How does the 2003 holiday buying season look for books? Booksellers nationwide are optimistic, with expectations for a strong end-of-year finale. Sales for the official opening week showed no reason for concern. This chart tracks the top five fiction and nonfiction bestsellers at three national chains—B&N, Borders and Waldenbooks—over the past five years. Fiction went up each year, with the 2003 combined sales (193,298) about 34% over the 2002 total of 144,246. Nonfiction over the period did not have a straight upward trajectory, but 2003's combined sales of 91,644 is only 4% lower than the nonfiction high of 95,504 for 2002.