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. 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? ITíS 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 KNOWÖ

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.

Click on Bestseller Archive to step back in time.