Best Books of 2008

Customers' Bestsellers: Top 100 Books

Best of 2008
Who says the kids today don't read? After the phenomenon of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows topped our year-end bestseller list (and then some) last year, two of our top three bestselling books for 2008 are, like Harry's, fantastic stories written for younger readers that have found an eager audience among grown-ups too: the final volume in Stephenie Meyer's Twilight series, Breaking Dawn, and Christopher Paolini's third Eragon book, Brisingr.

See our complete top 100 bestsellers for 2008 below. (Ranked according to customer orders through October. Only books published for the first time in 2008 are eligible.) Find many more customers favorites and editors' picks in our Best of 2008 Store.


Showing 1 - 28 of 100 Results
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1. Breaking Dawn (The Twilight Saga, Book 4)
Breaking Dawn (The Twilight Saga, Book 4)
by Stephenie Meyer
3.7 out of 5 stars (6,260 customer reviews)
In Stock
Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
August 2, 2008
Hardcover

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List Price:$22.99
Price:$16.24
You Save:$6.75 (29%)

Amazon.com Review
Great love stories thrive on sacrifice. Throughout ... Read more

2. The Last Lecture
The Last Lecture
by Randy Pausch
4.6 out of 5 stars (1,579 customer reviews)
In Stock
Hyperion
April 8, 2008
Hardcover

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List Price:$21.95
Price:$17.13
You Save:$4.82 (22%)

Amazon.com Review
"We cannot change the cards we are dealt, just how we play the hand."... Read more

3. Brisingr (Inheritance, Book 3) (The Inheritance Cycle)
Brisingr (Inheritance, Book 3) (The Inheritance Cycle)
by Christopher Paolini
3.9 out of 5 stars (940 customer reviews)
In Stock
Alfred A. Knopf
September 20, 2008
Hardcover

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List Price:$27.50
Price:$19.05
You Save:$8.45 (31%)

Amazon.com Review
Tad Williams and Christopher Paolini: Author One-on-One Tad Williams is the New York Times bestselling author of several epic fantasy series. He lives in California. Read on for Williams and Christopher Paolini's discussion about why they write fantasy, ... Read more

4. The Story of Edgar Sawtelle: A Novel (Oprah Book Club #62)
The Story of Edgar Sawtelle: A Novel (Oprah Book Club #62)
by David Wroblewski
3.2 out of 5 stars (1,825 customer reviews)
In Stock
Ecco
September 19, 2008
Hardcover

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List Price:$25.95
Price:$19.21
You Save:$6.74 (26%)

Amazon.com Review
Amazon Best of the Month, June 2008: It's gutsy for a debut novelist to offer a modern take on Hamlet set in rural Wisconsin--particularly one in which the young hero, born mute, communicates with people, dogs, and the occasional ghost through his own mix of sign and body language. ... Read more

5. The Tales of Beedle the Bard, Standard Edition (Harry Potter)
The Tales of Beedle the Bard, Standard Edition (Harry Potter)
by J. K. Rowling
4.1 out of 5 stars (800 customer reviews)
In Stock
Children's High Level Group
December 4, 2008
Hardcover

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List Price:$12.99
Price:$10.41
You Save:$2.58 (20%)

Amazon.com Review
The Tales of Beedle the Bard, Standard Edition In December 2007, J.K. Rowling unveiled The Tales of Beedle the Bard, a very special book of five fairy tales illustrated by the bard herself, embellished with silver ornaments and mounted moonstones. Amazon was fortunate to come into possession of one ... Read more

6. The Appeal
The Appeal
by John Grisham
2.8 out of 5 stars (791 customer reviews)
In Stock
Doubleday
January 29, 2008
Hardcover

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List Price:$27.95
Price:$18.44
You Save:$9.51 (34%)

Amazon.com Review
As the author of twenty bestselling books, John Grisham has set the standard for ... Read more

7. When You Are Engulfed in Flames
When You Are Engulfed in Flames
by David Sedaris
4.0 out of 5 stars (471 customer reviews)
In Stock
Little, Brown and Company
June 3, 2008
Hardcover

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List Price:$25.99
Price:$17.22
You Save:$8.77 (34%)

From Publishers Weekly
Starred Review. Sedaris's sparkling essays always shimmer more brightly when read aloud by the author. And his expert timing, mimicry and droll asides are never more polished than during live performances in front of an audience. Happily, four of the 22 pi... Read more

8. In Defense of Food: An Eater's Manifesto
In Defense of Food: An Eater's Manifesto
by Michael Pollan
4.4 out of 5 stars (576 customer reviews)
In Stock
Penguin Press HC, The
January 1, 2008
Hardcover

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List Price:$21.95
Price:$14.63
You Save:$7.32 (33%)

Amazon.com Review
Amazon Significant Seven, January 2008: Food is the one thing that Americans hate to love and, as it turns out, love to hate. What we want to eat has been ousted by the notion of what we should eat, and it's at this nexus of hunger and hang-up that ... Read more

9. The Revolution: A Manifesto
The Revolution: A Manifesto
by Ron Paul
4.2 out of 5 stars (1,575 customer reviews)
Currently unavailable
Grand Central Publishing
April 1, 2008
Hardcover

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From Publishers Weekly
Congressman, Republican Presidential candidate and author Paul (A Foreign Policy of Freedom) says "Let the revolution begin" with this libertarian plea for a return to "the principles of our Founding Fathers: liberty, self-government, the Constitution, and... Read more

10. The Host: A Novel
The Host: A Novel
by Stephenie Meyer
4.4 out of 5 stars (4,478 customer reviews)
In Stock
Little, Brown and Company
May 6, 2008
Hardcover

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List Price:$25.99
Price:$16.98
You Save:$9.01 (35%)

Amazon.com Review
Amazon Best of the Month, May 2008: Stephenie Meyer, creator of the phenomenal teen-vamp Twilight series, takes paranormal romance into alien territory in her first adult novel. Those wary of sci-fi or teen angst will be pleasantly surprised by this mature and imaginative thriller, propelled by equal parts action ... Read more

11. The Post-American World
The Post-American World
by Fareed Zakaria
4.1 out of 5 stars (405 customer reviews)
In Stock
W. W. Norton & Company
April 17, 2008
Hardcover

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List Price:$25.95
Price:$16.53
You Save:$9.42 (36%)

Amazon.com Review
Book Description "This is not a book about the decline of America, but rather about the rise of everyone else." So begins Fareed Zakaria's important new work on the era we are now entering. Following on the success of his best-selling The Future of Freedom, Zakaria describes with equal ... Read more

12. Hungry Girl: Recipes and Survival Strategies for Guilt-Free Eating in the Real World
Hungry Girl: Recipes and Survival Strategies for Guilt-Free Eating in the Real World
by Lisa Lillien
4.3 out of 5 stars (408 customer reviews)
In Stock
St. Martin's Griffin
April 29, 2008
Paperback

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List Price:$17.95
Price:$12.18
You Save:$5.77 (32%)

Amazon.com Review
Hit the Kitchen with Hungry Girl Just because you're watching your waistline doesn't mean you need to go hungry. Recipes from Hungry Girl--like the Fiber-Fried Chicken Strips featured below--feed your every craving without piling on the calories. What's more, Lisa Lillien's lighthearted love for food and fun ... Read more

13. What Happened: Inside the Bush White House and Washington's Culture of Deception
What Happened: Inside the Bush White House and Washington's Culture of Deception
by Scott McClellan
3.7 out of 5 stars (220 customer reviews)
In Stock
PublicAffairs
May 28, 2008
Hardcover

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List Price:$27.95
Price:$25.16
You Save:$2.79 (10%)

From Publishers Weekly
Some listeners may get to the end of this audiobook and still be asking "What happened?" for even in his own words, McClellan's book appears either woefully na... Read more

14. Fearless Fourteen
Fearless Fourteen
by Janet Evanovich
3.4 out of 5 stars (633 customer reviews)
In Stock
St. Martin's Press
June 17, 2008
Hardcover

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List Price:$27.95
Price:$19.57
You Save:$8.38 (30%)

From Publishers Weekly
Starred Review. Lorelei King returns to Trenton, N.J., to continue the misadventures of Stephanie Plum, intermittently successful bounty hunter. King is one of many to voice Janet Evanovich's successful series, but her voice can be heard above the crowd, e... Read more

15. Liberal Fascism: The Secret History of the American Left, From Mussolini to the Politics of Meaning
Liberal Fascism: The Secret History of the American Left, From Mussolini to the Politics of Meaning
by Jonah Goldberg
4.1 out of 5 stars (640 customer reviews)
In Stock
Doubleday
January 8, 2008
Hardcover

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List Price:$32.50
Price:$19.20
You Save:$13.30 (41%)

From Publishers Weekly
In this provocative and well-researched book, Goldberg probes modern liberalism's spooky origins in early 20th-century fascist politics. With chapter titles such as Adolf Hitler: Man of the Left and Brave New Village: Hillary Clinton and the Meaning of Lib... Read more

16. Hot, Flat, and Crowded: Why We Need a Green Revolution--and How It Can Renew America
Hot, Flat, and Crowded: Why We Need a Green Revolution--and How It Can Renew America
by Thomas L. Friedman
3.9 out of 5 stars (303 customer reviews)
In Stock
Farrar, Straus and Giroux
September 8, 2008
Hardcover

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List Price:$27.95
Price:$7.46
You Save:$20.49 (73%)

Amazon.com Review
Book Description Thomas L. Friedman’s phenomenal number-one bestseller The World Is Flat has helped millions of readers to see the world in a new way. In his brilliant, essential new book, Friedman takes a fresh and provocative look at two of the biggest challenges we face today: America’s surprising ... Read more

17. The Tales of Beedle the Bard, Collector's Edition (Offered Exclusively by Amazon)
The Tales of Beedle the Bard, Collector's Edition (Offered Exclusively by Amazon)
by J. K. Rowling
4.1 out of 5 stars (800 customer reviews)
Currently unavailable
Children's High Level Group
December 4, 2008
Hardcover

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Amazon.com Review
The Tales of Beedle the Bard, Collector's Edition Offered Exclusively by Amazon (Available in Limited Quantities) In December 2007, J.K. Rowling unveiled The Tales of Beedle the Bard, a very special book of five fairy tales illustrated by the bard herself, embellished with silver ornaments and mounted moonstones. Amazon ... Read more

18. Unaccustomed Earth
Unaccustomed Earth
by Jhumpa Lahiri
4.3 out of 5 stars (286 customer reviews)
Out of Print--Limited Availability
Knopf
April 1, 2008
Hardcover

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From Publishers Weekly
Starred Review. The gulf that separates expatriate Bengali parents from their American-raised children... Read more

19. sTORI Telling
sTORI Telling
by Tori Spelling
4.5 out of 5 stars (492 customer reviews)
Out of Print--Limited Availability
Simon Spotlight
March 11, 2008
Hardcover

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Amazon.com Review
She was television's most famous virgin--and, as Aaron Spelling's daughter, arguably its most famous case of nepotism. Portraying Donna Martin on ... Read more

20. Audition: A Memoir
Audition: A Memoir
by Barbara Walters
4.0 out of 5 stars (312 customer reviews)
In Stock
Knopf
May 6, 2008
Hardcover

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List Price:$29.95
Price:$20.49
You Save:$9.46 (32%)

From Booklist
*Starred Review* Audition might seem an odd title for this long-awaited autobiography. After all, who is more established in the public... Read more

21. Are You There, Vodka? It's Me, Chelsea
Are You There, Vodka? It's Me, Chelsea
by Chelsea Handler
4.1 out of 5 stars (797 customer reviews)
Out of Print--Limited Availability
Gallery Books
April 22, 2008
Hardcover

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From Publishers Weekly
Handler proves the adage that just because one can, doesn't mean one should. This applies to both her role as a writer and a narrator. In this disjointed collection of memories and experiences, even her overenthusiastic voice cannot compensate for the irre... Read more

22. The Battle of the Labyrinth (Percy Jackson and the Olympians, Book 4)
The Battle of the Labyrinth (Percy Jackson and the Olympians, Book 4)
by Rick Riordan
4.8 out of 5 stars (597 customer reviews)
In Stock
Hyperion Books for Children
May 6, 2008
Hardcover

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List Price:$17.99
Price:$12.66
You Save:$5.33 (30%)

From School Library Journal
Grade 5–9—The battle starts, literally, with an explosion and doesn't let up. After Percy destroys the high school band room battling monsters called empousai who have taken on the form of cheerleaders, he has to hide out at Camp Half-Blood. There, Grover's searcher's license is going to be revoked ... Read more

23. Predictably Irrational: The Hidden Forces That Shape Our Decisions
Predictably Irrational: The Hidden Forces That Shape Our Decisions
by Dan Ariely
4.2 out of 5 stars (572 customer reviews)
Out of Print--Limited Availability
HarperCollins
February 19, 2008
Hardcover

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From Publishers Weekly
Irrational behavior is a part of human nature, but as MIT professor Ariely has discovered in 20 years of researching behavioral economics, people tend to behave irrationally in a predictable fashion. Drawing on psychology and economics, behavioral economic... Read more

24. How Not to Look Old: Fast and Effortless Ways to Look 10 Years Younger, 10 Pounds Lighter, 10 Times Better
How Not to Look Old: Fast and Effortless Ways to Look 10 Years Younger, 10 Pounds Lighter, 10 Times Better
by Charla Krupp
4.1 out of 5 stars (319 customer reviews)
In Stock
Grand Central Life & Style
January 2, 2008
Hardcover

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List Price:$25.99
Price:$18.30
You Save:$7.69 (30%)

From Publishers Weekly
Krupp, style expert for the Today Show and former beauty director for Glamour, offers easy-to-follow, tried-and-true fashion advice for women well beyond their 20s. Presented in eye-catching, highly skimmable, fashion-magazine style, here's how to trade in the things that scream old lady (simply OL in the book) for a ... Read more

25. Dungeons and Dragons Core Rulebook Gift Set, 4th Edition
Dungeons and Dragons Core Rulebook Gift Set, 4th Edition
by Wizards RPG Team
3.5 out of 5 stars (270 customer reviews)
Out of Print--Limited Availability
Wizards of the Coast
June 6, 2008
Hardcover

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Product Description
All three 4th Edition core rulebooks in one handsome slipcase.... Read more

26. The Snowball: Warren Buffett and the Business of Life
The Snowball: Warren Buffett and the Business of Life
by Alice Schroeder
4.2 out of 5 stars (286 customer reviews)
In Stock
Bantam
September 29, 2008
Hardcover

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List Price:$35.00
Price:$24.02
You Save:$10.98 (31%)

From Publishers Weekly
In this startlingly frank account of Buffett's life, Schroeder, a former managing director at Morgan Stanley... Read more

27. Duma Key: A Novel
Duma Key: A Novel
by Stephen King
4.2 out of 5 stars (790 customer reviews)
Out of Print--Limited Availability
Scribner
January 22, 2008
Hardcover

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Amazon.com Review
Amazon Significant Seven, January 2008: It would be impossible to convey the wonder and the horror of Stephen King's latest novel in just a few words. Suffice it to say that Duma Key, the story of Edgar Freemantle and his recovery from the ... Read more

28. The Obama Nation: Leftist Politics and the Cult of Personality
The Obama Nation: Leftist Politics and the Cult of Personality
by Jerome R. Corsi
3.3 out of 5 stars (684 customer reviews)
Out of Print--Limited Availability
Threshold Editions
August 1, 2008
Hardcover

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Product Description
From the Publisher: In this thoroughly researched and documented book, the #1 New York Times bestselling co-author of Unfit for Command: Swift Boat Veterans Speak Out Against John Kerry explains why the extreme leftism of an Obama presidency would leave the United States weakened, diminished and divided, why ... Read more

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