Best Sellers

On the 15th anniversary of its top-150 bestseller list, USA Today offered a "decade and a half" list (not surprisingly, an author named Rowling holds seven of the top nine spots) as well as a look back at some "awards for stamina," including:

• What to Expect When You're Expecting (1984) by Heidi Murkoff, Arlene Eisenberg and Sandee Hathaway, for most weeks in the top 150--739. A new version by Murkoff and Sharon Mazel released last spring has been on for an additional 29 weeks.
• John Grisham, with 14 titles in the top 150, more than anyone else, and the most weeks at No. 1: 100, topping Rowling at 70.
• Harper Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird (1960) is the most popular classic at No. 22.
• Oprah Winfrey, whose book club has made 62 selections since 1996, influenced but did not dominate the list. Five of her picks are in the top 150, including Eckhart Tolle's self-help guide, A New Earth, at No. 31.

It is surprising to me, probably because I read mainly fiction, that only about half were fiction.  The division was 56% fiction to 44% non-fiction.  It was also interesting that 20 of the fiction titles target children or Young Adults.  Of course, half of those are Harry Potter and The Twilight Series, which are also loved by adults.