According to preliminary estimates from the U.S. Census Bureau, bookstore sales fell 1.5% in November, to $964 million. The results in November mark only the second time this year that bookstore sales registered a monthly decline. Sales for the entire retail segment were up 3.1% for the month. For the first 11 months of 1998, bookstore sales were up 2.5%, to an estimated $11.22 billion.