On Mondays we look for points of particular interest in the lists of bestsellers and look to reviews and articles published in other old media over the past week.
Bestsellers
The New York Times list of bestsellers is available here.
Two new books take the #1 and #2 spots on the hardcover nonfiction list this week and Presidents (or wannabe Presidents) are all the rage. Al Gore's The Assault on Reason shoots, quite predictably, right to the top. The former Vice President's book is followed in the two spot by one written by a former President: Ronald Reagan's The Reagan Diaries (not too imaginative a title, is it?). The only other new title, Brothers, strangely enough, also deals with a U.S. President ("An assessment of John F. Kennedy’s administration and a plea for a new effort to uncover the truth about his assassination."). Hitchens' God is Not Great loses it's #1 ranking from last week and the Pope's book holds steady near the top.
In paperback nonfiction, Don Piper's 90 Minutes in Heaven settles in for its 31st week on the list and the new paperback edition of Mayflower continues to sell. Donald Miller's Blue Like Jazz is just off the top-fifteen but still continuing to move copies.
In hardcover advice, New Age favorite The Secret continues its dominance but newcomer The Dangerous Book for Boys may overtake it soon. T.D. Jakes has enjoyed three weeks on the list with his title Reposition Yourself. In paperback, Gary Chapman's The Five Love Languages continues to reappear every now and then and Rick Warren's The Purpose Driven Life is never far from the top five.
Christian Top Ten
The ECPA top ten is an eclectic mix, as always.
The World's Greatest Collection of Quotes for Moms
90 Minutes in Heaven by Don Piper with Cecil Murphey
The Power of Simple Prayer by Joyce Meyer
Facing Your Giants by Max Lucado
Get Out of That Pit by Beth Moore
The Five Love Languages by Gary Chapman
The Purpose Driven Life by Rick Warren
You Are Captivating by Stasi Eldredge
Every Day Deserves a Chance by Max Lucado
199 Treasures of Wisdom on Talking With God by Andrew Murray
Those are some pretty slim pickings if you want to do some serious reading!
Books in the Media:
In the New York Times, Joe Queenan expresses amazement that summer reading lists continue to exist. (link).
The New Yorker looks at a pair of biographies of Hillary Rodham Clinton. (link)
The Times reviews a new book that examines the The Tragedy of School No 1 in Beslan--a tragedy that already seems mostly forgotten. (link)
