BESTSELLERS

*--* SO. CAL. RATING Fiction LAST WEEK WEEKS ON LIST 1 The Road by Cormac -- 1 McCarthy (Knopf: $24) A father’s fierce love for his son is his last link with humanity as they struggle to survive in a post-apocalyptic world of cannibalistic marauders.

2 Paint It Black by Janet 1 3 Fitch (Little, Brown: $24.99) An art model in the ‘80s L.A. punk scene tries to make sense of her boyfriend’s death and his relationship with his narcissistic mother.

3 For One More Day by Mitch -- 1 Albom (Hyperion: $21.95) An alcoholic tries suicide and encounters his mother’s ghost, who tells him about her life and sacrifices as a single mother.

4 Under Orders by Dick -- 1 Francis (Putnam: $25.95) Against a backdrop of Internet gambling, ex-jockey Sid Halley is hired to find out why a horse collapsed upon winning and its jockey was killed.

5 The Book of Fate by Brad 15 4 Meltzer (Warner: $25.99) A White House aide, disfigured in an attempt on the president’s life, must decipher Masonic secrets to find the would-be assassin.

6 The Mission Song by John 2 2 le Carre (Little, Brown: $26.99) An interpreter becomes enmeshed with scheming warlords and international financiers in the civil-war-ravaged Congo.

7 The Emperor’s Children by 3 5 Claire Messud (Knopf: $25) Three college friends stumble on their paths to becoming shining lights in the East Coast constellation of cultural elites.

8 Imperium: A Novel of 5 2 Ancient Rome by Robert Harris (Simon & Schuster: $26) The orator Cicero rises from the provinces to become a consul and power in the early Roman Republic.

9 Memorial by Bruce Wagner -- 1 (Simon & Schuster: $26) An architect’s campaign for the job of erecting a billionaire’s memorial to two people killed in the 2004 tsunami reveals L.A.’s underbelly.

10 The Right Attitude to Rain 12 2 by Alexander McCall Smith (Pantheon: $21.95) Edinburgh philosopher Isabel Dalhousie ponders a woman’s motives in romancing a wealthy Texas bachelor.

11 Suite Francaise by Irene 11 24 Nemirovsky (Knopf: $25) Two novellas from a writer killed at Auschwitz on the exodus from Paris ahead of the Germans’ arrival and on life in a farming village under occupation.

12 Fragile Things: Short -- 1 Fictions and Wonders by Neil Gaiman (William Morrow: $26.95) A new collection of stories and poems on love, horror and romance by the author of “Anansi Boys.”

13 Rise and Shine by Anna 7 5 Quindlen (Random House: $24.95) A morning TV host finds her life turned upside down after her husband announces he’s leaving her and she makes a faux pas on camera.

14 Only Revolutions by Mark -- 2 Z. Danielewski (Pantheon: $26) Two rebellious, besotted teens each narrate their road odyssey in this postmodern novel by the “House of Leaves” author.

15 A Spot of Bother by Mark 10 3 Haddon (Doubleday: $24.95) A retiree, convinced that a spot on his hip is cancerous, sinks into a funk while watching his proper British family spin out of control.

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*--* SO. CAL. RATING Nonfiction LAST WEEK WEEKS ON LIST 1 State of Denial: Bush at -- 1 War, Part III by Bob Woodward (Simon & Schuster: $30) The inside story of a White House that dismisses bad news about the war on Iraq and how it is fueling terrorism.

2 I Feel Bad About My Neck: 1 10 And Other Thoughts on Being a Woman by Nora Ephron (Knopf: $19.95) The screenwriter considers the effects of gravity and aging.

3 The Greatest Story Ever 2 3 Sold by Frank Rich (Penguin: $25.95) The New York Times writer dissects the Bush administration’s “truthiness” on Iraq, its response to Katrina and the Sept. 11 attacks.

4 Letter to a Christian 3 2 Nation by Sam Harris (Knopf: $16.95) “The End of Faith” author chides religious dogmatists who rationalize violence and help foster human suffering.

5 Culture Warrior by Bill -- 1 O’Reilly (Broadway: $26) The Fox News TV host rails against “secular progressives,” billionaire Democrat George Soros, the ACLU and critics he dubs “smear merchants.”

6 Laurel Canyon by Michael 11 18 Walker (Faber & Faber: $25) A look at the ‘60s rock bands and artists whose creativity flowered in Laurel Canyon, then a sylvan enclave above Sunset Boulevard.

7 I Feel Earthquakes More -- 6 Often Than They Happen by Amy Wilentz (Simon & Schuster: $26) Leaving the East Coast behind, the author takes on California and the cult of celebrity.

8 Reading Like a Writer by -- 4 Francine Prose (HarperCollins: $23.95) The novelist calls upon great works of the past and contemporary examples to show how reading can inform good writing.

9 U2 by U2 with Neil -- 1 McCormick (HarperEntertainment: $39.95) The improbable tale of four Dublin teens who didn’t know how to make music yet went on to put their stamp on rock ‘n’ roll.

10 The Lost by Daniel -- 1 Mendelsohn (HarperCollins: $27.95) The author embarks on a journey to learn the fate of his great-uncle Shmiel Jager, his wife and four daughters during World War II.

11 I Shouldn’t Even Be Doing 13 2 This! by Bob Newhart (Hyperion: $23.95) The comic recounts his showbiz career, his personal life and foibles and how he came up with his best sketches.

12 A Killer Life by Christine -- 1 Vachon and Austin Bunn (Simon & Schuster: $26) The producer of such films as “Boys Don’t Cry” details the constant tension between artistic vision and the bottom line.

13 Static by Amy Goodman and -- 2 David Goodman (Hyperion: $23.95) A critique of the Bush administration on the subjects of torture, military contractors and the response to Hurricane Katrina.

14 Inside My Heart by Robin 4 3 McGraw (Nelson Books: $24.99) Dr. Phil’s wife tells women how to choose the life you want and live it with passion, purpose and faith.

15 Saving Graces by Elizabeth -- 1 Edwards (Broadway: $24.95) The wife of vice presidential candidate John Edwards recounts her post-election struggle with breast cancer.

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