A composite list of bestseller titles based on The New York Times Book
Review, The Times of London, and The Toronto Globe & Mail.
Presented in no particular order...
(Navigation
Updated
3/29/2011)
BEST-SELLING
NON-FICTION
TITLES
1.
DEWEY,
by
Vicki
Myron
with
Bret
Witter;
AGENT:
Peter
McGuigan
at
Foundry
Literary
+
Media
in
NYC.
McGuigan
founded Foundry in the summer
of 2007 and he and the agency have been speed skating into the fast
lane from day one.
2. OUTLIERS, by Malcolm Gladwell; AGENT: Tina Bennett at Janklow &
Nesbit in NYC.
3. WHY WE SUCK, by Denis Leary; AGENT: Lydia Wills at Paradigm in NYC.
4. HOT, FLAT, AND CROWDED, by Thomas L. Friedman; AGENT: Esther Newberg
at ICM in NYC.
5. CALLED OUT OF DARKNESS, by Anne Rice; AGENT: Lynn Nesbit at Janklow
and Nesbit in NYC.
6. 90 MINUTES IN HEAVEN, by Don Piper with Cecil Murphey; AGENT: Deidre
Knight at the Knight Agency in Madison, Georgia.
7. ARE YOU THERE, VODKA? ITÃS ME, CHELSEA, by Chelsea
Handler; AGENT: Michael Broussard at Dupree Miller in Dallas Texas -
and while this is a strong agency for non-fiction, and here are two out
of NYC agencies one after another on our bestseller list, nothing is
changed. In terms of the US, publishing is a NYC business and being in
NYC or close enough to "do lunch" should still be one of any writer's
top criteria for picking an agent.
8. THE FOREVER WAR, by Dexter Filkins; AGENT: Amanda Urban at ICM in
NYC.
9. DREAMS FROM MY FATHER, by Barack Obama; AGENT: Jane Dystel for this
book written before the author was elected to the US Senate, much less
looked on track to be the next POTUS. For the later AUDACITY OF HOPE
Obama went to DC attorney Robert Barnett, who specializes in selling
books for DC types for a hefty lawyers fee, rather than a percentage of
the books earnings. However, Obama cut Dystel in for a piece of the
action on the second book as well.
10. LANGUAGE OF GOD, by Francis S. Collins; AGENT: Gail Ross in D.C.
11. WHAT THE GOSPELS MEANT, by Garry Wills; Agent: Andrew Wylie
12. THE DANGEROUS BOOK FOR BOYS, by Conn Iggulden and Hal Iggulden;
Agent: Kathy Anderson
BEST-SELLING
FICTION
TITLES
1. THE
HOST, by Stephenie Meyer: AGENT Jodie Reamer at Writers House in NYC.
When Reamer made Meyer's initial 2003 deal it was a first for both of
them. New author, new agent - over half a million for three books. Look
at them now as Meyer steps into the publishing phenom shoes of J.K.
Rowling. Call it karma, luck, or talent and literary taste. It happens.
2. THE STORY OF EDGAR SAWTELLE, by David Wroblewski; AGENT: Eleanor
Jackson who sold it while she was at Inkwell, now running Queen
Literary Agency in NYC. Another came from nowhere combo hitting it big.
3. FIRE AND ICE, by Julie Garwood; AGENT: Andrea Cirillo at Jane
Rotrosen. This pair have been together since at least 2001 when Garwood
switched her representation from Rotrosen herself to colleague Cirillo.
4. ROGUE, by Danielle Steel; AGENT: Morton Janklow at Janklow &
Nesbit. A combo rivalling the Energizer Bunny. Keeps going and going
and going...
5. THE GIVEN DAY, by Dennis Lehane; AGENT: Ann Rittenberg.
6. BONE BY BONE, by Carol O'Connell; AGENT: Larry Kirshbaum at LJK
Literary.
7. I SEE YOU EVERYWHERE, by Julia Glass; AGENT: Gail Hochman at Brandt
& Hochman.
8. GRACE, by Richard Paul Evans; AGENT: Laurie Liss at Sterling Lord
Literistic.
9. LORDS OF THE NORTH, by Bernard Cornwell; AGENT: Toby Eady in London.
10. THE ENCHANTRESS OF FLORENCE, by Salman Rushdie; AGENT: Philip
Wylie. Offices in New York and London.
11. THE DIVIDE, by Nicholas Evans; AGENT: Caradoc King at AP Watt in
London.
12. THE PRIVATE PATIENT, by P. D. James; AGENT: Carol Heaton at Greene
& Heaton, London
WHAT
CAN
YOU
DO
WITH
THIS
INFO?
DARNED
IF
WE
KNOW...
Even
if one of these books is very like your own work, knowing the agent's
name doesn't:
tell you enough to make a meaningful judgment about
the agent's abilities
help you determine how well you'd fit on the agent's
list
help you get on the agent's list.
But
it's
fun.
And
if
you're ready to commit to getting a first class agent of your own, go
to Our Services
and
check out Dead Reckoning to find out
what more we can tell you, and how
much it costs.
View
our BESTSELLER ARCHIVE and check out the best-selling fiction
and non-fiction titles of the past, the authors and their agents.
