Treasury Notes

The #2 book in the country is Hamilton by Lin-Manuel Miranda, creator and star of the blockbuster Broadway musical of the same name, and Jeremy McCarter, a cultural critic and theater professional who was involved in the show from its earliest stages. Subtitled The Revolution, the book offers a behind-the-scenes look at the Pulitzer Prize–winning musical about the first secretary of the U.S. Treasury, including the full libretto, photos, interviews, and essays. In a single week, the book has sold more print copies than any other title in the performing arts category has sold all year.

Miranda began exploring the notion of a musical based on Alexander Hamilton’s life after reading Ron Chernow’s 2004 biography, and that book has reaped the benefits of the musical’s success: the 2005 trade paperback has sold 73K print units this year already. In 2015, it sold 84K print units, for its best year since its publication year, when it sold almost 62K print units in nine months.

(See all of this week's bestselling books.)

Revenge of the Nerds

It’s a good week for gamers and comic book readers, with three titles aimed squarely at that market debuting on our lists. Dark Souls III: Collector’s Edition, at #6 in Hardcover Nonfiction, is a limited edition guide to the latest entry in the Souls action role-playing game.

World of Warcraft: Illidan, at #9 in Hardcover Fiction, is the newest novel set in the universe of the hugely popular MMORPG (for the uninitiated, that’s massively multiplayer online role-playing game). And at #15, Wonder Woman: Earth One, Vol. 1 by Grant Morrison, illustrated by Yanick Paquette, retells the origin story of DC Comics’ Amazon warrior princess. For more on Morrison, see our author profile.

Spreading the Word

Faith writer Priscilla Shirer was tapped by filmmakers the Kendrick brothers not only to star in War Room (2015) but also to write a companion book, Fervent. It’s become a staple of our Trade Paperback list, and this week it’s at #14. Also this week, Shirer makes her debut in Children’s Frontlist Fiction at #12, with The Prince Warriors. Based on Ephesians 6:10–18, the book launches a middle grade trilogy and is part of a new series of the same name, which will also include an associated devotional and app.

Owning It

Wild author Cheryl Strayed’s fourth title, Brave Enough, debuts on our Hardcover Nonfiction list at #15. The book, a collection of inspirational quotes drawn from her earlier writing, pubbed in October 2015 and enjoyed healthy sales through the holiday season, selling about 50K print units in 2015. But weekly sales weren’t strong enough to crack our top 25. Beginning in the first week of 2016, sales began tapering off; last week it sold 757 print units. This week, print unit sales are up 555% over last, with 4,956 sold. What gives? As it turns out, Oprah’s still got it: Strayed made an April 10 appearance on the literary queen-maker’s Super Soul Sunday, which airs on OWN, the Oprah Winfrey Network.

New & Notable

It’s All Easy
Gwyneth Paltrow
#3 Hardcover Nonfiction

Paltrow’s newest book of health-conscious recipes is the first Goop-branded title from Grand Central Life & Style, with a beauty book expected to follow.

Raymie Nightingale
Kate DiCamillo
#4 Children’s Frontlist Fiction

Our starred review of this middle-grade novel by the two-time Newbery Medal–winner praises the author’s “extraordinary skill” in rendering an unlikely summer friendship.

Top 10 Overall

Rank Title Author Imprint Units
1 The Obsession Nora Roberts Berkley 43,396
2 Hamilton Miranda/McCarter Grand Central 38,654
3 One with You Sylvia Day St. Martin’s Griffin 25,382
4 The Rainbow Comes and Goes Cooper/Vanderbilt Harper 23,806
5 Make Me Lee Child Dell 23,577
6 Me Before You Jojo Moyes Penguin 19,003
7 The Murder House Patterson/Ellis Grand Central 17,123
8 Gathering Prey John Sandford Putnam 16,678
9 Oh, the Places You’ll Go! Dr. Seuss Random House 16,545
10 As Time Goes By Mary Higgins Clark Simon & Schuster 16,340

All unit sales per Nielsen BookScan except where noted.