Fiction

1. “Lifeguard,” by James Patterson and Andrew Gross (Little, Brown, $26.95). Things go terribly awry when a lifeguard at a Florida resort agrees to take part in a $5 million heist.

2. “The Interruption of Everything,” by Terry McMillan (Viking, $25.95). At the age of 44, an unhappily married California woman discovers she’s pregnant.

3. “The Historian,” by Elizabeth Kostova (Little, Brown, $25.95). A young woman’s quest to learn the truth about her father’s life and her mother’s death involves research into Vlad the Impaler and Dracula.

4. “Until I Find You,” by John Irving (Random House, $27.95). Tracing the experiences of a movie star named Jack Burns, whose life has revolved around his relationships with older girls and older women.

5. “The Da Vinci Code,” by Dan Brown (Doubleday, $24.95). The murder of a curator at the Louvre leads to a trail of clues found in the work of Leonardo and to the discovery of a centuries-old secret society.

Nonfiction

1. “1776,” by David McCullough (Simon & Schuster, $32). An account of America’s founding year by the Pulitzer Prize-winning author, focusing on the inexperienced George Washington and heroic citizen soldiers.

2. “100 People Who Are Screwing Up America,” by Bernard Goldberg (HarperCollins, $25.95). The author of “Bias” takes aim at “Hollywood blowhards,” “America bashers,” rappers and others.

3. “The World is Flat,” by Thomas L. Friedman (Farrar, Straus & Giroux, $27.50). A columnist for The New York Times analyzes 21st-century economics and foreign policy.

4. “Freakonomics,” by Steven D. Levitt and Stephen J. Dubner (Morrow, $25.95). A maverick scholar applies economic thinking to everything from sumo wrestlers who cheat to legalized abortion.

5. “Confessions of a Video Vixen,” by Karrine Steffans. (Amistad/HarperCollins, $24.95.) A tell-all memoir by a dancer and actress who has appeared in many hip-hop videos.

Advice

1. “Natural Cures ‘They’ Don’t Want You to Know About,” by Kevin Trudeau (Alliance Publishing Group, $29.95). Remedies that do not include drugs or surgery.

2. “Your Best Life Now,” by Joel Osteen (Warner Faith, $19.99). A faith-based approach to living with enthusiasm.

3. “The Purpose-Driven Life,” by Rick Warren (Zondervan, $19.99). Finding the meaning of life through God.

4. “You: The Owner’s Manual,” by Michael F. Roizen and Mehmet C. Oz (HarperResource, $24.95). A guide to how the body works, and advice on maintaining health and youth.

5. “The 3-Hour Diet,” by Jorge Cruise. (HarperCollins, $24.95.) Reset your metabolism by eating frequently.

– The New York Times