A few of the year’s best books are popping back on the list now that Diesel, A Bookstore has its Malibu Top 50 books on display at the store.
New to the fiction list are the Booker Award-winner “The Sea,” by John Banville and the latest from Anne Rice, “Christ the Lord: Out of Egypt,” P.D. James’ “The Lighthouse” and David Baldacci’s “The Camel Club.” New to the nonfiction list are the Polish Brothers’ book on film (following their event in our store last week), local author Billy Crystal’s latest, “700 Sundays,” and two widely praised books: “Teacher Man: A Memoir” by Frank McCourt and “California: A History” by Kevin Starr.
For the children’s list, one of the best books of the holiday season, “Mr. Finnegan’s Giving Chest” comes in at No. 1. Based on local hero Dick Van Dyke, who will be reading and signing the book at Diesel this Saturday, it embodies the spirit of gift giving. Also new to the list is the wonderful “The Art Book for Children,” “The It Girl” and “Bing Make Music.”
Fiction
1. “The Shadow of the Wind,” by Carlos Ruiz Zafon, paper, Penguin Group, $15
2. “Christ the Lord: Out of Egypt,” by Anne Rice, hardcover, Random House, $25.95
3. “The Camel Club,” by David Baldacci, hardcover, TimeWarner, $26.95
4. “Runaway,” by Alice Munro, paper, Random House, $14.95
5. “Tijuana Straits: A Novel,” by Kem Nunn, Simon & Schuster, $15
6. “The Kite Runner,” by Khaled Hosseini, paper, Riverhead, $14
7. “The Lighthouse,” by P.D. James, hardcover, Random House, $25.95
8. “The Sea,” by John Banville, hardcover, Random House, $23
9. “The Falls,” by Joyce Carol Oates, paper, HarperCollins, $14.95
10. “Housekeeping,” by Marilynne Robinson, paper, Picador USA, $14.95
Nonfiction
1. “Lennon Revealed,” by Larry Kane, hardcover, Perseus Book Group, $29.95
2. “A Million Little Pieces,” by James Frey, paper, Random House, $14.95
3. “Malibu: California’s Most Famous Seaside Community,” by Marian Hall and Nick Rodionoff, hardcover and paper, Angel City Press, $35 and $25
4. “The Declaration of Independent Filmmaking,” by Mark and Michael Polish, paper, Harcourt, $15
5. “The Year of Magical Thinking,” by Joan Didion, hardcover, Random House, $23.95
6. “700 Sundays,” by Billy Crystal, hardcover, Timewarner, $21.95
7. “Red Herrings and White Elephants: The Origins of the Phrases We Use Every Day,” by Albert Jack, hardcover, HarperCollins, $15.95
8. “Furry Logic: A Guide to Life’s Little Challenges,” by Jane Seabrook, hardcover, Ten Speed, $9.95
9. “California: A History,” by Kevin Starr, hardcover, Random House, $24.95
10. “Teacher Man,” by Frank McCourt, hardcover, Simon & Schuster, $26
Children
1. “Mr. Finnegan’s Giving Chest,” based on Dick Van Dyke, by Dan Farr, hardcover, Shadow Mountain, $19.95
2. “Encyclopedia Prehistorica Dinosaurs: The Definitive Pop-Up,” by Robert Sabuda, hardcover, Candlewick, $26.99
3. “Inkspell,” by Cornelia Funke, hardcover, Scholastic, $19.95
4. “Egyptology,” Emily Sands, hardcover, Penguin, $19.99
5. “The It Girl,” by Cecily von Ziegesar, paper, TimeWarner, $9.99
6. “Hoot,” by Carl Hiaasen, paper, Random House, $8.95
7. “The Penultimate Peril (A Series of Unfortunate Events, Book 12),” by Lemony Snicket, hardcover, Harper, $11.99
8. “Bing Make Music,” by Ted Dewan, hardcover, Random House, $5.99
9. “The Art Book for Children,” by Phaidon Press staff, hardcover, Phaidon, $19.95
10. We Love Ballet,” by Jane Feldman, paper, Random House, $3.99