BESTSELLERS

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

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*--* 1 State of Fear by Michael Crichton (HarperCollins: $27.95) 1 2 A globe-trotting thriller involving nefarious environmentalists and manufactured threats of global warming.

2 The Five People You Meet in Heaven by Mitch Albom 3 65 (Hyperion: $19.95) An amusement park maintenance man faces his life, death and afterlife in this three-part parable.

3 The Plot Against America by Philip Roth (Houghton 4 13 Mifflin: $26) Charles Lindbergh becomes president in 1940, setting the country on a course of isolationism and nationwide pogroms.

4 The Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown (Doubleday: $24.95) A 5 92 Louvre curator’s killing leads to clues hidden in Leonardo’s paintings and a secret society with something to hide.

5 The Da Vinci Code Special Illustrated Edition by Dan 9 7 Brown (Doubleday: $35) The blockbuster thriller, complete with images of all the artwork, symbols and locales mentioned in the text.

6 I Am Charlotte Simmons by Tom Wolfe (Farrar, Straus & 2 7 Giroux: $28.95) A North Carolina ingenue tries to fit in with the beautiful-people-in-training at an elite university.

7 Black Wind by Clive Cussler and Dirk Cussler (Putnam: 14 3 $27.95) Dirk Pitt and his progeny seek to stop a deadly seaborne virus headed toward Los Angeles.

8 Life Expectancy by Dean Koontz (Bantam: $27) A dying 8 2 grandfather’s prophecy comes true as a young man faces five dark days of horror and evil forces that threaten his survival.

9 Whiteout by Ken Follett (Dutton: $26.95) A Scottish -- 3 medical lab’s security director tries to find a missing canister of a deadly virus during a Christmas Eve blizzard.

10 Night Fall by Nelson DeMille (Warner Books: $26.95) Two 6 4 federal agents try to find a videotape to prove that the crash of a jet off Long Island was not caused by mechanical failure.

11 Runaway by Alice Munro (Knopf: $25) A collection of 15 8 stories examining the surprises, betrayals and limits of love among couples, friends, parents and children.

12 A Salty Piece of Land by Jimmy Buffett (Little, Brown: 7 3 $27.95) A colorful cast of characters populates this tale of lighthearted mayhem set in the Caribbean.

13 London Bridges by James Patterson (Little, Brown: $27.95) -- 5 Alex Cross battles villains old and new as terrorists threaten to destroy the world’s largest cities.

14 Memoria de mis putas tristes by Gabriel Garcia Marquez -- 1 (Alfred A. Knopf: $17.95) A journalist celebrates his 90th birthday by visiting a virgin in a brothel in this Spanish-language tale.

15 The Godfather Returns by Mark Winegardner (Random House: 12 4 $26.95) The “missing years” of the Corleone clan, filling the gap between Mario Puzo’s novel and the films.

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

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*--* 1 America (The Book): A Citizen’s Guide to Democracy 1 14 Inaction by Jon Stewart et al. (Warner: $24.95) Comedy writers poke fun at U.S. politics and our institutions of democracy.

2 Chronicles, Volume One by Bob Dylan (Simon & Schuster: 2 12 $24) The songwriter reflects on the influences that helped shape him and his struggle to rediscover his creativity.

3 He’s Just Not That Into You by Greg Behrendt and Liz 3 14 Tuccillo (Simon Spotlight Entertainment: $19.95) The no-excuses guide to help women understand guys and get on with their lives.

4 The Last Season by Phil Jackson (Penguin: $24.95) The 4 9 former Laker coach recounts last year’s turbulent season, in which egos ruled the court and a star-studded team stumbled.

5 His Excellency: George Washington by Joseph J. Ellis 5 8 (Knopf: $26.95) A portrait of the most imposing Founding Father, who held a young nation together through its rocky beginnings.

6 When Will Jesus Bring the Pork Chops? by George Carlin 6 9 (Hyperion: $23.95) The veteran comedian takes on Diane Sawyer, big oil and mass marketing in a stinging social commentary.

7 Eats, Shoots & Leaves by Lynne Truss (Gotham: $17.50) 8 29 British novelist and journalist offers her zero-tolerance approach to bad punctuation, drawn from her pioneering BBC series.

8 Your Best Life Now by Joel Osteen (Warner Faith: $19.99) 10 7 Seven steps to improving your life by using faith to develop self-esteem and help let go of the past.

9 The Complete Cartoons of the New Yorker (Black Dog & 7 5 Leventhal: $60) The best of the journal’s scribblings, plus a pair of CDs containing every cartoon it has ever published.

10 Sharing Good Times by Jimmy Carter (Simon & Schuster: -- 1 $21) The former president highlights the significance of sharing experiences large and small with friends and loved ones.

11 The Purpose Driven Life by Rick Warren (Zondervan: -- 91 $19.99) How the “God-ordained” principles of worship, community, discipleship, ministry and evangelism bring fulfillment.

12 Faithful by Stewart O’Nan and Stephen King (Scribner: -- 1 $26) A diary of the 2004 championship Red Sox season, written by two novelists who are die-hard fans.

13 Confessions of an Economic Hit Man by John Perkins -- 1 (Berrett-Koehler: $24.95) The onetime high-powered consultant says he pressured developing countries to take huge loans and spend the money with U.S. contractors.

14 Will in the World by Stephen Greenblatt (W.W. Norton: 13 7 $26.95) How an uneducated lad from the English countryside became William Shakespeare, poet, playwright and a favorite of the queen.

15 How to Talk to a Liberal (If You Must) by Ann Coulter -- 9 (Crown Forum: $26.95) The conservative pundit explains why she thinks liberals have it all wrong.

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