A Monitor guide to bestsellers

1. A SHORT GUIDE TO A HAPPY LIFE, by Anna Quindlen, Random House, $12.95

day. The book can be read in less than half an hour, but the familiar message might take a lifetime to digest. (64 pp.) By Kim Risedorph

2. WHO MOVED MY CHEESE? by Spencer Johnson, Putnam, $19.95

Using a children's book style, Johnson tells the story of two mice, two mini-men, and their never-ending search for cheese. The cheese represents the things people want out of life, and the characters portray all the patterns we fall into as we search for our cheese. The format makes the book's "keep life moving by overcoming fear" philo-sophy easy to remember. This quick read of simple ideas will provide at least one character to relate to and some advice to hold on to during a busy day. (94 pp.) By Christy Ellington

3. AN HOUR BEFORE DAYLIGHT, by Jimmy Carter, Simon & Schuster, $26

Former President Jimmy Carter led a remarkable childhood, characterized by Depression-era simplicity and hard work. Blessed with a keen memory and the humility to recount painful and embarrassing experiences, he reveals a bygone agricultural world and complex relations between whites and blacks. His book quietly illustrates the importance of nurturing children with high expectations, early responsibility, and enduring values. (356 pp.) (Full review Jan. 11.) By Marilyn Gardner

4. THE SIBLEY GUIDE TO BIRDS, by The National Audubon Society, Knopf, $35

This is a birder's bird book. It's beautiful. The author's watercolors - 6,600 of them on 810 North American species - and lucid text elevate this guide to instant classic status. The one possible negative: Beginners may find the book has too much information, as if tripping a feathered law of diminishing returns. For some it may be too heavy to be a field guide, but anyone interested in birds will want it at home as a reference. Hardcore birders already know about it. (544 pp.) By Jim Bencivenga

5 THE O'REILLY FACTOR, by Bill O'Reilly, Broadway, $23

The host of the popular cable news program of the same name takes on politics, celebrity, race, and religion - and that's just in the introduction! His frank social commentary, disdain for hypocrisy, and challenge to today's popular institutions are refreshing. He claims most mainstream media outlets have gone soft, kow-towing to groups they should be investigating. Unfortunately, his style often reads like fortune-cookie punditry. Like him or not, he is definitely a factor. (224 pp.) By David S. Hauck

6. THE DARWIN AWARDS, by Wendy Northcutt, Dutton, $16.95

Travel back in time to the worst mistake you ever made. Now multiply it by 100, add 200 other stories, and you have a glimmer of the contents of "The Darwin Awards." At times amusing, but mostly horrific, this collection of mindless and often suicidal anecdotes is, unfortunately, no joke. From her popular website, Northcutt has assembled reports of "individuals who ensure the long-term survival of our species by removing themselves from the gene pool in a sublimely idiotic fashion." (327 pp.) By Christy Ellington

7. PARIS TO THE MOON, by Adam Gopnik, Random House, $24.95

"The man in the moon is smiling," or so the song says, and if he is, it's due to Gopnik's book. In 1995, this New Yorker uprooted himself and his family to Paris to act as a portal between two cultures. Capturing his daily life in Paris, Gopnik provides insights on the effect of globalization on one of the world's most fantastic cities. Walking through parks and eating at cafes with Gopnik, readers will feel the spark of understanding a world that's beginning to see we all truly do live under one moon. (354 pp.) By Christy Ellington

8. BODY FOR LIFE, by Bill Phillips, HarperCollins Publisher, $25

Phillips, founder and editor in chief of Muscle Media magazine, furthers the spread of his dietary expertise in his new book "Body-for-Life." Phillips's 12-week program treats physical wellness as one of many aspects of our lives. His theory is that the success of our physical goals will help us achieve other life goals, too. Arranged with a variety of success stories, charts, and examples, his plan provides a detailed program, with food recommendations and an exercise program. (203 pp.) By Christy Ellington

9. TUESDAYS WITH MORRIE, by Mitch Albom, Doubleday, $21

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