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*--* SO. CAL. RATING Fiction LAST WEEK WEEKS ON LIST 1 You Suck: A Love Story by -- 1 Christopher Moore (William Morrow: $21.95) A couple of San Francisco vampires enjoy the nightlife as they evade a wacky crowd of pursuers.
2 For One More Day by Mitch 6 17 Albom (Hyperion: $21.95) An alcoholic tries suicide and encounters his mother’s ghost, who tells him about her life and sacrifices as a single parent.
3 Hollywood Station by 1 9 Joseph Wambaugh (Little, Brown: $24.99) Cops stationed in a Hollywood of meth tweakers and hustlers try to solve a jewelry heist and a security guard’s murder.
4 Plum Lovin’ by Janet 3 2 Evanovich (St. Martin’s: $16.95) A New Jersey bail bond agent hooks up with a former heartthrob as she chases a relationship coach wanted for robbery.
5 The Terror by Dan Simmons -- 1 (Little, Brown: $25.99) The saga of the doomed 19th century Franklin expedition through the Canadian Arctic retold with a kick of fantastical horror.
6 Suite Francaise by Irene -- 36 Nemirovsky (Knopf: $25) Two novellas by a writer killed at Auschwitz about the exodus from Paris ahead of the Germans’ arrival and on life in a farming village under occupation.
7 House of Meetings by -- 1 Martin Amis (Alfred A. Knopf: $23) A former inmate of Stalin’s gulag recounts his horrific experiences and the love triangle that bloomed there.
8 The Collected Stories of 12 2 Amy Hempel by Amy Hempel (Scribner: $27.50) The highly acclaimed short-story writer’s first three collections are gathered into one volume.
9 What Is the What by Dave -- 6 Eggers (McSweeney’s: $26) A Sudanese refugee fights to survive and create a new life in America but finds safety and a sense of belonging elusive.
10 The Boleyn Inheritance by 7 7 Philippa Gregory (Touchstone: $25.95) Anne Boleyn’s scheming sister-in-law continues her intrigues as lady-in-waiting to two more of Henry VIII’s wives.
11 Dust by Martha Grimes -- 1 (Viking: $25.95) Scotland Yard’s Richard Jury discovers that a wealthy man’s murder has its roots amid Britain’s World War II code breakers.
12 The Suspect by John -- 1 Lescroart (Dutton: $26.95) A writer accused of the murder of his wife finds himself becoming his lawyer’s object of affection.
13 The Emperor’s Children by -- 13 Claire Messud (Knopf: $25) Three college friends stumble on their paths to becoming shining lights in the East Coast constellation of cultural elites.
14 Exile by Richard North 4 2 Patterson (Henry Holt: $26) An attorney about to run for Congress defends a former lover, a Palestinian accused of conspiring to assassinate an Israeli leader.
15 Sacred Games by Vikram -- 1 Chandra (HarperCollins: $27.95) A Sikh Mumbai policeman confronts India’s most sought-after gangster in this sweeping tale.
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*--* SO. CAL. RATING Nonfiction LAST WEEK WEEKS ON LIST 1 The Audacity of Hope by 2 14 Barack Obama (Crown: $25) The U.S. senator from Illinois argues that his Democratic Party and the GOP must forgo partisanship to reclaim the American dream.
2 I Feel Bad About My Neck 1 25 by Nora Ephron (Knopf: $19.95) The screenwriter ruminates on the effects of gravity and menopause, and reconciling herself to life among the post-bikini set.
3 The Secret by Rhonda Byrne 12 6 (Beyond Words: $23.95) The book promises the distillation of a life-transforming “secret” gathered from oral tradition, literature, religion and philosophy.
4 Palestine: Peace Not 3 9 Apartheid by Jimmy Carter (Simon & Schuster: $27) The former president writes that Palestinians must recognize Israel, and Israel must honor its peace commitments.
5 The Proper Care and 5 3 Feeding of Marriage by Laura Schlessinger (HarperCollins: $25.95) How women should fulfill their role as homemaker, helpmate and sex partner.
6 Eat, Pray, Love by -- 26 Elizabeth Gilbert (Viking: $24.95) After deciding that marriage and motherhood aren’t for her, the author embarks on a journey of self-discovery in Italy, India and Indonesia.
7 The God Delusion by 4 15 Richard Dawkins (Houghton Mifflin: $27) The biologist criticizes religion for intolerance, rejecting scientific truth and threatening nonbelievers with eternal damnation.
8 About Alice by Calvin 14 2 Trillin (Random House: $14.95) The writer expands his New Yorker magazine essay about his late wife to paint a revealing portrait of marriage, family and coping with loss.
9 Catching the Big Fish by 6 3 David Lynch (Tarcher: $19.95) The filmmaker details how Transcendental Meditation has allowed him to dive within, “catch” ideas and develop his creativity.
10 Alternadad by Neal Pollack -- 1 (Pantheon: $23.95) The pop-culturist explores how a lovable baby can make you goo-goo-eyed and wreak havoc on a hipster lifestyle.
11 Jim Cramer’s Mad Money by 13 6 James J. Cramer with Cliff Mason (Simon & Schuster: $25) The basics of buying and selling stocks, assessing risk and creating a valuable portfolio.
12 The Year of Magical -- 39 Thinking by Joan Didion (Knopf: $23.95) The author explores the nature of grief and survival in the months after her writer-husband’s sudden death.
13 Prime Green by Robert 7 2 Stone (Ecco: $25.95) The author of “Dog Soldiers” recalls his life in the ‘60s with psychedelic guru Ken Kesey and his pals, hallucinogens and the culture wars.
14 Bohemian Los Angeles by -- 1 Daniel Hurewitz (University of California Press: $29.95) The 20th century group of artists and leftists that embraced politics and gave birth to the gay rights movement.
15 I Like You by Amy Sedaris -- 13 (Warner Books: $27.99) A guide to throwing the perfect party, with helpful hospitality hints and arch observations from the comic writer.
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