Bookstore Bestsellers, 2016

Happy New Year! I'd like to present the annual list of Big Blue Marble bestsellers -- the top 25 books sold in 2016, and top 25 overall.

Please tell us in comments: What books have you read and loved over the past year?

Top 25 Bestsellers at Big Blue Marble in 2016:

1) Harry Potter and the Cursed Child by J. K. Rowling, Jack Thorne, and John Tiffany
2) Good Night Wissahickon Valley Park by Adam Gamble, Mark Jasper, and Scotti Mann (local setting)
3) My Brilliant Friend by Elena Ferrante
4) Between the World and Me by Ta-Nehisi Coates
5) Snape: A Definitive Reading by Lorrie Kim (local author)
6) The Underground Railroad by Colson Whitehead
7) Roller Girl by Victoria Jamieson
8) Frog and Toad Storybook Treasury by Arnold Lobel
9) The Sympathizer by Viet Thanh Nguyen
10) Nimona by Noelle Stevenson
11) Same Family, Different Colors: Confronting Colorism in America’s Diverse Families by Lori Tharps (local author)
12) Judenstaat by Simone Zelitch (local author)
13) Americanah by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
14) The Thank You Book by Mo Willems
15) I Really Like Slop! by Mo Willems
16) Hillbilly Elegy by J. D. Vance
17) Phoebe and Her Unicorn by Dana Simpson
18) The Mighty Odds by Amy Ignatow (local author)
19) El Deafo by Cece Bell
20) We Should All Be Feminists by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
21) When Breath Becomes Air by Paul Kalanithi
22) The Snowy Day by Ezra Jack Keats
23) Ghosts by Raina Telgemeier
24) The Story of a New Name by Elena Ferrante
25) Alexander Hamilton by Ron Chernow

Top 25 Bestsellers at Big Blue Marble to Date:

1) The Snowy Day by Ezra Jack Keats
2) Good Night, Gorilla by Peggy Rathman
3) Philadelphia Chickens by Sandra Boynton (onetime local author)
4) Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J.K. Rowling
5) Body Trace by D.H. Dublin (local author)
6) Goodnight Moon by Margaret Wise Brown
7) Between the World and Me by Ta-Nehisi Coates
8) Good Night Philadelphia by Adam Gamble and Cooper Kelly (local setting)
9) The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
10) Americanah by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
11) The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan
12) Ivy and Bean by Annie Barrows
13) The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle
14) The First 1000 Days by Nikki McClure
15) Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert (somewhat local author)
16) There Is a Bird on Your Head by Mo Willems
17) Harry Potter and the Cursed Child by J. K. Rowling, Jack Thorne, and John Tiffany
18) The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie (companion book for the 2011 One Book, One Philadelphia program)
19) My Brilliant Friend by Elena Ferrante
20) Amulet 1: Stonekeeper by Kazi Kibuishi
21) The Mysterious Benedict Society by Trenton Lee Stewart
22) Making Good Neighbors: Civil Rights, Liberalism, and Integration in Postwar Philadelphia by Abigail Perkiss (local author, local Mt. Airy setting!)
23) The Book Thief by Markus Zusak
24) Wild by Cheryl Strayed
25) The Daring Book for Girls by Miriam Peskowitz (local author) and Andrea Buchanan

Check out our list of young adult bestsellers, posted in the January YA newsletter:
Big Blue YA News -- Series to Read and Reread, Store Bestsellers, and Activism!
And stay tuned for a list of top sellers from our 2016 events!

Happy reading for 2017!

Bookstore Bestsellers, 2015

Happy New Year! I'd like to present the annual list of Big Blue Marble bestsellers -- the top 25 books sold in 2015, and top 25(ish) overall. Those of you who have been following these lists since I began them in 2010 may notice that, for the first time, the hardcover of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows has been overtaken as our number-one all-time bestseller! Check below for the seasonally appropriate challenger...

Please tell us in comments: What books have you read and loved over the past year?

Top 25 Bestsellers at Big Blue Marble in 2015:

1) Between the World and Me by Ta-Nehisi Coates
2) Skyscraping by Cordelia Jensen (local author, writer-in-residence)
3) All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr
4) Being Mortal by Atul Gawande
5) My Brilliant Friend by Elena Ferrante
6) 100 Under $100 by Betsy Teutsch (local author)
7) Rad American Women A-Z by Kate Schatz
8) Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up by Marie Kondo
9) Americanah by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
10) The Snowy Day by Ezra Jack Keats
11) Go Set a Watchman by Harper Lee
12) Mt. Airy Musers vol. 2: A Literary Journal Made by Kids for Kids; Editor-in-Chief, Cordelia Jensen (local authors)
13) El Deafo by Cece Bell
14) The Martian by Andy Weir
15) We Should All Be Feminists by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
16) H Is for Hawk by Helen Macdonald
17) Euphoria by Lily King
18) M Train by Patti Smith
19) Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Old School by Jeff Kinney
20) Boys in the Boat: Nine Americans and Their Epic Quest for Gold at the 1936 Berlin Olympics by Daniel James Brown
21) Making Good Neighbors: Civil Rights, Liberalism, and Integration in Postwar Philadelphia by Abigail Perkiss (local author, local Mt. Airy setting!)
22) Orphan Train by Christina Kline (2015 selection for the One Book, One Philadelphia program)
23) Drama by Raina Telgemeier
24) Good Night, Gorilla by Peggy Rathman
25) Roller Girl by Victoria Jamieson

Top Bestsellers at Big Blue Marble to Date:

1) The Snowy Day by Ezra Jack Keats
2) Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J.K. Rowling
3) Good Night, Gorilla by Peggy Rathman
4) Philadelphia Chickens by Sandra Boynton (onetime local author)
5) Body Trace by D.H. Dublin (local author)
6) Goodnight Moon by Margaret Wise Brown
7) The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
8) Good Night Philadelphia by Adam Gamble and Cooper Kelly (local setting)
9) The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan
10) Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert (somewhat local author)
11) The First 1000 Days by Nikki McClure
12) Ivy and Bean by Annie Barrows
13) Making Good Neighbors: Civil Rights, Liberalism, and Integration in Postwar Philadelphia by Abigail Perkiss (local author, local Mt. Airy setting!)
14) The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie (selected as companion book for the 2011 One Book, One Philadelphia program)
15) The Book Thief by Markus Zusak
16) The Daring Book for Girls by Miriam Peskowitz (local author) and Andrea Buchanan
17) The Buddha in the Attic by Julie Otsuka (2013 selection for the One Book, One Philadelphia program)
18) Wild by Cheryl Strayed
19) The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle
20) Americanah by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
21) The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson
22) The Mysterious Benedict Society by Trenton Lee Stewart
23) Amulet 1: Stonekeeper by Kazi Kibuishi
24) Dreams from My Father by Barack Obama
25) The Paper Bag Princess by Robert Munsch
And tied for 26:
a) Between the World and Me by Ta-Nehisi Coates
b) The Invention of Hugo Cabret by Brian Selznick

Happy reading for 2016!

Take Away the A

Looking for an unusual alphabet book? Tired of "a is for apple"? Then Take Away the A is the fun, refreshing alphabet book you're looking for!

At once playful and thought provoking, this picture book teaches the alphabet while at the same time demonstrating how one small alteration elicits a big change.

Almost existential in scope and gorgeously illustrated, Take Away the A is one of those picture books that captivate children and adults alike. Come in to Big Blue Marble Bookstore and purchase your copy today!

"Without the I, stairs lead to the stars..."

The Irish are coming!

What do Colm Toibin, Tana French, and Eoin Colfer all have in common? They're Irish! The month of March is upon us and St. Patrick's Day is imminent. In honor of the upcoming holiday, come on in to Big Blue Marble Bookstore and browse our display of marvelous Irish authors.

In the mood for a ghost story? Then John Boyne's This House is Haunted is the novel for you. Want a good read about the Irish immigrant experience? Pick up a copy of On Canaan's Side by Sebastian Barry.

And there's lots more! Stop by the Marble today where our staff will be happy to discuss our selection with you.

Bookstore Bestsellers, 2014

Happy New Year! I'd like to present the annual list of Big Blue Marble bestsellers -- the top 20 books sold in 2014, and top 25 overall.

Please tell us: What books have you read and loved over the past year?

Top 20 Bestsellers at Big Blue Marble in 2014:

1) Making Good Neighbors: Civil Rights, Liberalism, and Integration in Postwar Philadelphia by Abigail Perkiss (local author, local Mt. Airy setting!)
2) Deadout by Jon McGoran (local author)
3) Brief Eulogies at Roadside Shrines by Mark Lyons (local author)
4) Americanah by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
5) Mt. Airy Musers: A Literary Journal Made by Kids for Kids: Editor-in-Chief, Cordelia Jensen (local authors)
6) Frozen: A Big Golden Book, adapted by Bill Scollon
7) Goldfinch by Donna Tartt
8) Tale for the Time Being by Ruth Ozeki
9) Monk Eats an Afro by Yolanda Wisher (local author)
10) Drift by Jon McGoran (local author)
11) The Fault in Our Stars by John Green
12) Wild by Cheryl Strayed
13) Flora and Ulysses: the Illuminated Adventures by Kate DiCamillo
14) The Snowy Day by Ezra Jack Keats
15) Amulet 6: Escape from Lucien by Kazi Kibuishi
16) Sisters by Raina Telgemeier
17) The Yellow Birds by Kevin Powers (2014 selection for the One Book, One Philadelphia program)
18) Hyperbole and a Half : Unfortunate Situations, Flawed Coping Mechanisms, Mayhem, and Other Things That Happened by Allie Brosh
19) Afro-Vegan: Farm-Fresh African, Caribbean, & Southern Flavors Remixed by Bryant Terry
20) Good Night, Gorilla by Peggy Rathman

Top 25 Bestsellers at Big Blue Marble to Date:

1) Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J.K. Rowling
2) Body Trace by D.H. Dublin (local author)
3) Philadelphia Chickens by Sandra Boynton (onetime local author)
4) Good Night, Gorilla by Peggy Rathman
5) The Snowy Day by Ezra Jack Keats
6) The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
7) Good Night Philadelphia by Adam Gamble and Cooper Kelly (local setting)
8) Goodnight Moon by Margaret Wise Brown
9) Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert (somewhat local author)
10) The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan
11) The First 1000 Days by Nikki McClure
12) The Daring Book for Girls by Miriam Peskowitz (local author) and Andrea Buchanan
13) The Buddha in the Attic by Julie Otsuka (2013 selection for the One Book, One Philadelphia program)
14) Ivy and Bean by Annie Barrows
15) The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie (selected as companion book for the 2011 One Book, One Philadelphia program)
16) The Book Thief by Markus Zusak
17) The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson
18) The Paper Bag Princess by Robert Munsch
19) Dreams from My Father by Barack Obama
20) The Invention of Hugo Cabret by Brian Selznick
21) Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins
22) The Mysterious Benedict Society by Trenton Lee Stewart
23) The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle
24) Flotsam by David Wiesner (local author)
25) Wild by Cheryl Strayed
Bonus: Tied for spot 26:
a) Zen Shorts by Jon Muth
b) Making Good Neighbors: Civil Rights, Liberalism, and Integration in Postwar Philadelphia by Abigail Perkiss (local author, local Mt. Airy setting!)

Also check out the list of our young adult bestsellers, posted in the January YA newsletter: Big Blue YA News -- Dragons, Music, History, and Bestseller Lists!

Happy reading for 2015!

Grace's Five Books Mentioned in Cheryl Strayed's Wild

To celebrate Wild's place as #1 bestseller at this store in 2013, I've decided to make a list of some of the great books Cheryl Strayed mentions in her memoir. On her hike from the Mojave Desert all the way to Washington State, Strayed collects books to read in her tent, and against her spiritual judgment, she burns each one after finishing it to reduce the weight of her hiking pack. (Don't try this at home!)

As I Lay Dying by William Faulkner (Vintage Books, $14.00)

The Dream of a Common Language by Adrienne Rich (W W Norton, $14.95)

Lolita by Vladimir Nabokov (Vintage Books, $15.95)

The Complete Stories by Flannery O'Connor (Farrar Straus & Giroux, $18.00)

The Ten Thousand Things by Maria Dermout (New York Review of Books, $14.95)

Grace Gordon, February 2014

Bookstore Bestsellers, 2013

Happy New Year! I'd like to present the annual list of Big Blue Marble bestsellers -- the top 20 books sold in 2013, and top 25 overall.

What books have you read and loved over the past year?

Top 20 Bestsellers at Big Blue Marble in 2013:

1) Wild by Cheryl Strayed
2) Good Morning, Beautiful Business: The Unexpected Journey of an Activist Entrepreneur and Local Economy Pioneer by Judy Wicks (local author)
3) The Buddha in the Attic by Julie Otsuka (2013 selection for the One Book, One Philadelphia program)
4) Keeper by Kasey Jueds (local author)
5) Wonder by R.J. Palacio
6) Dear Life: Stories by Alice Munro
7) Drift by Jon McGoran (local author)
8) Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can't Stop Talking by Susan Cain
9) The Snowy Day by Ezra Jack Keats
10) Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Hard Luck by Jeff Kinney
11) Hyperbole and a Half : Unfortunate Situations, Flawed Coping Mechanisms, Mayhem, and Other Things That Happened by Allie Brosh
12) House of Hades by Rick Riordan
13) The Fault in Our Stars by John Green
14) Dog Songs by Mary Oliver
15) Flight Behavior by Barbara Kingsolver (locavore)
16) Signature of All Things by Elizabeth Gilbert (local author)
17) The Book Thief by Markus Zusak
18) Goldfinch by Donna Tartt
19) Round House by Louise Erdrich
20) Beautiful Ruins by Jess Walter

Top 25 Bestsellers at Big Blue Marble to Date:

1) Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J.K. Rowling
2) Body Trace by D.H. Dublin (local author)
3) Philadelphia Chickens by Sandra Boynton (onetime local author)
4) The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
5) Good Night Philadelphia by Adam Gamble and Cooper Kelly (local setting)
6) Good Night, Gorilla by Peggy Rathman
7) Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert (local author)
8) The Snowy Day by Ezra Jack Keats
9) The First 1000 Days by Nikki McClure
10) The Daring Book for Girls by Miriam Peskowitz (local author) and Andrea Buchanan
11) The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan
12) Goodnight Moon by Margaret Wise Brown
13) The Buddha in the Attic by Julie Otsuka (2013 selection for the One Book, One Philadelphia program)
14) The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson
15) The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie (selected as companion book for the 2011 One Book, One Philadelphia program)
16) Dreams from My Father by Barack Obama
17) The Invention of Hugo Cabret by Brian Selznick
18) Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins
19) The Paper Bag Princess by Robert Munsch
20) Ivy and Bean by Annie Barrows
21) Flotsam by David Wiesner (local author)
22) Blood Poison by D.H. Dublin (local author)
23) Zen Shorts by Jon Muth
24) The Book Thief by Markus Zusak
25) Three Cups of Tea by Greg Mortenson
Bonus: Tied for spot 26:
a) Ella Elephant Scats Like That by Andy Blackman Hurwitz (local author)
b) The Mysterious Benedict Society by Trenton Lee Stewart

Happy reading for 2014!

Bookstore Bestsellers, 2012

Happy New Year! It's time for the annual list of Big Blue Marble bestsellers -- this time we'll do the top 20 books sold in the past year, and top 25 overall.

Top 20 Bestsellers at Big Blue Marble in 2012:
1) The Buddha in the Attic by Julie Otsuka (2013 selection for the One Book, One Philadelphia program)
2) The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
3) Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins
4) Swamplandia by Karen Russell
5) Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins
6) Bill from My Father by Bernard Cooper
7) Stray Cat Blues by Hal Sirowitz (local author)
8) The Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Third Wheel by Jeff Kinney
9) Bossypants by Tina Fey (onetime local author)
10) Anatolian Days and Nights by Joy E. Stocke (local author)
11) The Tiger's Wife by Téa Obreht
12) State of Wonder by Ann Patchett
13) Fifty Shades of Grey by E. L. James
14) Sense of an Ending by Julian Barnes
15) The Hare with Amber Eyes by Edmund de Waal
16) Flight Behavior by Barbara Kingsolver
17) Unlikely Friendships by Jennifer Holland
18) Wild by Cheryl Strayed
19) Wolf Hall by Hilary Mantel
And tied for spot 20:
a) Good Night, Gorilla by Peggy Rathmann
b) Are You My Mother? by Alison Bechdel (not P.D. Eastman)

Top 25 Bestsellers at Big Blue Marble to Date:
1) Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J.K. Rowling
2) Body Trace by D.H. Dublin (local author)
3) Philadelphia Chickens by Sandra Boynton (onetime local author)
4) The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
5) Good Night Philadelphia by Adam Gamble and Cooper Kelly (local setting)
6) Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert (local author)
7) The Daring Book for Girls by Miriam Peskowitz (local author) and Andrea Buchanan
8) The First 1000 Days by Nikki McClure
9) Good Night, Gorilla by Peggy Rathman
10) The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson
11) Dreams from My Father by Barack Obama
12) The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie (selected as companion book for the 2011 One Book, One Philadelphia program)
13) The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan
14) Goodnight Moon by Margaret Wise Brown
15) Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins
16) The Invention of Hugo Cabret by Brian Selznick
17) The Snowy Day by Ezra Jack Keats
18) Blood Poison by D.H. Dublin (local author)
19) Flotsam by David Wiesner (local author)
20) Three Cups of Tea by Greg Mortenson
21) The Paper Bag Princess by Robert Munsch
22) Zen Shorts by Jon Muth
23) Just Kids by Patti Smith
24) Ella Elephant Scats Like That by Andy Blackman Hurwitz (local author)
25) Green Jobs Philly by Paul Glover (local author)
Oh, all right... And tied for spot 26:
a) The Omnivore's Dilemma by Michael Pollan
b) Mount Airy by Elizabeth Jarvis (local author)

Bookstore Bestsellers 2011

Happy New Year! It's time for the annual list of Big Blue Marble bestsellers -- top 20 books for the past year and top 20 overall.

Top 20 Bestsellers at Big Blue Marble in 2011:

1) Just Kids by Patti Smith
2) The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie (selected as companion book for the 2011 One Book, One Philadelphia program)
3) Visit from the Goon Squad by Jennifer Egan
4) Foremost Good Fortune by Susan Conley
5) The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
6) The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot
7) The Happiness Project by Gretchen Rubin
8) Cutting for Stone by Abraham Verghese
9) The First 1000 Days by Nikki McClure
10) The Help by Kathryn Stockett
11) The Son of Neptune by Rick Riordan
12) Cleaning Nabokov's House by Leslie Daniels (onetime local author)
13) Wonderstruck by Brian Selznick
14) Global Babies by the Global Fund for Children
15) The Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Cabin Fever by Jeff Kinney
16) Major Pettigrew's Last Stand by Helen Simonson
17) Good Night, Gorilla by Peggy Rathmann
18) Imperfectionists by Tom Rachman
19) Civilized World by Susi Wyss
And tied for spot 20 (really!):
a) Bossypants by Tina Fey (onetime local author)
b) Players by Sunn Byrd
c) State of Wonder by Ann Patchett
d) Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins

Top 20 Bestsellers at Big Blue Marble to Date:

1) Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J.K. Rowling
2) Body Trace by D.H. Dublin (local author)
3) Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert (local author)
4) Good Night Philadelphia by Adam Gamble and Cooper Kelly (local setting)
5) Philadelphia Chickens by Sandra Boynton (onetime local author)
6) The Daring Book for Girls by Miriam Peskowitz (local author) and Andrea Buchanan
7) The First 1000 Days by Nikki McClure
8) Dreams from My Father by Barack Obama
9) The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson
10) The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie (selected as companion book for the 2011 One Book, One Philadelphia program)
11) Blood Poison by D.H. Dublin (local author)
12) Good Night, Gorilla by Peggy Rathman
13) Flotsam by David Wiesner (local author)
14) Three Cups of Tea by Greg Mortenson
15) The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan
16) Goodnight Moon by Margaret Wise Brown
17) Green Jobs Philly by Paul Glover (local author)
18) The Omnivore's Dilemma by Michael Pollan
19) The Invention of Hugo Cabret by Brian Selznick
And tied for spot 20:
a) The Paper Bag Princess by Robert Munsch
b) Mount Airy by Elizabeth Jarvis (local author)

Bookstore Bestsellers 2010

Hi and Happy New Year! As I did last year, I would like to present our top 20 bestsellers of the past year and top 20 bestsellers overall.

Top 20 Bestsellers at Big Blue Marble in 2010:

1) The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson
2) The Girl Who Played with Fire by Stieg Larsson
3) Lacuna by Barbara Kingsolver
4) Freedom by Jonathan Franzen
5) Food Rules: An Eater's Manifesto by Michael Pollan
6) The Wisdom to Know the Difference by Eileen Flanagan (local author)
7) Little Bee by Chris Cleave
8) The Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Ugly Truth by Jeff Kinney
9) Tinkers by Paul Harding
10) The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie (selected as companion book for the 2011 One Book, One Philadelphia)
11) Let the Great World Spin by Colum McCann
12) Drizzle by Kathleen Van Cleve (local author)
13) Cutting for Stone by Abraham Verghese
14) The Help by Kathryn Stockett
15) The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
16) The Red Pyramid by Rick Riordan
17) The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer
18) Mornings in Jenin by Susan Abulhawa
19) Elegance of the Hedgehog by Muriel Barbery
20) The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot

Top 20 Bestsellers at Big Blue Marble to Date:

1) Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J.K. Rowling
2) Body Trace by D.H. Dublin (local author)
3) Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert (local author)
4) The Daring Book for Girls by Miriam Peskowitz (local author) and Andrea Buchanan
5) Dreams from My Father by Barack Obama
6) Good Night Philadelphia by Adam Gamble and Cooper Kelly (local setting)
7) Philadelphia Chickens by Sandra Boynton (onetime local author)
8) The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson
9) Blood Poison by D.H. Dublin (local author)
10) Flotsam by David Wiesner (local author)
11) Three Cups of Tea by Greg Mortenson
12) Green Jobs Philly by Paul Glover (local author)
13) The First 1000 Days by Nikki McClure
14) Philly Joe Giraffe's Jungle Jazz by Andy Blackman Hurwitz (local author)
15) The Omnivore's Dilemma by Michael Pollan
16) Elegance of the Hedgehog by Muriel Barbery
17) Freezer Burn by D.H. Dublin (local author)
18) The Paper Bag Princess by Robert Munsch
19) The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan
And tied for spot 20:
a) Zen Shorts by Jon J. Muth
b) The Girl Who Played with Fire by Stieg Larsson

Bookstore Bestsellers

Happy New Year! To welcome in 2010, I would like to present our top 20 bestsellers of 2009 and top 20 bestsellers overall. In sets of ten.

Top 20 Bestsellers at Big Blue Marble in 2009:

1) The Wisdom to Know the Difference by Eileen Flanagan (local author)
2) The Soloist by Steve Lopez (onetime local author)
3) The Elegance of the Hedgehog by Muriel Barbery
4) Olive Kitteridge by Elizabeth Strout (reviewed here on our blog)
5) Pig Candy by Lise Funderburg (local author, mentioned here on our blog)
6) Unaccustomed Earth by Jhumpa Lahiri
7) On the Day You Were Born by Debra Frazier
8) A Girl Named Zippy by Haven Kimmel
9) Netherland by Joseph O'Neill
10) Dreams from My Father by Barack Obama

11) The People of the Book by Geraldine Brooks
12) Three Cups of Tea by Greg Mortenson
13) In Defence of Food by Michael Pollan
14) The First 1000 Days by Nikki McClure
15) The White Tiger by Aravind Adiga
16) The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao by Junot Diaz
17) The Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Dog Days by Jeff Kinney
18) Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs by Judi Barrett
19) Ivy and Bean by Annie Barrows
20) Kinky Gazpacho by Lori Tharps (local author)

Top 20 Bestsellers at Big Blue Marble to Date:

1) Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J.K. Rowling
2) Body Trace by D.H. Dublin (local author)
3) Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert (local author)
4) The Daring Book for Girls by Miriam Peskowitz (local author) and Andrea Buchanan
5) Dreams from My Father by Barack Obama
6) Blood Poison by D.H. Dublin (local author)
7) Philadelphia Chickens by Sandra Boynton (onetime local author)
8) Good Night Philadelphia by Adam Gamble and Cooper Kelly
9) Three Cups of Tea by Greg Mortenson
10) Flotsam by David Wiesner (local author)

11) Green Jobs Philly by Paul Glover (local author)
12) Freezer Burn by D.H. Dublin (local author)
13) The Paper Bag Princess by Robert N. Munsch
14) America Beyond Capitalism by Gar Alperovitz
15) The Omnivore's Dilemma by Michael Pollan
16) The First 1000 Days by Nikki McClure
17) Fun Home by Alison Bechdel
18) The Soloist by Steve Lopez (onetime local author)
19) Philly Joe Giraffe's Jungle Jazz by Andy Blackman Hurwitz (local author)
and tied for spot 20:
a) Animal, Vegetable, Miracle by Barbara Kingsolver (locavore)
b) Growing Girls by Susan Miller (local author)

Nice to be a neighborhood bookstore!