Books: Bestsellers

Reaching parts that no other charity can, Red Nose Day has infiltrated the bestseller lists this week: Five Go Mad in the Kitchen, published to coincide with yesterday's event and containing an enthusiastic collection of recipes, not necessarily all of which one would want to eat, goes straight in at number one on the non-fiction lists. That leaves Alan Titchmarsh free to challenge the position in a week's time.

Old-timer, Bernard Cornwell's latest Sharpe story has knocked the heavily- hyped newcomer, Come Together, off the top of the non-fiction list, while Catherine Cookson is stuck firm in fifth position: that should please Bantam who still have a couple of her unpublished manuscripts waiting in the wings...

Compiled from data supplied on sales over seven days ending 7 March 1999

Bookwatch Ltd, 1999

ORIGINAL FICTION

TITLE AUTHOR/PUBLISHER PRICE WEEKLY SALES

1 (4) Sharpe's Fortress Bernard Cornwell (HarperCollins) pounds 16.99 5,877

2 (2) The Testament John Grisham (Century) pounds 16.99 5,747

3 (3) Single & Single John le Carre (Hodder) pounds 16.99 4,738

4 (1) Come Together Josie Lloyd & Emlyn Rees (Arrow) pounds 5.99 4,428

5 (5) The Thursday Friend Catherine Cookson (Bantam Press) pounds 16.99 2,152

6 (6) Caroline's Sister Sheila O'Flanagan (Poolbeg) pounds 5.99 1,169

6 (-) Night Whispers Judith McNaught (Pocket) pounds 5.99 1,169

8 (9) Messiah Boris Starling (HarperCollins) pounds 5.99 1,120

9 (10) Southern Cross Patricia D Cornwell (Little, Brown) pounds 16.99 1,081

10 (6) Liar Birds Lucy Fitzgerald (Black Swan) pounds 5.99 1,078

ORIGINAL NON-FICTION

TITLE AUTHOR/PUBLISHER PRICE WEEKLY SALES

1 (-) 5 Go Mad in the Kitchen Various authors (New Crane) pounds 1 4,197

2 (7) Ground Force Weekend Alan Titchmarsh (BBC) pounds 9.99 3,348

3 (1) Station X Michael Smith (Channel 4) pounds 14.99 3,324

4 (3) Little Book of Feng Shui Lillian Too (Element) pounds 1.99 2,905

5 (2) Men are From Mars... John Gray (Thorsons) pounds 8.99 2,525

6 (8) ITV Formula One Guide Bruce Jones (Carlton) pounds 5.99 2,354

7 (6) Delia's How to Cook Delia Smith (BBC) pounds 16.99 1,811

8 (4) The Year 1000 R Lacey & D Danziger (Little, Brown) pounds 12.99 1,648

9 (5) Seafood Odyssey Rick Stein (BBC) pounds 18.99 1,616

10 (-) Time Team Tim Taylor (Channel 4) pounds 18.99 1,282