BESTSELLERS

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

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*--* 1 The Chrysanthemum Palace by Bruce Wagner (Simon & -- 3 Schuster: $23) A trio of privileged Hollywood progeny deal with their scarred lives in this star-crossed tale of friendship.

2 Honeymoon by James Patterson and Howard Roughan (Little, -- 1 Brown: $27.95) FBI agent John O’Hara hunts for the killer of a young investment broker who is about to go on his honeymoon.

3 The Broker by John Grisham (Doubleday: $27.95) A 1 7 high-roller attorney is pardoned to lead the CIA to a powerful satellite surveillance system and the shadowy agents who want to buy it.

4 The Forgotten Man by Robert Crais (Doubleday: $24.95) A -- 1 homeless man’s dying words send private eye Elvis Cole in search of the man’s killer and the father Cole never knew.

5 Prep by Curtis Sittenfeld (Random House: $21.95) An 10 3 Indiana teen on a scholarship tries to overcome her outsider status at a prestigious Boston prep school.

6 Snobs by Julian Fellowes (St. Martin’s Press: $23.95) 8 3 The “Gosford Park” screenwriter weaves a comedy of manners in the 1990s London of social climbers and aristocratic snobs.

7 The Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown (Doubleday: $24.95) A 2 101 Louvre curator’s killing leads to clues hidden in Leonardo’s paintings and a secret society with something to hide.

8 Gilead by Marilynne Robinson (Farrar, Straus & Giroux: 3 7 $23) An aging minister facing death explains his life and religious beliefs in a letter to his young son.

9 The Five People You Meet in Heaven by Mitch Albom 4 74 (Hyperion: $19.95) An amusement-park maintenance man faces his life, death and afterlife in this three-part parable.

10 The Plot Against America by Philip Roth (Houghton 7 22 Mifflin: $26) Charles Lindbergh becomes president in 1940, setting the country on a course of isolationism and nationwide pogroms.

11 The Da Vinci Code Special Illustrated Edition by Dan 11 14 Brown (Doubleday: $35) The blockbuster thriller, complete with images of the artwork, symbols and sites in the text.

12 Runaway by Alice Munro (Knopf: $25) A collection of -- 14 stories examining the surprises, betrayals and limits of love among couples, friends, parents and children.

13 Kafka on the Shore by Haruki Murakami (Knopf: $25.95) A 9 5 Tokyo teen who calls himself Kafka runs away because of Oedipal fears, and an elderly man embarks on a metaphysical quest.

14 Prince of Fire by Daniel Silva (Putnam: $25.95) An -- 1 explosion in Rome and a dossier in the hands of terrorists draws art restoration expert Gabriel Allon back into his former life as a spy.

15 State of Fear by Michael Crichton (HarperCollins: 5 11 $27.95) A globe-trotting thriller involving nefarious environmentalists and manufactured threats of global warming.

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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) 2 6 Gladwell explores why decisions are so often made in an instant and whether we can really trust those first instincts.

2 DisneyWar by James B. Stewart (Simon & Schuster: $29.95) 4 2 A look inside the personality conflicts that raged inside the media giant, making it anything but the happiest place on Earth.

3 French Women Don’t Get Fat by Mireille Guiliano (Knopf: 1 7 $22) The chief executive of the French wine conglomerate Clicquot Inc. reveals the French secret of eating for pleasure without the bulge.

4 Collapse by Jared Diamond (Viking: $29.95) Diamond 3 8 examines why great societies such as the Anasazi and the Maya collapsed and what modern society can do to prevent future die-offs.

5 Juiced by Jose Canseco (ReganBooks: $25.95) The former 14 2 major league star details why he used steroids and names others who he alleges took them as well.

6 America (The Book): A Citizen’s Guide to Democracy -- 22 Inaction by Jon Stewart et al. (Warner: $24.95) Comedy writers poke fun at U.S. politics and our institutions of democracy.

7 Animals in Translation by Temple Grandin with Catherine 12 3 Johnson (Scribner: $19.99) An animal behavior expert uses her autism experiences to explain how animals perceive the world.

8 The Purpose-Driven Life by Rick Warren (Zondervan: 11 100 $19.99) How the “God-ordained” principles of worship, community, discipleship, ministry and evangelism bring fulfillment.

9 Chronicles, Volume One by Bob Dylan (Simon & Schuster: 7 21 $24) The songwriter reflects on the influences that helped shape him and his struggle to rediscover his creativity.

10 He’s Just Not That Into You by Greg Behrendt and Liz 6 23 Tuccillo (Simon Spotlight Entertainment: $19.95) The no-excuses guide to help women understand guys and get on with their lives.

11 The Big Show by Steve Pond (Faber & Faber: $26) Fifteen -- 1 years of backstage dealings, celebrity obsession and high-stakes politics at the Academy Awards.

12 Your Best Life Now by Joel Osteen (Warner Faith: $19.99) 8 16 Seven steps to improving your life by using faith to develop self-esteem, let go of the past and fulfill your potential.

13 The Wisdom of Forgiveness by the Dalai Lama, Victor Chan -- 1 et al. (Riverhead: $24.95) Two men and their intimate conversations and journeys over three decades.

14 Men in Black: How the Supreme Court Is Destroying -- 1 America by Mark R. Levin (Regnery: $27.95) A talk-show host accuses the court of ignoring the Constitution and thwarting public will.

15 Peace Is the Way by Deepak Chopra (Harmony: $23) A -- 1 seven-point plan to bring an end to violence, war and toxic nationalism through meditation and peaceful action.

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