dickens in Oliver Twist

I. The New York Times.
Published May 1, 2009.

Fiction Paperback (Trade): The Shack, William P. Young.

Note: June 2008 article about The Shack from The New York Times.

Fiction Hardcover: First Family, David Baldacci.
Note: On Amazon this book has been given 51 customer reviews and rates 2.5 stars out of a possible 5.



Nonfiction Paperback: Three Cups of Tea, Greg Mortenson and David Oliver Relin.
Nonfiction Hardcover: Liberty and Tyranny, Mark R. Levin.

II. Los Angeles Times.
Published May 3, 2009.

Fiction Paperback: Unaccustomed EarthJhumpa Lahiri.
Fiction Hardcover: Breaking Dawn, Stephenie Meyer.

Nonfiction Paperback: The Soloist, Steve Lopez.
Note: Movie tie-in. See Rotten Tomatoes.



Nonfiction Hardcover: Liberty and Tyranny, Mark R. Levin.

III. Northern California Independent Booksellers.
For the week ending April 26, 2009.

Fiction Paperback (Trade): Unaccustomed Earth, Jhumpa Lahiri.
Fiction Hardcover: Tea Time for the Traditionally Built, Alexander McCall Smith.



Nonfiction Paperback:Three Cups of Tea, Greg Mortenson, David Oliver Relin.
Nonfiction Hardcover: Outliers, Macolm Gladwell.

IV. Heartland Indie Bestseller List.
Great Lakes Independent Booksellers Association
For the week ending April 19, 2009.

Fiction Paperback (Trade): The Shack, William P. Young.
Fiction Hardcover: Tea Time for the Traditionally Built, Alexander McCall Smith.
Nonfiction Hardcover: Liberty and Tyranny, Mark R. Levin.
Nonfiction Paperback (Trade): Three Cups of Tea, Greg Mortenson, David Oliver Relin.

Best Seller Round-Up

"A man is known by the books he reads, by the company he keeps, by the praise he gives, by his dress, by his tastes, by his distastes,by the stories he tells, by his gait, by the notion of his eye, by the look of his house, of his chamber; for nothing on earth is solitary but every thing hath affinities infinite."

Ralph Waldo Emerson

I. The New York Times.
Published April 24, 2009.

Fiction Paperback (Trade): The Shack, William P. Young.
Fiction Hardcover: Just Take My Heart, Mary Higgins Clark.
Nonfiction Paperback: Three Cups of Tea, Greg Mortenson and David Oliver Relin.
Nonfiction Hardcover: Liberty and Tyranny, Mark R. Levin.

II. Los Angeles Times.
Published April 26, 2009.

Fiction Paperback: New Moon , Stephenie Meyer
Fiction Hardcover: Breaking Dawn, Stephenie Meyer
Nonfiction Paperback: Three Cups of Tea, Greg Mortenson and David Oliver Relin
Nonfiction Hardcover: Liberty and Tyranny, Mark R. Levin.

III. Northern California Independent Booksellers.
For the week ending April 19, 2009.

Fiction Paperback (Trade): Unaccustomed Earth, Jhumpa Lahiri



Fiction Hardcover: The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society, Mary Ann Shaffer, Annie Barrows
Nonfiction Paperback: Three Cups of Tea, Greg Mortenson, David Oliver Relin.
Nonfiction Hardcover: Liberty and Tyranny, Mark R. Levin

IV. Heartland Indie Bestseller List.
Great Lakes Independent Booksellers Association
For the week ending April 19, 2009.

Fiction Paperback (Trade): The Shack, William P. Young.
Fiction Hardcover: The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society Mary Ann Shaffer, Annie Barrows .
Nonfiction Hardcover: Liberty and Tyranny, Mark R. Levin.
Nonfiction Paperback (Trade): Three Cups of Tea, Greg Mortenson, David Oliver Relin.

Best Seller Round-Up

"Outside of a dog, a book is man's best friend.
Inside of a dog it's too dark to read." ~Groucho Marx

Malcolm Gladwell's book about success, Outliers, is still selling like hotcakes. Go figure. Also writing about success, Tara Stiles at Huffington Post sets forth 10 tips for success in what I have to assume is an unintentionally funny post. Drink water and get enough sleep, she writes. Do yoga. Smile. Ms. Stiles seems to have a low threshold for declaring success. Her tips read more like preparation for life as a dancing bear rather than say, director of the FBI.

That Outliers is indeed "selling like hotcakes" reminds me that if you are a word maven, there is a new book that may be of interest: I Love It When You Talk Retro: Hoochie Coochie, Double Whammy, Drop a Dime, and the Forgotten Origins of American Speech by Ralph Keyes. Check out a NPR interview of Keyes here.

Below is this week's best seller round-up:

I. The New York Times.
Published March 27, 2009.

Fiction Paperback (Trade): The Shack, William P. Young.
Fiction Hardcover: Handle With Care, Jodi Picoult.
Nonfiction Paperback: Three Cups of Tea, Greg Mortenson and David Oliver Relin.
Nonfiction Hardcover: Outliers, Malcolm Gladwell.


II. Los Angeles Times.
Published March 29, 2009.

Fiction Paperback: New Moon, by Stephenie Meyer.
Fiction Hardcover: Corsair, Clive Cussler with Jack Du Brul.



Nonfiction Paperback: Three Cups of Tea, Greg Mortenson and David Oliver Relin.
Nonfiction Hardcover: Outliers, Malcolm Gladwell.

III. Northern California Independent Booksellers.
For the week ending March 22, 2009.

Fiction Paperback (Trade): The Shack, William P. Young.
Fiction Hardcover: The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society Mary Ann Shaffer, Annie Barrows .
Nonfiction Paperback: Three Cups of Tea, Greg Mortenson, David Oliver Relin.
Nonfiction Hardcover: Outliers, The Story of Success, Malcolm Gladwell.

IV. Heartland Indie Bestseller List.
Great Lakes Independent Booksellers Association
For the week ending March 22, 2009.

Fiction Paperback (Trade): The Shack, William P. Young.
Fiction Hardcover: Handle With Care, Jodi Picoult.
Nonfiction Hardcover: Outliers, Malcolm Gladwell.
Nonfiction Paperback (Trade): Three Cups of Tea, Greg Mortenson, David Oliver Relin.

New Work from Walter Mosley

Author Walter Mosley has a new book featuring a new character. The L.A. Times has the story.

Best Seller Round-Up

"Experience is the name everyone gives to their mistakes." - Oscar Wilde, Lady Windermere's Fan, 1892, Act III

I. The New York Times
Published February 8, 2009.

Fiction Paperback (Trade): The Shack, William P. Young.
Fiction Hardcover: The Associate, John Grisham



Nonfiction Paperback: Dreams From My Father, Barack Obama.
Nonfiction Hardcover: Outliers, The Story of Success, Malcolm Gladwell.

II. Los Angeles Times.
Published February 8, 2009.

Fiction Paperback: The Shack, William P. Young.
Fiction Hardcover: Eclipse, Stephenie Meyer.
Nonfiction Paperback: The Audacity of Hope, Barack Obama.
Nonfiction Hardcover: Outliers, The Story of Success, Malcolm Gladwell.

III. Northern California Independent Booksellers
For the week ending February 1, 2009.

Fiction Paperback (Trade): White Tiger, Aravind Adiga.

Note: This is one of my recommended reads.



Fiction Hardcover: The Associate, John Grisham.
Nonfiction Paperback: Dreams From My Father, Barack Obama.
Nonfiction Hardcover: Outliers, The Story of Success, Malcolm Gladwell.

IV. Heartland Indie Bestseller List
Great Lakes Independent Booksellers Association
For the week ending February 1, 2009.

Fiction Paperback: The Shack, William P. Young.
Fiction Hardcover: The Associate, John Grisham.
Nonfiction Hardcover: Dewy, The Small-Town Library Cat Who Touched the World, Vicki Myron.
Nonfiction Paperback: Three Cups of Tea, Greg Mortenson, David Oliver Relin.

Best Seller Round-Up

"Wisdom comes with winters." - Oscar Wilde.

I. The New York Times
Published February 1, 2009.

Fiction Paperback (Trade): The Shack, William P. Young.
Fiction Hardcover: Plum Spooky, Janet Evanovich.
Nonfiction Paperback: Dreams From My Father, Barack Obama.
Nonfiction Hardcover: Outliers, The Story of Success, Malcolm Gladwell.

II. Los Angeles Times
Published February 1, 2009.

Fiction Paperback: Revolutionary Road, Richard Yates.
Fiction Hardcover: Eclipse, Stephenie Meyer.
Nonfiction Paperback: Dreams From My Father, Barack Obama.
Nonfiction Hardcover: Outliers, The Story of Success, Malcolm Gladwell.

III. Northern California Independent Booksellers
For the week ending January 25, 2009.

Fiction Paperback (Trade): Revolutionary Road, Richard Yates.
Fiction Hardcover: The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society, Mary Ann Shaffer, Annie Barrows.
Nonfiction Paperback: Dreams From My Father, Barack Obama.
Nonfiction Hardcover: Outliers, The Story of Success, Malcolm Gladwell.

IV. Heartland Indie Bestseller List
Great Lakes Independent Booksellers Association
For the week ending January 25, 2009.

Fiction Paperback: The Shack, William P. Young.
Fiction Hardcover: The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society, Mary Ann Shaffer, Annie Barrows.
Nonfiction Hardcover: Dewy, The Small-Town Library Cat Who Touched the World, Vicki Myron.
Nonfiction Paperback: Dreams From My Father, Barack Obama.

Best Seller Round-Up

"Popularity is the one insult I have never suffered." - Oscar Wilde.

I. Washington Post
Washington area bestsellers for the week ending January 4, 2009.

Fiction Paperback: The Shack, William P. Young.
Fiction Hardcover: Black Ops, W.E.B. Griffin.
Nonfiction Paperback: Marley & Me, John Grogan.
Nonfiction Hardcover: Outliers, The Story of Success, Malcolm Gladwell.

The New York Times lists these same four books at the top of its best seller list, although it calls The Shack "Trade Fiction".



II. Los Angeles Times

Fiction Paperback: Twilight, Stephenie Meyer
Fiction Hardcover: Eclipse, Stephenie Meyer
Nonfiction Paperback: The Audacity of Hope, Barack Obama
Nonfiction Hardcover: Outliers, The Story of Success, Malcolm Gladwell.

III. Northern California Independent Booksellers
For the week ending January 4, 2009.

Fiction Paperback (Trade): Revolutionary Road, Richard Yates
Fiction Paperback (Mass Market): The Appeal, John Grisham.
Fiction Hardcover: The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society, Mary Ann Shaffer, Annie Barrows.



Nonfiction Paperback: Dreams From My Father, Barack Obama.
Nonfiction Hardcover: Outliers, The Story of Success, Malcolm Gladwell.

IV. Heartland Indie Bestseller List (Great Lakes Independent Booksellers Association)
For the week ending January 4, 2009.

Fiction Paperback: The Shack, William P. Young.
Fiction Hardcover: The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society, Mary Ann Shaffer, Annie Barrows.
Nonfiction Paperback: Three Cups of Tea, Greg Mortenson, David Oliver Relin.

And finally, while folks on both the East Coast and West Coast are snapping up copies of Malcolm Gladwell's book and working at becoming successful, independent booksellers in the Midwest report that the best selling, nonfiction, hardcover book is:

Dewy,

The Small-Town Library Cat Who Touched the World

by Vicki Myron.

Best Seller Round-Up

"Everything popular is wrong." - Oscar Wilde

The New York Times

1. Fiction Paperback (Mass Market): The Appeal by John Grisham.
2. Fiction Hardcover: Scarpetta, by Patricia Cornwell
3. Nonfiction Paperback: Marley & Me by John Grogan.
4. Nonfiction Hardcover: Outliers, The Story of Success by Malcolm Gladwell.
5. Fiction Paperback (Trade): The Shack by William P. Young.

Note: Last Sunday, December 28, Marilyn Stasio wrote a short review of Scarpetta in TBR's Crime column.

The Los Angeles Times

1. Fiction Paperback: New Moon by Stephenie Meyer
2. Fiction Hardcover: The Tales of Beedle the Bard by J.K. Rowling
3. Nonfiction Paperback: The Audacity of Hope by Barack Obama
4. Nonfiction Hardcover: Outliers, The Story of Success by Malcolm Gladwell.

Norther California Independent Booksellers Bestsellers

1. Fiction Paperback (Mass Market): The Appeal by John Grisham.
2. Fiction Hardcover: A Mercy by Toni Morrison.
3. Nonfiction Paperback: Dreams From My Father by Barack Obama.
4. Nonfiction Hardcover: Outliers, The Story of Success by Malcolm Gladwell.
5. Fiction Paperback (Trade): The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao, by Junot Diaz.

Under Children's Titles, N. California Independent Booksellers has The Latke Who Couldn't Stop Screaming, by Lemony Snicket and Lisa Brown. What a great book title!

San Francisco Chronicle
Bay area best sellers.
1. Fiction: A Mercy by Toni Morrison
2. Nonfiction: Outliers, The Story of Success by Malcolm Gladwell.

The Washington Post's on-line edition is still showing its best seller list from the week of December 14. I've sent an email to the paper inquiring as to why this is so.

Bestseller Round-Up

Yippie-ki-yay, cowgirls and cowboys! Here are the books coming in at number one today from various best seller lists. Caveat: Just remember what your mama (might) have said: Popularity isn't everything.

Washington Post
Washington Area Best Sellers for the Week Ending 12/14/2008.
1. Fiction Paperback: The Appeal by John Grisham.
2. Fiction Hardcover: Scarpetta by Patricia Cornwell
3. Nonfiction Paperback: Dreams From My Father: A Story of Race and Inheritance by Barack Obama.
4. Nonfiction Hardcover: Outliers, The Story of Success by Malcolm Gladwell.

The New York Times
For the week ending 12/20/2008.
1. Fiction Paperback (Mass Market): The Appeal by John Grisham.
2. Fiction Hardcover: The Christmas Sweater by Glenn Beck with Kevin Balfe and Jason Wright.
3. Nonfiction Paperback: Marley & Me by John Grogan.
4. Nonfiction Hardcover: Outliers, The Story of Success by Malcolm Gladwell.
5. Fiction Paperback (Trade): The Shack by William P. Young.

The Los Angeles Times
From the 12/28/2008 edition.
1. Fiction Paperback: The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao by Junot Diaz.
2. Fiction Hardcover: Breaking Dawn by Stephenie Meyer.
3. Nonfiction Paperback: The Audacity of Hope by Barack Obama
4. Nonfiction Hardcover: Outliers, The Story of Success by Malcolm Gladwell.

San Francisco Chronicle
Bay area best sellers. From the 12/28/2008 edition.
1. Fiction: A Mercy by Toni Morrison
2. Nonfiction: Outliers, The Story of Success by Malcolm Gladwell.

What is Hollywood Reading?

What book is Hollywood buzzing about? According to the Los Angeles Times, it's Malcolm Gladwell's nonfiction piece, Outliers, The Story of Success. In Outliers, Gladwell writes that success comes to people who have talent, work hard and persistently, and experience a bit of luck by being at the right place at the right time. Gosh. So, that's how success happens. Who knew. Who could imagine.

Inspired by Outliers, I'm considering writing a diet book for the new year: "Drop It, Buddy: The Story of Permanent Weight Loss", in which I will reveal how people lose weight by eating less and doing more. Radical, eh? It should definitely crack the Hollywood book market wide open.