Fear and Loathing
The #1 book in the country is Fear, Bob Woodward’s “compulsively readable narrative,” according to our review, of President Donald Trump’s White House. Among its assertions: “John Dowd, Trump’s lawyer for the special counsel Russia investigation, told Trump that he would end up behind bars if he agreed to be interviewed by the special counsel.”
Another new title offers an account of a different legally besieged presidency. In Contempt, Ken Starr’s “self-rightous memoir,” our review said, the author “recalls his controversial 1995–1999 stint as independent counsel” investigating President Bill Clinton’s involvement in Whitewater and with a White House intern. It lands at #15 on our hardcover nonfiction list.
(See all of this week's bestselling books.)
Of She Reese Sings
Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens, which our review praised for its “vivid portrayal of the singular North Carolina setting,” pubbed August 14. In a September 6 Instagram post, Reese Witherspoon named the novel her latest book club pick, and weekly print unit sales began to climb.
Halloween: Resurrection
We’ve barely turned the page on summer, but Halloween- and autumn-themed books are out in force. Nearly half of the books on our children’s picture book list reference the spooky season, including the titles in the top four positions.
New & Notable
Accessory to War
Neil deGrasse Tyson and Avis Lang
#10 Hardcover Nonfiction
“Well paced and skillfully written,” our review said of Tyson and Lang’s exploration of the relationship between astrophysics and the military, “the narrative seamlessly integrates science lessons, military strategy, and world history.”
I am Neil Armstrong
Brad Meltzer, illus. by Christopher Eliopoulous
#15 Children’s Picture Books
The latest title in the Ordinary People Can Change the World series profiles the first human to walk on the moon, and pubs several months ahead of the 50th anniversary of the lunar landing, July 20, 2019.
Top 10 Overall
| Rank | Title | Author | Imprint | Units |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Fear | Bob Woodward | Simon & Schuster | 339,104 |
| 2 | Lord of the Fleas (Dog Man #5) | Dav Pilkey | Graphix | 51,117 |
| 3 | Girl, Wash Your Face | Rachel Hollis | Nelson | 47,367 |
| 4 | Juror #3 | Patterson/Allen | Little, Brown | 31,000 |
| 5 | Crazy Rich Asians | Kevin Kwan | Anchor | 27,001 |
| 6 | Shadow Tyrants | Cussler/Morrison | Putnam | 17,371 |
| 7 | The Fallen | David Baldacci | Grand Central | 15,683 |
| 8 | In His Father’s Footsteps | Danielle Steel | Delacorte | 14,218 |
| 9 | Leverage in Death | J.D. Robb | St. Martin’s | 14,201 |
| 10 | China Rich Girlfriend | Kevin Kwan | Anchor | 13,939 |
Editor’s note: Sales for the week ended Sept. 16, 2018 do not include data from the Christian bookstore chain Lifeway. All unit sales per Nielsen BookScan except where noted.
