The November/December 2002 Book Sense 76 Top Ten

Dear Booksellers,

Well, you did it again. Thank you! A record number of submissions … and from a number of new voices. This 76 has more first-time nominators than ever -- a very good sign.

Other good news: No books due after November 1! Phew.

Watch for the full 76 preview next week.

Carl
carl@booksense.com

1. BALZAC AND THE LITTLE CHINESE SEAMSTRESS, by Sijie Dai (Anchor, $10 paper, 0385722206; Nov. 1)

2. POPULATION, 485: Meeting Your Neighbors One Siren at a Time, by Michael Perry (HarperCollins, $24.95, 0060198524; Oct. 8)

3. HOW TO COOK A TART: A Novel, by Nina Killham (Bloomsbury, $21.95, 1582342695; Oct. 1)

4. LYDIA CASSATT READING THE MORNING PAPER, by Harriet Scott Chessman (Plume, $13 paper, 0452283507; Oct. 29)

5. OFF TO THE SIDE, by Jim Harrison (Grove, $25, 0871138603; Nov. 1)

6. IGNORANCE, by Milan Kundera (HarperCollins, $23.95, 0060002093; Oct.)

7. THE LITTLE FRIEND, by Donna Tartt (Knopf, $26, 0679439382; Oct. 22) Also a Random House Audio (CD, 0553714031)

8. A PARCHMENT OF LEAVES, by Silas House (Algonquin, $23.95, 1565123670; Oct.)

9. IN HER SHOES, by Jennifer Weiner (Atria/S&S, $25, 0743418190; Sept.)

10. THE LAST NOEL, by Michael Malone (Sourcebooks, $19.95, 1402200129; Nov.)