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...
BEST-SELLING NON-FICTION TITLES
1. THE SNOWBALL, by Alice Schroeder; AGENT: David Black.
2. HERE’S THE STORY, by Maureen McCormick; AGENT: Dan Strone at Trident.
3. THE WORDY SHIPMATES, by Sarah Vowell; AGENT: Wendy Weil.
4. HOT, FLAT, AND CROWDED, by Thomas L. Friedman; AGENT: Esther Newberg at ICM in New York City.
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.
7. GRACE (EVENTUALLY), by Anne Lamott; AGENT: Chuck Verrill at Darhansoff, Verrill & Feldman Literary Agencyin NYC.
8. THE ZOOKEEPER’S WIFE, by Diane Ackerman; AGENT: Suzanne Gluck at William Morris 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 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 LUCKY ONE, by Nicholas Sparks: AGENT Theresa Park.
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.
3. WALLFLOWER CHRISTMAS, by Lisa Kleypas; AGENT: Mel Berger at William Morris in NYC.
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. THE FIRE, by Katherine Neville; AGENT: Simon Lipskar at Writers House NYC.
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. UNDEAD AND UNWORTHY, by MaryJanice Davidson; AGENT: Ethan Ellenberg in New York
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 truly intrigued by one of the agents listed above 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.
Click on Bestseller Archive to step back in time.
