BOOK REVIEW : BESTSELLERS : LOS ANGELES TIMES Nov. 15, 2009

Rankings are based on a Times poll of Southland bookstores.

*--* Fiction weeks on list 1. The Lost Symbol by Dan Brown (Doubleday: $25.99) Harvard 8 professor Robert Langdon uses his symbology skills to find a missing Freemason in Washington, D.C. 2. Nine Dragons by Michael Connelly (Little, Brown : 4 $27.99) An LAPD detective travels to Hong Kong to solve the murder of a Chinese immigrant. 3. The Help by Kathryn Stockett (Putnam: $24.95) The lives 23 of a maid, a cook and a college graduate become intertwined while changing a Mississippi town. 4. Last Night in Twisted River by John Irving (Random 1 House: $28) A father and son are on the run in 1950s Northeast logging communities. 5. The Gathering Storm by Robert Jordan and Brandon 2 Sanderson (Tor: $29.99) Rand al’Thor, the Dragon Reborn, attempts to unite kingdoms and alliances in preparation for the Last Battle. 6. Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Dog Days by Jeff Kinney (Amulet: 4 $13.95) Greg desires to spend summer vacation indoors despite his mother’s wishes for outdoor family fun. 7. True Blue by David Baldacci (Grand Central: $27.99) 1 After being framed for a crime, a cop must break a case to prove worthy of the badge again. 8. Blood’s a Rover by James Ellroy (Knopf : $28.95) A bank 6 heist sets off an escapade through ‘60s L.A. with run-ins with the mob, the FBI and Howard Hughes. 9. The Humbling by Philip Roth (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt: 2 $22) A washed-up stage actor is rejuvenated when he begins an erotic affair with a younger woman. 10. Pursuit of Honor by Vince Flynn (Atria: $27.99) Two 4 counterterrorism operatives deal with the fallout from a deadly terrorist attack. *--*

*--* Nonfiction 1. What the Dog Saw by Malcolm Gladwell (Little, Brown: 2 $27.99) A collection of the author’s writings of everyday and extraordinary people. 2. SuperFreakonomics by Steven D. Levitt and Stephen J. 3 Dubner (William Morrow: $29.99) More funny facts and questions to ponder. 3. Outliers by Malcolm Gladwell (Little, Brown: $27.99) 49 An exploration of the background of high achievers. 4. Have a Little Faith by Mitch Albom (Hyperion: $23.99) 6 Albom’s observations of a rabbi and a pastor on an eight-year journey of faith. 5. Manhood for Amateurs by Michael Chabon (Harper: 4 $26.99) A collection of autobiographical essays reflecting on what it means to be a man and father. 6. Zeitoun by Dave Eggers (McSweeney’s: $24) The 13 disappearance of a Syrian American father and good Samaritan in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. 7. The Book of Basketball by Bill Simmons (ESPN: $30) An 2 encyclopedia of all you need to know about the NBA. 8. L.A. Noir by John Buntin (Harmony: $26) Gangster 8 Mickey Cohen and LAPD Chief William Parker battle for control in midcentury Los Angeles. 9. Save the Deli by David Sax (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt 1 : $24) The history behind and search for the best delis across America. 10. Knockout by Suzanne Somers (Crown: $25.99) Interviews 2 with innovative cancer doctors. *--*