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New York Times Best Seller lists

The New York Times Best Seller list is widely considered the preeminent list of best-selling books in the United States. It is updated online every Wednesday evening. Below are best seller lists for hardcover fiction and non-fiction. For more lists, visit our New York Times Children’s Best Sellers page or The New York Times’s Best Sellers page.

Hardcover Fiction

October 11, 2009

1

The Lost Symbolby Dan Brown
The Harvard symbologist Robert Langdon among the Masons.

2

An Echo in the Boneby Diana Gabaldon
Jamie Fraser and his time-traveling wife, Claire, encounter pirates on the high seas; the seventh Outlander novel.

3

The Last Songby Nicholas Sparks
A 17-year-old girl spends the summer with her divorced father in North Carolina and finds many kinds of love.

4

The Helpby Kathryn Stockett
Three women — a white socialite and two black maids — work on a tell-all book about black domestic servants in 1960s Mississippi.

5

Hothouse Orchidby Stuart Woods
A C.I.A. special agent finds that much has changed, and not for the better, when she returns to her Florida hometown.

6

South of Broadby Pat Conroy
An unlikely group’s friendship from the ’60s to the ’80s, by the author of "The Prince of Tides."

7

Alex Cross’s ‘trial’by James Patterson and Richard DiLallo
The detective Alex Cross writes a novel about his great-uncle, who fought the Klan.

8

The Year of the Floodby Margaret Atwood
In a violent future society, survivors of a catastrophic pandemic make their way.

9

Hardballby Sara Paretsky
Searching for an old woman’s missing son, V. I. Warshawski, the Chicago private investigator, is plunged into the politics of the 1960s.

10

Spartan Goldby Clive Cussler with Grant Blackwood
Husband-and-wife treasure hunters search for bottles of wine from Napoleon’s “lost cellar.”

11

A Change in Altitudeby Anita Shreve
A young woman’s life is transformed by a mountain-climbing accident in Kenya.

12

Dead and Goneby Charlaine Harris
Sookie Stackhouse searches for the killer of a werepanther.

13

The Lost Art of Gratitudeby Alexander McCall Smith
Edinburgh’s Isabel Dalhousie in the sixth Sunday Philosophy Club novel.

14

The Girl Who Played with Fireby Stieg Larsson
In the second volume of the Millennium trilogy, the Swedish hacker Lisbeth Salander becomes a murder suspect.

15

Mama Dearestby E. Lynn Harris
A woman tries to derail her daughter’s entertainment career.

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Hardcover Nonfiction

October 11, 2009

1

Arguing with Idiotswritten and edited by Glenn Beck, Kevin Balfe and others
Making the case against big government.

2

True Compassby Edward M. Kennedy
The late senator’s autobiography.

3

High on Arrivalby Mackenzie Phillips with HIlary Liftin
The actress and daughter of Papa John Phillips recalls a life of parties, drugs and a complicated relationship with her father.

4

American on Purposeby Craig Ferguson
The Scottish-born comedian describes his journey to late-night television stardom and American citizenship.

5

The Greatest Show on Earthby Richard Dawkins
Evidence for evolution; a counterattack on advocates of intelligent design.

6

Where Men Win Gloryby Jon Krakauer
The story of Pat Tillman, the N.F.L. player who enlisted after 9/11, and the Army’s cover-up of his death by friendly fire in Afghanistan.

7

Official Book Club Selectionby Kathy Griffin
A humorous memoir from the star of “My Life on the D-List.”

8

Outliersby Malcolm Gladwell
Unexpected factors that explain why some people succeed, such as upbringing, timing and 10,000 hours of deliberate practice.

9

Culture of Corruptionby Michelle Malkin
President Obama and his team as tax cheats, petty crooks, influence peddlers and Wall Street cronies.

10

The Case for Godby Karen Armstrong
Armstrong, a former nun, seeks to rescue the idea of God from atheists and literal-minded believers alike.

11

Liberty and Tyrannyby Mark R. Levin
A conservative manifesto from a talk-show host and president of Landmark Legal Foundation.

12

In the President’s Secret Serviceby Ronald Kessler
Agents and the presidents they protect.

13

A Bold Fresh Piece of Humanityby Bill O’Reilly
The Fox News commentator on his upbringing and career.

14

Born to Runby Christopher McDougall
Secrets of distance running from a Mexican Indian tribe.

15

End the Fedby Ron Paul
Abolishing the Federal Reserve, by the Texas congressman and presidential candidate.