BESTSELLERS

*--* SO. CAL. RATING Fiction LAST WEEK WEEKS ON LIST

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*--* 1 The Broker by John Grisham (Doubleday: $27.95) A 1 4 high-roller attorney is pardoned to lead the CIA to a powerful satellite surveillance system and the shadowy agents who want to buy it.

2 The Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown (Doubleday: $24.95) A 2 98 Louvre curator’s killing leads to clues hidden in Leonardo’s paintings and a secret society with something to hide.

3 State of Fear by Michael Crichton (HarperCollins: $27.95) 5 8 A globe-trotting thriller involving nefarious environmentalists and manufactured threats of global warming.

4 Conviction by Richard North Patterson (Random House: -- 1 $25.95) The lawyer handling the appeal in a capital murder case has doubts about her client’s guilt as time runs out on his life.

5 The Five People You Meet in Heaven by Mitch Albom 3 71 (Hyperion: $19.95) An amusement park maintenance man faces his life, death and afterlife in this three-part parable.

6 The Plot Against America by Philip Roth (Houghton 4 19 Mifflin: $26) Charles Lindbergh becomes president in 1940, setting the country on a course of isolationism and nationwide pogroms.

7 Kafka on the Shore by Haruki Murakami (Knopf: $25.95) A 6 2 Tokyo teen who calls himself Kafka runs away because of Oedipal fears, and an elderly man embarks on a metaphysical quest.

8 The Memory of Running by Ron McLarty (Viking: $24.95) A -- 1 hapless, friendless toy factory laborer spies his old Raleigh bicycle and sets out on an adventure-filled, cross-country journey.

9 Gilead by Marilynne Robinson (Farrar, Straus & Giroux: 8 4 $23) An aging minister facing death explains his life and religious beliefs in a letter to his young son.

10 Run the Risk by Scott Frost (Putnam: $19.95) A Los -- 2 Angeles homicide detective investigates a disturbing series of crimes, including one that hits too close to home.

11 At Risk by Stella Rimington (Alfred A. Knopf: $24) A -- 1 British intelligence agent stares down an “invisible” terrorist threat from within the country’s borders.

12 The Chrysanthemum Palace by Bruce Wagner (Simon & -- 1 Schuster: $23) A trio of privileged Hollywood progeny deal with their scarred lives in this star-crossed tale of friendship.

13 Prep by Curtis Sittenfeld (Random House: $21.95) An -- 1 Indiana teen on a scholarship tries to overcome her outsider status at a prestigious Boston prep school.

14 Harold’s End by J.T. Leroy (Last Gasp: $19.95) An -- 2 emotional tale about Oliver, a heroin-addicted teen living on the streets of San Francisco, and his ragtag group of friends.

15 Runaway by Alice Munro (Knopf: $25) A collection of 9 13 stories examining the surprises, betrayals and limits of love among couples, friends, parents and children.

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*--* SO. CAL. RATING Nonfiction LAST WEEK WEEKS ON LIST

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*--* 1 Blink by Malcolm Gladwell (Little, Brown: $25.95) 1 3 Gladwell explores why decisions are so often made in an instant and whether we can really trust those first instincts.

2 French Women Don’t Get Fat by Mireille Guiliano (Knopf: 3 4 $22) The chief executive of the French wine conglomerate Clicquot Inc. reveals the French secret of eating for pleasure without the bulge.

3 Collapse by Jared Diamond (Viking: $29.95) Diamond 2 5 examines why great societies such as the Anasazi and the Maya collapsed and what modern society can do to prevent future die-offs.

4 Chronicles, Volume One by Bob Dylan (Simon & Schuster: 8 18 $24) The songwriter reflects on the influences that helped shape him and his struggle to rediscover his creativity.

5 The Grand Slam by Mark Frost (Hyperion: $30) How golfing 4 3 legend Bobby Jones trounced the competition in 1930 to win the Grand Slam and then shocked his fans by exiting the public stage.

6 He’s Just Not That Into You by Greg Behrendt and Liz 5 20 Tuccillo (Simon Spotlight Entertainment: $19.95) The no-excuses guide to help women understand guys and get on with their lives.

7 Your Best Life Now by Joel Osteen (Warner Faith: $19.99) 10 13 Seven steps to improving your life by using faith to develop self-esteem, let go of the past and fulfill your potential.

8 America (The Book): A Citizen’s Guide to Democracy 6 20 Inaction by Jon Stewart et al. (Warner: $24.95) Comedy writers poke fun at U.S. politics and our institutions of democracy.

9 Hallelujah! The Welcome Table by Maya Angelou (Random -- 4 House: $29.95) Angelou’s most memorable meals and those she shared them with, along with favorite recipes.

10 Astro Turf by M.G. Lord (Walker & Co.: $24) Growing up -- 1 female in the testosterone-powered galaxy of rocket scientists in 1960s Los Angeles.

11 The Purpose-Driven Life by Rick Warren (Zondervan: 13 97 $19.99) How the “God-ordained” principles of worship, community, discipleship, ministry and evangelism bring fulfillment.

12 Start Late, Finish Rich by David Bach (Broadway: $25) The 7 4 author of “Automatic Millionaire” offers a plan for how to “spend less, save more, and make more,” even if you started late.

13 Eats, Shoots & Leaves by Lynne Truss (Gotham: $17.50) A 12 33 British novelist and journalist offers her zero-tolerance approach to bad punctuation, drawn from her pioneering BBC series.

14 Making the Game by Triple H with Robert Caprio (World -- 1 Wrestling Entertainment: $26) The wrestling star details his lifestyle plan of fitness conditioning, working out and goal-setting.

15 Will in the World by Stephen Greenblatt (W.W. Norton: -- 10 $26.95) How an uneducated lad from the English countryside became William Shakespeare, poet, playwright and a favorite of the queen.

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