L.A. Times Cookbook Hotlist

1. “Fast Food Nation” by Eric Schlosser (Houghton Mifflin, $25). A condemnation of the natio n al pastime.

Last Week: 4

Weeks on List: 21

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2. “Suzanne Somers’ Eat, Cheat and Melt the Fat Away” (Crown, $25). A manual for how to cheat on a diet.

Last Week: 10

Weeks on List: 14

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3. “How to Read a French Fry” by Russ Parsons (Houghton Mifflin, $25). Times’ Food Editor makes cooking science interesting--and tasty.

Last Week: 5

Weeks on List: 8

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4. “Kitchen Confidential” by Anthony Bourdain (Ecco Press, $14). The bad boy is back--in paperback.

Last Week: 6

Weeks on List: 56

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5. “Barefoot Contessa Parties” by Ina Garten (Clarkson Potter, $32.50). The chic takeout store is back!

Last Week: 1

Weeks on List: 13

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6. “French Lessons” by Peter Mayle (Alfred Knopf, $24). The colorful French and how they eat.

Last Week: 3

Weeks on List: 11

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7. “How to Grill” by Steven Raichlen (Workman, $19.95). A picture-filled textbook for the barbecue-challenged.

Last Week: 8

Weeks on List: 7

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8. “The Barefoot Contessa Cookbook” by Ina Garten (Clarkson Potter, $32.50). The first book from the specialty food store in the Hamptons.

Last Week: 2

Weeks on List: 77

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9. “The Best Recipe” by the editors of Cook’s Illustrated magazine (Boston Common Press, $29.95 ). “Ultimate” examples of favorite dishes.

Last Week: 9

Weeks on List: 39

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10. “Sugar Busters!” by H. Leighton Stewart, Morrison C. Bethea, Sam S. Andrews and Luis A. Balart (Ballantine Books, $23.95). Lose weight the New Orleans way.

Last Week: 7

Weeks on List: 16

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Rankings are based on a Times poll of national and independent cookbook sellers.