FICTION1. FROM THE CORNER OF HIS EYE...

FICTION

1. FROM THE CORNER OF HIS EYE by Dean Koontz (Bantam: $26.95) A boy born on a day of tragedy and terror finds that the events of his life live up to the remarkable circumstances of his birth.

Last Week: --; Weeks on List: 1

2. THE CONSTANT GARDENER by John le Carre (Scribner: $28) A British diplomat quits his Nairobi home and garden to avenge the murder of his wife, who uncovered multinational misdeeds in Kenya.

Last Week: 2; Weeks on List: 2

3. SHOPGIRL by Steve Martin (Hyperion: $17.95) A young artist who works days in the glove department at Neiman Marcus falls abruptly in love with a millionaire businessman.

Last Week: 1; Weeks on List: 13

4. PRODIGAL SUMMER by Barbara Kingsolver (HarperCollins: $26) In southern Appalachia, three stories of human love intersect within a larger tapestry.

Last Week: 3; Weeks on List: 9

5. THE BLIND ASSASSIN by Margaret Atwood (Nan A. Talese/Doubleday: $26) A narrative tour de force of self-deceit and revenge that joins the lives of two sisters with an unpublished sci-fi novel.

Last Week: 4; Weeks on List: 15

6. SOUL MOUNTAIN by Gao Xingjian (HarperCollins: $27) The Nobel Prize winner shares a story of a man’s inner journey and search for freedom in rural China.

Last Week: 6; Weeks on List: 3

7. LYING AWAKE by Mark Salzman (Alfred A. Knopf: $21) A meditation on spirituality in the life of an Angeleno nun facing a dilemma: Should she have surgery that will cure her of mystical visions?

Last Week: 7; Weeks on List: 13

8. WHEN WE WERE ORPHANS by Kazuo Ishiguro (Alfred A. Knopf: $25) An English boy is “orphaned” when his mother and father vanish; years later, he returns as a detective to solve the disappearances.

Last Week: 14; Weeks on List: 13

9. THE PROMETHEUS DECEPTION by Robert Ludlum (St. Martin’s: $27.95) A spy infiltrates his former shadowy agency in this story of post-Cold War double-crosses and Wall Street conspiracies.

Last Week: 9; Weeks on List: 7

10. THE BEAR AND THE DRAGON by Tom Clancy (Putnam: $28.95) CIA warrior and U.S. President Jack Ryan faces brewing trouble in Russia and China and a global struggle for Siberian oil.

Last Week: --; Weeks on List: 8

11. CODE TO ZERO by Ken Follett (Dutton: $26.95) A man wakes up in a train station in Washington, D.C., in 1958 with no idea who he is or how he got there.

Last Week: 5; Weeks on List: 3

12. ROSES ARE RED by James Patterson (Little, Brown: $26.95) Alex Cross battles a cunning murderer, nicknamed “Mastermind,” who orchestrates teams of criminals while hiding in the shadows.

Last Week: 10; Weeks on List: 5

13. THE LAST PRECINCT by Patricia Cornwell (Putnam: $26.95) At Christmastime, Dr. Kay Scarpetta and her staff have not a moment to spare as mangled corpses crowd their morgue.

Last Week: 11; Weeks on List: 5

14. PROTECT AND DEFEND by Richard North Patterson (Random House: $26.95) A newly elected president faces the unexpected chance to nominate a new chief justice of the Supreme Court.

Last Week: --; Weeks on List: 1

15. THE LAST CITY ROOM by Al Martinez (St. Martin’s: $22.95) A novel by the L.A. Times columnist tells the story of the decline of a San Francisco newspaper during the turbulent ‘60s.

Last Week: 13; Weeks on List: 6

NONFICTION

1. DARWIN AWARDS by Wendy Northcutt (Dutton: $16.95) Stupid human tricks: Honoring those who improve our gene pool by eliminating themselves from it.

Last Week: 5; Weeks on List: 3

2. THE BEATLES ANTHOLOGY by The Beatles (Chronicle Books: $60) Previously unreleased photos, memorabilia and reminiscences that should make any Fab Four fan want to twist and shout.

Last Week: 2; Weeks on List: 12

3. A SHORT GUIDE TO A HAPPY LIFE by Anna Quindlen (Random House: $12.95) The columnist reflects on what it takes to “get a life” by living deeply rather than merely existing.

Last Week: 1; Weeks on List: 7

4. NOTHING LIKE IT IN THE WORLD by Stephen Ambrose (Simon & Schuster: $28) The historian looks at the building of the transcontinental railroad and its impact on the growth of the nation.

Last Week: 4; Weeks on List: 18

5. PARIS TO THE MOON by Adam Gopnik (Random House: $24.95) A personal homage to years spent in the City of Light by a longtime New Yorker writer.

Last Week: 3; Weeks on List: 9

6. MAESTRO by Bob Woodward (Simon & Schuster: $25) Portrait of Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan, who started as a Juilliard-trained sax man and now keeps the U.S. economy in tune.

Last Week: 7; Weeks on List: 6

7. WHO MOVED MY CHEESE? by Spencer Johnson (Putnam: $19.95) This co-author of “The One Minute Manager” uses the parable of mice in a maze to show people how to manage change.

Last Week: 6; Weeks on List: 41

8. THE TEN THINGS YOU CAN’T SAY IN AMERICA by Larry Elder (St. Martin’s: $23.95) The radio talk show host directs his scorn at feminism, gun control and other controversial topics.

Last Week: 11; Weeks on List: 5

9. AN INVITATION TO THE WHITE HOUSE by Hillary Rodham Clinton (Simon & Schuster: $35) Upstairs, downstairs with the First Lady, who narrates the fascinating past and present of the White House.

Last Week: 8; Weeks on List: 3

10. THE O’REILLY FACTOR by Bill O’Reilly (Broadway Books: $23) The TV pundit pontificates on what he finds to be the good, the bad and the completely ridiculous in American life.

Last Week: 10; Weeks on List: 12

11. GREAT PRESIDENTIAL WIT by Bob Dole (Scribner: $19.95) The former senator brings us his favorite witticisms and hilarious remarks by this country’s commanders in chief.

Last Week: --; Weeks on List: 1

12. THE GREATEST GENERATION by Tom Brokaw (Random House: $24.95) The TV anchor tells the stories of the generation that came of age during the Depression and World War II.

Last Week: --; Weeks on List: 69

13. TUESDAYS WITH MORRIE by Mitch Albom (Doubleday: $19.95) A sportswriter’s story of the life lessons he received during weekly visits to an older dying friend.

Last Week: 12; Weeks on List: 148

14. JAZZ by Geoffrey C. Ward and Ken Burns (Alfred A. Knopf: $65) A companion book to the PBS series that traces the history of “America’s music” from its infancy in early 20th century New Orleans.

Last Week: --; Weeks on List: 1

15. WOODEN by John Wooden with Steve Jamison (NTC/Contemporary Publishing: $14.95) The man who won 10 national basketball championships in 12 years at UCLA offers some advice.

Last Week: --; Weeks on List: 2

PAPERBACKS

FICTION

1. THE RED TENT by Anita Diamant (Picador USA: $14) The blossoming of Dinah, Jacob’s only daughter, in Genesis.

2. PLAINSONG by Kent Haruf (Vintage: $13) A lyrical novel about needy people finding each other in a small Colorado town.

3. HOUSE OF SAND AND FOG by Andre Dubus III (Vintage: $14) Two families clash over an auctioned house in this tragic tale.

4. INTERPRETER OF MALADIES by Jhumpa Lahiri (Mariner: $12) Indian customs color the lives of people coping with loss.

5. CHOCOLAT by Joanne Harris (Penguin: $12.95) A woman and her daughter open a chocolate store in a French village.

6. DISGRACE by J.M. Coetzee (Penguin: $13) An outcast professor seeks refuge and finds tragedy on a South African farm.

7. WAITING by Ha Jin (Vintage: $13) A legal loophole allows long-separated lovers to be united.

8. HEART OF THE SEA by Nora Roberts (Jove: $7.99) An ancient spells breaks as love blossoms in Ardmore, Ireland.

9. DAUGHTER OF FORTUNE by Isabel Allende (HarperPerennial: $14) A young woman escapes to Gold Rush California.

10. PERSONAL INJURIES by Scott Turow (Warner: $7.99) An FBI sting operation uses a dirty lawyer to nab some dirty judges.

PAPERBACKS

NONFICTION

1. THE WORST-CASE SCENARIO SURVIVAL HANDBOOK by Joshua Piven and David Borgenicht (Chronicle: $14.95) S-O-S!

2. THE 112TH ROSE PARADE: FABRIC OF AMERICA (Tournament Souvenirs: $6) The official program to the 2001 Rose Parade.

3. TALKING DIRTY WITH THE QUEEN OF CLEAN by Linda Cobb (Pocket: $8.99) Quick, inexpensive housekeeping tips galore.

4. GALILEO’S DAUGHTER by Dava Sobel (Penguin: $14) The famous astronomer and his daughter, a cloistered nun.

5. SHRUB by Molly Ivins and Lou Dubose (Vintage: $8.99) The short but successful career of George Bush the Younger.

6. LOST AND FOUND by Elizabeth Pomeroy (Many Moons Press: $16.95) The many landmarks of the San Gabriel Valley.

7. WORLD ALMANAC & BOOK OF FACTS 2001 (World Almanac: $10.95) Includes 2000 Olympics and election coverage.

8. THE SEAT OF THE SOUL by Gary Zukav (Fireside: $13) Teaching readers to rethink the mind-body connection.

9. THE PROFESSOR AND THE MADMAN by Simon Winchester (HarperPerennial: $13) A madman with a flair for words.

10. RICH DAD, POOR DAD by Robert T. Kiyosaki and Sharon L. Lechter (Techpress: $15.95) Adventures in fiscal parenting.

Rankings are based on a Times poll of Southland bookstores.