Petaluma readers shifting back to politics and climate change

The top selling titles at Copperfield’s Books, in Petaluma, for the week of Feb. 22-Feb. 28, 2021

For the first time since the start of the year (that seems like a long time ago), nonfiction books and memoirs outnumber novels and other forms of fiction on Petaluma’s bestselling fiction and nonfiction list. A number of new books bump backs with some older classics in all categories, with Heather McGhee’s brand new examination of the financial costs of racism in America (“The Sum of Us”) taking the No. 1 spot occupied last week by Sarah J. Maas’ fantasy novel “A Court of Silver Flames,” absent entirely from the list this week.

Other notable nonfiction titles are Bill Gates’ new release, “How to Avoid a Climate Disaster” (No. 5), the late Alice Miller’s 40-year-old “The Drama of the Gifted Child” (No. 6) and Suleika Jaouad’s just-released memoir “Between Two Kingdoms” (No. 10), about the author’s battle with a rare form of blood cancer, and the life-changing trip she took to India, and how it changed her views of life, death and time. As for new and new-ish fiction, Petaluma readers are liking the latest John Grisham novel “Camino Winds,” about an island full of mystery writers trying to solve a murder in the wake of a hurricane, and Lily King’s delightfully honest novel “Writers & Lovers” (No. 8), about a young woman trying, and not always succeeding, at being both a lover and a writer.

Meanwhile, the big “Where’d-that-come-from?” surprise on this week’s bestselling kids and young adults list is “Good Night Gorilla” (No. 6), Peggy Rathmann’s classic 1994 picture book about a parade of zoo animals launching a clever, clandestine plan to spend the night in the cozy house of the sleepy zookeeper and his not-so-sleepy wife.

Here are the complete Top 10 books on both lists.

FICTION & NON-FICTION

1. ‘The Sum of Us,’ by Heather McGhee – Subtitled “What Racism Costs Everyone and How We Can Prosper Together,” McGhee’s eye-opening book looks at the financial costs of racism in America.

2. ‘The Body: A Guide for Occupants,’ by Bill Bryson – A light-hearted, deep-searching look at the human machine and why it does so many impressive and surprising (and sometimes terrible) things.

3. ‘The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse,’ by Charlie Macksey – A small, sweet and wholly phenomenal collection of charming pictures and handwritten words about four friends who share wise thoughts in devastatingly simple ways.

4. ‘Circe,’ by Madeline Miller – The notorious pig-transforming sorceress from “The Odyssey” tells her own story, and guess what? It’s not the same story told by the men she encountered.

5. ‘How to Avoid a Climate Disaster,’ by Bill Gates – Subtitled “The Solutions We Have and the Breakthroughs We Need,” this accessible and convincing book offers a practical plan for saving the world from climate change disaster.

6. ‘The Drama of the Gifted Child,’ by Alice Miller – The classic 1981 exploration of the unexpected consequences of psychological child abuse in adult survivors.

7. ‘Camino Winds,’ by John Grisham – A mystery about a resort island populated by mystery writers, and the tantalizing mystery that occurs after one of them is murdered before, during or after a devastating hurricane.

8. ‘Writers & Lovers,’ by Lily King – A delicious novel about a young waitress-writer balancing literary pursuits with questionable romantic choices, cranky restaurant workers, and grief from the recent death of her mother.

9. ‘Braiding Sweetgrass,’ by Robin Kimmerer – A rich and lyrical nonfiction exploration of indigenous wisdom and the scientific look at what plants are able to teach us.

10. ‘Between Two Kingdoms,’ by Suleika Jaouad – A new memoir about illness (a rare form of leukemia), loss (other sufferers met along the way), and a life-changing trip to India to deliver a friend’s ashes.

KIDS & YOUNG ADULTS

1. ‘Six of Crows,’ by Leigh Bardugo – A gripping, 2015 YA fantasy Cracking page-turner about a multiethnic “family” of young, semi-magical criminals of various sexual orientations, engaged in a quest to rescue a kidnapped chemist in northern Europe just after the Italian Renaissance.

2. ‘The Babysitters Club: Claudia and the New Girl,’ by Ann M. Martin – More “Babysitter’s Club” adventures from Ann M. Martin.

3. ‘Hilo: Gina, the Girl Who Broke the World,’ by Judd Winick – The latest sequel in the bestselling kids series about a robot-battling boy from another world.

4. ‘Cat Kid Comic Club,’ by David Pilkey – The Dog Man sidekick launches his own series of goofball shenanigans.

5. ‘How to Babysit a Grandma,’ by Jean Reagan – A giggle-inducing picture book from 2014, filled with silly situations and delightful drawings.

6. ‘Good Night Gorilla,’ by Peggy Rathmann – The classic 1994 picture book about a parade of zoo animals who launch a plan to sleep in the zookeeper’s house.

7. ‘Jack Gets Zapped!’ by Mac Barnett - The trouble-making rabbit Jack continues his wacky adventures.

8. ‘Bad Guys in The One?!’ by Aaron Blabey – Another in Blabey’s bestselling series of graphic novels about a band of scary-looking animals attempting to be good, now with an animated movie version set to be released in fall of 2021.

9. ‘Ivy and Bean,’ by Annie Barrows – The 2006 debut of the successful Ivy & Bean series about two mischievous friends, one of whom loves the color green and one of whom can do magic.

10. ‘The Maze Runner,’ by James Dashner – The debut novel in the popular dystopian series about a band of kidnapped boys forced to run a deadly maze to gain the food and supplies they need to stay alive.

(Data compiled by Amber-Rose Reed, Manager of Copperfield’s Books)