Bestseller Report--It Was Exhausting Enough to Decide Where to Shelve the Mansbach Parody, But Now I Have to Decide Where to Categorize It for Bestsellers Lists Too.

I'm trying to figure out where to categorieze Go the F**k to Sleep for bestseller lists.  Fortunately most lists we now report to just ask us to send them sales and they do the work.  But for my list, there are esthetic concerns.  The New York Times puts the book in advice, which would make it nonfiction for us.  But like poetry (which we classify with fiction generally), this seems like a story to me, a graphic novel if you will, and as such should go with fiction. 

hardcover fiction:

1. State of Wonder, by Ann Patchett (signed copies available)
2. Go the F**k to Sleep, by Adam Mansbach
3. Stagestruck, by Peter Lovesey
4. The Devil Colony, by James Rollins
5. South of Superior, by Ellen Airgood

Based on our first week sales of Janet Evanovich for Smokin' Seventeen, don't hold out hope for us to host the author in the near future. We sold more copies of James Rollins's new release, though not by much. I had no idea that his books were all a series, and I must not have been alone, as they are now labeling the books, "a Sigma Force novel."

Hey, look at this pop for South of Superior.  It came a bit out of nowhere for me, but all bets are off when there's a regional element.  Like The Long-Shining Waters (which actually was #6 this week), Ellen Airgood's book references Lake Superior, telling the story of a woman who leaves Chicago for McAllester, Michigan, to care for her aging mother.  Advance reviews have used the words "charming," "inspired," and "comforting," with one comparing the book to cardamom rolls.

hardcover nonfiction
1. This is a Book, by Demetri Martin
2. In the Garden of Beasts, by Erik Larson
3. Rescuing Regina, by Sister Josephe Marie Flynn (event is July 6)
4. 1861, by Adam Goodheart
5. The Greater Journey, by David McCullough

I think I haven't posted my signed copy of Demetri Martin.  It started as a gaffe, as the customer wanted a book signed to "Dan and Siri" and Mr. M. accidentally (as I did in my head) wrote "Dan and Suri." He was going to pay for the error, but I said, "No, let's just make it my copy" and magic was worked.

Did I mention what a nice offsite that was?

Sister Flynn's memoir, Rescuing Regina, is being launched on July 6 at Bergstrom Hall, Mount Mary College.  In error, I listed the address incorrectly.  It's 2900 North Menomonee River Parkway.

paperback fiction:
1. A Visit from the Goon Squad, by Jennifer Egan
2. The Help, by Kathryn Stockett
3. Bel Canto, by Ann Patchett
4. The All of It, by Jeanette Haien
5. Room, by Emma Donoghue

Hey, a female sweep!  Two book are due to our event with Ms. Patchett (the second being Haien's The All of It) and just about every book club is reading either Egan or Donoghue.  And our in-store lit group is reading both (July 4 at 11 am and August 1 at 7 pm). 

paperback nonfiction:
1. Memoir of a Sunday Brunch, by Julia Pandl (Thanks, Mr. Stingl!)
2. Half a Life, by Darin Strauss
3. Truth and Beauty, by Ann Patchett
4. What's Eating Your Child, by Kelly Dorfman
5. The Chicago Home Grown Cookbook, by Heather Lalley

Don't forget that Kelly Dorfman will be speaking at the new-ish Outpost Capitol Drive community center, tomorrow, Monday, June 27, at 7 pm. We also have two other upcoming author events in our top ten this week--Twesigye Jackson Kaguri visits Boswell this Tuesday, June 28, and John Duffy talks about available parenting on July 21. Events list here.

kids:
1. Mockingjay, by Suzanne Collins
2. Catching Fire, by Suzanne Collins
3. Along a Long Road, by Frank Viva
4. Should I Share my Ice Cream, by Mo Willems
5. Throne of Fire, by Rick Riordan

I absolutely love Along a Long Road.  That's a separate post.

As generally happens on these title-filled bestseller posts, I do not link every title to the Boswell Books website.  Know that you can buy any of them there, many available as ebooks, and most of them for the same price as at the big boys.  Pretty much anything but a Kindle will work.  Think about that if you are in the market for an e-reader.  Oh, and Consumer Rerports ranked the new Nook Simple Touch higher than any Kindle.