BESTSELLERS

*--* SO. CAL. RATING Fiction

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*--* 1 Angels & Demons by Dan Brown (Pocket Books: $7.99) A Harvard scholar uncovers a vendetta against the Catholic Church.

2 Life of Pi by Yann Martel (Harvest Books: $14) A boy shares a lifeboat with a tiger on a harrowing trip.

3 The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd (Penguin: $14) A teenage girl is haunted by her mother’s death.

4 Chasing the Dime by Michael Connelly (Warner: $7.99) A brilliant but lonely chemist tries to find a missing prostitute.

5 The No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency by Alexander McCall Smith (Anchor: $11.95) Botswana’s female private eye.

6 Three Junes by Julia Glass (Anchor: $14) A Scottish family comes together over three summers.

7 The Runaway Jury by John Grisham (Island Books: $7.99) Trials of a jury hearing a landmark tobacco case.

8 The Arraignment by Steve Martini (Jove: $7.99) An attorney is caught up in intrigue over an ancient Maya artifact.

9 The Crimson Petal and the White by Michel Faber (Harvest: $15) Tale of a London prostitute, her lover and his wife.

10 Blessings by Anna Quindlen (Anchor: $15) A foundling left at a reclusive woman’s estate upsets the lives of all around her.

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*--* SO. CAL. RATING Nonfiction

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*--* 1 Seabiscuit by Laura Hillenbrand (Ballantine: $15.95) How an also-ran became America’s favorite racehorse.

2 Dr. Atkins’ New Diet Revolution by Robert C. Atkins (Quill: $13.95) Shed pounds with a low-carb diet.

3 Under the Tuscan Sun by Frances Mayes (Broadway: $15) Restoring a cozy home in glorious Italy.

4 Fast Food Nation by Eric Schlosser (HarperCollins: $13.95) Unappetizing practices of the junk-food industry.

5 Four Agreements by Don Miguel Ruiz (Amber-Allen: $12.95) A code of conduct based on Toltec wisdom.

6 Rich Dad, Poor Dad by Robert T. Kiyosaki with Sharon L. Lechter (Techpress: $15.95) Fiscal parenting.

7 Running With Scissors by Augusten Burroughs (Picador: $14) A boy goes to live with his mother’s psychiatrist.

8 Feng Shui Your Life by Jayme Barrett (Sterling: $24.95) Creating more energy in your living space.

9 What Not to Wear by Trinny Woodall (Riverhead: $15) Straight talk on dressing for your shape and personality.

10 The Best Democracy Money Can Buy by Greg Palast (Plume: $14) The case against globalization.

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