Smith in Italy, Zafón in Sweden
-- Publishers Weekly, 5/18/2009
Two international novelists topped the Italian bestsellers list in April with Wilbur Smith's Assegai , the latest in his Courtney family saga, landing at #1. Assegai, which has hit several other bestsellers lists including in the U.K. and South Africa, is just out in the U.S. from St. Martin's. French thriller writer Fred Vargas secured the second spot with her newest, A Dubious Place, which was a bestseller in France last year.
The new #1 fiction title in France is from author and playwright Eric-Emmanuel Schmitt, whose latest novel is set in Japan and features a rebellious 10-year-old who learns the way of sumo wrestlers. France also has a new top-seller in nonfiction. Captured is the story of Clara Rojas, who was captured in 2002 by FARC guerrillas in Colombia when she was campaigning with then presidential candidate Ingrid Betancourt. Rojas, along with other hostages, was freed in 2008.
Sweden's fiction list has its own international flavor. Carlos Ruiz Zafón, born in Barcelona but living in Los Angeles, followed up his international bestseller, Shadow of the Wind, with The Angel's Game, which debuted at #1 in Sweden. Doubleday will release Angel's in the U.S. next month. The new nonfiction top-seller presents an alternative view of the life of Jesus.
| France | |||
| Fiction | Nonfiction | ||
| 1 | The Sumo Ringer Who Wouldn't Grow Fat Eric-Emmanuel Schmitt Albin Michel | Captured Clara Rojas Plon | |
| 2 | The Gun Seller Hugh Laurie Sonatine Editions | Will You Call Me Upon Arrival? Patrick Sebastien Florent Massot | |
| 3 | Hold Tight Harlan Coben Belfond | Me, Nojoud, 10 Years Old, Divorced Nojoud Ali Michel Lafon | |
| For week ending April 25, used by arrangement with Livres Hebdo | |||
| Italy | |||
| Combined | |||
| 1 | Assegai Wilbur Smith Longanesi | 4 | The Rattle Andrea Camilleri Sellerio Editore Palermo |
| 2 | A Dubious Place Fred Vargas Einaudi | 5 | The First Day of Happyness Erri De Luca Feltrinelli |
| 3 | The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo Stieg Larsson Marsilio | 6 | Castles in the Sky Stieg Larsson Marsilio |
| For week ending April 25, used by arrangement with Informazioni Editoriali | |||
| Sweden | |||
| Fiction | Nonfiction | ||
| 1 | The Angel's Game Carlos Ruiz Zafón Albert Bonniers Forlag | About Jesus Jonas Gardell Norstedts Forlag | |
| 2 | Careless in Red Elizabeth George Norstedts Forlag | Dr. Dahlqvist's and Airam's Low Carb, High Fat Cook Book Annika Dahlqvist Pagina Forlag | |
| 3 | Private Patient P. D. James Wahlstorm & Widstrand | Morberg: The Stage, the Life, and the Art of Cooking Per Morberg Bonnier Fakta | |
| For week ending April 25, used by arrangement with Svensk Bokhandel | |||
