Tom Clancy's 'Against All Enemies' tops paperback best-sellers list

It’s Sunday, so that means that it’s time for my weekly review of this week’s Publishers Weekly Best-Seller List. According to the list, there are three new books at the top of the four major best-sellers lists this week.

"Private Games" by James Patterson and Mark Sullivan replaced "Kill Shot" by Vince Flynn as the No. 1 book on the hardcover fiction best-sellers list.

"American Sniper: The Autobiography of the Most Lethal Sniper in U.S. Military History" by Chris Kyle, Jim DeFelice and Scott McEwen replaced "Ameritopia: The Unmaking of America" by Mark R. Levin as the top book on the hardcover nonfiction best-sellers list.

"Against All Enemies" by Tom Clancy with Peter Telep replaced "44 Charles Street" by Danielle Steel as the top book on the mass market paperback best-sellers list.
"The Help" by Kathryn Stockett remained the No. 1 book on the trade paperbacks best-sellers list.

There are five books on this week’s hardcover fiction best-sellers list that weren’t on the list last week. They (along with their place on the list) include "Private Games" by James Patterson & Mark Sullivan (1), "The Wolf Gift" by Anne Rice (3), "I've Got Your Number" by Sophie Kinsella (5), "The House I Loved" by Tatiana de Rosnay (13) and "Robert Ludlum's The Janson Command" by Paul Garrison (15).

There are three books on this week’s hardcover nonfiction best-sellers list that weren’t on the list last week. They include "The Start-Up of You" by Reid Hoffman & Ben Casnocha (3), "Sexperiment" by Ed & Lisa Young (9) and "Unbroken" by Laura Hillenbrand (14).

There are three books on this week’s mass market paperbacks best-sellers list that weren’t on that list last week. They include "The Summer Garden" by Sherryl Woods (11), "A Clash of Kings" by George R.R. Martin (12) and "Those in Peril" by Wilbur Smith (15).

There are five books on this week’s trade paperbacks best-sellers list that weren’t on the list last week. They include "The Weird Sisters" by Eleanor Brown (9), "Save Me" by Lisa Scottoline (12), "Lady Almina and the Real Downton Abbey" by The Countess of Carnarvon (13), "The Lucky One" by Nicholas Sparks (14) and "The Zombie Survival Guide" by Max Brooks (15).

As a reminder, I’m posting these lists each Sunday because they, as a whole, represent a great, contemporary recommended reading list. These lists are initially released each week on Thursday, and if you’re interested in reading them then, visit Publishers Weekly’s Web site at www.publishersweekly.com. Below you’ll find all four of this week’s best-seller lists.

HARDCOVER FICTION
1. "Private Games" by James Patterson and Mark Sullivan
2. "Kill Shot" by Vince Flynn
3. "The Wolf Gift" by Anne Rice
4. "Defending Jacob" by William Landay
5. "I've Got Your Number" by Sophie Kinsella
6. "Death Comes to Pemberley" by P.D. James
7. "11/22/63" by Stephen King
8. "Home Front" by Kristin Hannah
9. "Private: Number 1 Suspect" by James Patterson and Maxine Paetro
10. "The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest" by Stieg Larsson
11. "Catch Me" by Lias Gardner
12. "Taken" by Robert Crais
13. "The House I Loved" by Tatiana de Rosnay
14. "A Dance with Dragons" by George R.R. Martin
15. "Robert Ludlum's The Janson Command" by Paul Garrison

HARDCOVER NONFICTION
1. "American Sniper" by Chris Kyle, Jim DeFelice and Scott McEwen
2. "Ameritopia: The Unmaking of America" by Mark R. Levin
3. "The Start-Up of You" by Reid Hoffman & Ben Casnocha
4. "Killing Lincoln" by Bill O'Reilly and Martin Dugard
5. "The End of Illness' by David Agus
6. "Steve Jobs: A Biography" by Walter Isaacson
7. "The World of Downtown Abbey" by Jessica Fellowes
8. "Behind the Beautiful Forevers" by Katherine Boo
9. "Sexperiment" by Ed & Lisa Young
10. "Once Upon a Secret" by Mimi Alford
11. "The 17 Day Diet" by Dr. Mike Moreno
12. "Quiet" by Susan Cain
13. "Bringing Up Bebe" by Pamela Druckerman
14. "Unbroken" by Laura Hillenbrand
15. "Hilarity Ensues" by Tucker Max

MASS MARKET PAPERBACKS
1. "Against All Enemies" by Tom Clancy with Peter Telep
2. "The Girl Who Played with Fire" by Stieg Larsson
3. "44 Charles Street" by Danielle Steel
4. "Cold Vengeance" by Douglas Preston & Lincoln Child
5. "Bonnie" by Iris Johansen
6. "The 9th Judgement" by James Patterson & Maxine Paetro
7. "Tom Clancy Presents: Act of Valor" by Dick Couch and George Galdorisi
8. "The Capture of the Earl of Glencrae" by Stephanie Laurens
9. "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo" by Stieg Larsson
10. "Bennett and Camilla" by Nora Roberts
11. "The Summer Garden" by Sherryl Woods
12. "A Clash of Kings" by George R.R. Martin
13. "Crunch Time" by Diane Mott Davidson
14. "Lucky Penny" by Catherine Anderson
15. "Those in Peril" by Wilbur Smith

TRADE PAPERBACKS
1. "The Help" by Kathryn Stockett
2. "The Vow" by Kim & Krickitt Carpenter with Dana Wilkerson
3. "Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close" by Jonathan Safran Foer
4. "Heaven is for Real" by Todd Burpo, Sonja Burpo, Colton Burpo and Lynn Vincent
5. "The Tiger's Wife: A Novel" by Tea Obreht
6. "Bossypants" by Tina Fey
7. "The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks" by Rebecca Skloot
8. "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo" by Stieg Larsson
9. "The Weird Sisters" by Eleanor Brown
10. "Lethal" by Sandra Brown
11. "The Girl Who Played with Fire" by Stieg Larsson
12. "Save Me" by Lisa Scottoline
13. "Lady Almina and the Real Downton Abbey" by The Countess of Carnarvon
14. "The Lucky One" by Nicholas Sparks
15. "The Zombie Survival Guide" by Max Brooks

In the end, let me know if you’ve had a chance to read any of these books. What did you think about them? Which would you recommend? Let us know in the comments section below.

Daily Weather Observations for Sun., Feb. 26, 2012

Temp: 46.6 degrees F (8.1 degrees C)

Rainfall (past 24 hours): 0.1 inches.

Humidity: 69 percent (Normal)

Conditions: Mostly Cloudy.

Winds: 0.5 mph out of the East-Southeast (calm)

Barometric Pressure: 29.85 inHg.

Week to Date Rainfall: 0.3 inches

Month to Date Rainfall: 7.4 inches

Year to Date Rainfall: 12.1 inches

Local Weather Alerts: None.

NOTE: 67th day of Winter.

And Remember - "If birds fly low, expect rain and a blow."

Readings taken at 0700 hrs Central Standard Time (1300 GMT) daily, just west of the Monroe-Conecuh County line, near Excel, Alabama, USA, in the vicinity of Lat 31.42834°N Lon 87.30131°W. Elevation: 400 feet above sea level.

Handheld weather station is perfect for backyard weather observations

Regular visitors to this blog will know that I’ve been making and recording daily weather observations in this space since mid-November. For a little over a month, I’ve been using a neat, useful handheld tool that has helped me make more detailed readings – Ambient Weather’s WS-108 Keychain Altimeter, Barometer, Thermometer and Compass.

I’ve been test driving this device in the field since Feb. 21, and I’ve found it to be more than reliable. For my purposes, I’ve been using the device’s digital compass to give me a more accurate wind direction reading. Prior to that, I’d been using an analog, military-style compass to take my wind direction readings. I like the device’s compass because it will give you the direction reading in degrees and in 16 compass point directions (S, SSE, SE, etc.)

The only other feature that I use on a regular basis is the barometer. I always take this reading indoors because you’re supposed to take barometric readings indoors. I always take my barometric readings in inches of mercury (inHg), but it will also give it to you in millibars.

In addition to the compass and barometer, the device includes a digital clock, thermometer, altimeter and a simple weather forecaster. It also comes with a carabiner clip and features a bright, 30-second LED backlight similar to the backlight you’ll find on many wristwatches today.

I use a front-porch digital thermometer to take my daily temperature readings, but if I were to use the device’s thermometer, I feel that it would be pretty reliable. It’ll give you the temp anywhere within the range of 14 to 140 degrees Fahrenheit. It’ll also give you the temp in degrees Celsius if you’d rather have it that way.

The device’s weather forecaster is very simple, but I haven’t paid much attention to it because I don’t make that part of my daily weather observations. It’ll supposedly forecast the weather 12 to 24 hours in advance. The forecasts are based on barometric pressure changes and are displayed as an icon that indicates whether it’s going to be sunny, partly cloudy, rainy, etc.

The device is powered by a coin-shaped battery, similar to a watch battery, only larger. Like a wristwatch, the device remains on all the time, and I’ve been using it for over a month, and have yet to notice any decrease in performance due to a low battery. It’ll be interesting to see how long it will take for the battery to run down. The trick then will be to find a place locally where I can buy a replacement battery. I may be able to buy one at Wal-Mart, but if not, I may have to order one from somewhere online or check the local jewelry stores.

If you’re interested in buying one of these handheld weather stations, check Amazon.com or www.ambientweather.com. I bought mine from Amazon, and it cost about $24 before shipping and handling. Not only is it perfect for backyard weather observations, it would also be ideal for hikers, campers, runners, bikers and boaters.

In the end, how many of you have had the chance to use one of these Ambient Weather handheld weather stations? What do you think about it? Do any of you use any other similar devices? If so, what kind do you use and what do you like or dislike about it? Let us know in the comments section below.

Daily Weather Observations for Sat., Feb. 25, 2012

Temp: 41.9 degrees F (5.5 degrees C)

Rainfall (past 24 hours): 0.1 inches.

Humidity: 60 percent (Normal)

Conditions: Mostly Cloudy.

Winds: 1.1 mph out of the North-Northwest (light air)

Barometric Pressure: 29.84 inHg.

Week to Date Rainfall: 0.2 inches

Month to Date Rainfall: 7.3 inches

Year to Date Rainfall: 12.0 inches

Local Weather Alerts: Fire Weather Warning in effect from 12 p.m. to 4 p.m.

NOTE: 66th day of Winter.

And Remember - "Evening red and morning gray, two sure signs of one fine day."

Readings taken at 0700 hrs Central Standard Time (1300 GMT) daily, just west of the Monroe-Conecuh County line, near Excel, Alabama, USA, in the vicinity of Lat 31.42834°N Lon 87.30131°W. Elevation: 400 feet above sea level.

'Art of Manliness' books aren't your run-of-the-mill self-help books

I recently came into possession of two outstanding books by husband-and-wife authors Brett and Kate McKay called “The Art of Manliness: Classic Skills and Manners for the Modern Man” and “Manvotionals: Timeless Wisdom and Advice On Living the 7 Manly Virtues.”

While their titles might lead you to think that these books are just your run-of-the-mill self-help books, think again. I assure you that they are much, much more.

Published by How Books in October 2009, “The Art of Manliness” is filled with 288 pages of material that would improve the life of any reader, but most especially men. If you’ve ever wondered about the proper way to dress, groom or fight like a gentleman, how to save a drowning person, treat a snakebite, land a plane in an emergency, deliver a baby or predict the weather like a frontiersman, then this is the book for you. Other sections of the book describe how to break down a door in an emergency, change a baby diaper, start a fire without matches, navigate without a compass, tie different knots, give a great speech and shake hands like a man.

I thought that the book was extremely interesting, and it was also very funny in parts. The book’s final chapter is called “The Virtuous Man,” and it goes into detail about Benjamin Franklin’s “quest for moral perfection.” According to the book, Franklin attempted to live a life in which he abided by 13 virtues – temperance, silence, order, resolution, frugality, industry, sincerity, justice, moderation, cleanliness, tranquility, chastity and humility. He didn’t always succeed, but he felt the effort to do so enriched his life in ways that it otherwise wouldn’t have been.

One of my favorite parts of the book was the section called “One Hundred Books Every Man Should Read.” Many of you will be familiar with books on this list, which included “To Kill a Mockingbird” by Monroeville author Harper Lee and other classic novels.

“Manvotionals” was also published by How Books and was released in October 2011. It contains “the best advice ever written down for men,” including “manly wisdom” from sources that stretch from ancient times to modern day, including classic essays, poems and quotes by such famous figures as Marcus Aurelius, Jack London, Theodore Roosevelt, Benjamin Franklin, Rudyard Kipling, Winston Churchhill, Aristotle, Dwight D. Eisenhower, Martin Luther King Jr. and others. The book is arranged into seven different chapters, one for each of the manly virtues of manliness, courage, industry, resolution, self-reliance, discipline and honor.

In the end, I really enjoyed both of these books and would highly recommend them to anyone in the reading audience, especially to young men who might need a little extra motivation. I wish that these books had been around when I was about 16 or 17 years old.

For more information about these books, check them out on Amazon or visit Brett and Kate McKay’s popular website, www.ArtofManliness.com. Content on the website is similar to the content of the books mentioned above, and the site has become extremely popular, receiving over one million visitors a month.

Daily Weather Observations for Fri., Feb. 24, 2012

Temp: 68.5 degrees F (20.3 degrees C)

Rainfall (past 24 hours): 0.0 inches.

Humidity: 82 percent (Humid)

Conditions: Overcast.

Winds: 5.1 mph out of the South (light breeze)

Barometric Pressure: 29.31 inHg.

Week to Date Rainfall: 0.1 inches

Month to Date Rainfall: 7.2 inches

Year to Date Rainfall: 11.9 inches

Local Weather Alerts: None.

NOTE: 65th day of Winter.

And Remember - "When the dew is on the grass, rain will never come to pass."

Readings taken at 0700 hrs Central Standard Time (1300 GMT) daily, just west of the Monroe-Conecuh County line, near Excel, Alabama, USA, in the vicinity of Lat 31.42834°N Lon 87.30131°W. Elevation: 400 feet above sea level.

The Evergreen Courant's Sports Flashback for Feb. 23, 2012

25 YEARS AGO
FEB. 26, 1987

“Special Meeting of Landowners & Sportsmen… and all persons interested in having a voice in the better enforcement of our conservation laws. Also how they might be changed to benefit all. Officials from the department in Montgomery will be on hand to answer your questions and take your message back to the proper people in Montgomery. Come meet with us at Castleberry High School Lunchroom Fri., Feb. 27, at 7 p.m. For further information, call James Lee, Jim Oliver or Cliff Steele.”

From Beano Baker’s SportsBeat – “HOT STOVE LEAGUE… There’s good news and bad news concerning the Atlanta Braves and spoiled brat infielder Bob Horner, who turned down a three-year, $4.5-million offer from the Braves after calling the offer ‘embarrassing.’ The bad news is that Atlanta may be stuck with Horner and his lousy attitude again in 1987. The good news is that under current baseball rules, he can’t re-sign with his old team (Atlanta) until May. The grossly overweight and out of shaper Horner has received only one other offer, that a one-year, $1-million pact with San Diego. That must be doubly embarrassing.
“The fact is, Horner is the embarrassment. Once considered of sure Superstar capable of hitting .300 and 40-50 homers a year consistently, he has become dead weight simply because he won’t get in playing shape. In 1985, the Braves offered him a $15,000 bonus each time he made his assigned weight (210 pounds) on a monthly weigh-in basis. He collected one bonus out of a possible seven.”

40 YEARS AGO
FEB. 24, 1972

“Coming - March 15, 16, 17, 18 – Coliseum – Montgomery – World Championship Rodeo – Starring in person at every performance Roy Rogers, Dale Evans – 8 p.m. Wed.-Sat. – Sat. Mat. 3 p.m. – 2 hours of Exciting Entertainment – Also Featuring the Songs and Music of the World Famous Sons of the Pioneers – 5 Big Performances – Order Tickets By Mail! Sponsored by Southeastern Livestock Exposition and Alabama Cattlemen’s Association.”

“E.L. McInnis is seeking election to a full term of office as Chairman of the Conecuh County Commission. He was appointed to fill the unexpired term of the late Guy N. Mason.
“A native of Barbour County, McInnis came to Conecuh County as a young man as a teacher and coach and has lived most of his adult life here. He is familiarly known as ‘Coach’ by former students and others because of his many years service in athletics.
“Coach is in an executive position with Flexible Southern Co. at the present time in addition to his duties as chairman. Coach and his wife, Sarah, a retired teacher, live on Bruner Avenue.”

55 YEARS AGO
FEB. 28, 1957

“Aggies To Meet Neal In District Tournament At Mobile Thurs. Nite: Evergreen’s Aggies face a tough assignment in their first game of the 1st District Class AA Tournament in Mobile as they take on third seeded W.S. Neal of East Brewton tonight (Thursday) at 6 p.m. in the U.M.S. Gym.
“The Neal Eagles were ranked in order behind first seeded Grove Hill and second seeded Murphy of Mobile, with Vigor of Mobile rated fourth. Theodore High, undefeated in 20 games this season, was not seeded, but is considered a strong contender for the crown due to their impressive record.
“Evergreen not only drew a rugged opponent to open with, but also fell in what is considered the strongest bracket. Such stalwarts as Murphy, Theodore, W.S. Neal, Foley and host team U.M.S. of Mobile, with any one capable of taking the crown. The Aggies have proven that when they have a good night, they can beat almost anybody, so the lower bracket might be considered a toss-up.
“The class of the upper bracket is generally considered to be Vigor and McGill despite the fact that Grove Hill is seeded first. The remainder of the upper group are considered weaker teams, however anything can happen in a high school tournament.
“Evergreen was runner-up in last year’s tournament with one of their best teams in the school’s history and made the trip to the state tournament. Murphy High, who beat the Aggies in the finals of the district tourney, went on to take the state crown in Tuscaloosa.
“Coaches Wendell Hart and Ray Owens will leave for Mobile around noon today (Thursday). The following team will make the trip: Paul Pace, Billy Grace, Robert Ellington, Wayne Frazier, Mickey Joyner, Jimmy Moorer, Buddy Zukowski, Allen Hunter, Jack Harper and Bill Ivey.”

70 YEARS AGO
FEB. 26, 1942

“The Evergreen Aggies downed the Brooklyn High team on the Brooklyn court after a perilous first half, 36 to 24. The locals were forced all the way in the first half, with the lead changing hands several times. Evergreen held a slight 15 to 14 lead at the end of this period, but came back with a neat rally, and turned a 30 to 18 lead over to the reserves at the end of the third quarter. Eleven men saw action, with each doing his part. Langham failed to score, but I guess he is just saving up for the tournament here Friday.
“Edsel Johnson and Derrell Moorer matched each other goal for goal as they tied for scoring honors with 12 points each. J. Ralls shot eight points to keep Brooklyn in the game.
“This game completed a successful season for the locals. Final record stands: 15 won, four lost.”

“The Evergreen High School basketeers won their 14th game of the season in a return battle with the Red Level cagers at Red Level Thursday, 31 to 23. The locals won the first contest handily, 28 to 12. Led by their captain, Derrell Moorer, the Aggies played one of their better games of the season. Moorer shot 14 points to pace the offensive effort, and played one of his best floor games. This win ran the Aggies record to 14 wins against four losses.”

“The Conecuh County basketball tournament will be held here Friday afternoon to decide what two teams will enter the district tournament at Brewton. The winner and runner-up will be the only ones eligible to enter from this county. A drawing to determine foes for the first round will be held at 1 p.m. Friday afternoon with the tournament taking place soon after.”

85 YEARS AGO
FEB. 24, 1927

“FLAT ROCK: Brownville girls lost a close game to the Flat Rock team on the local court Saturday, Flat Rock scoring three points and Brownville two. Bigger and Stillwell put up a good defense for Brownville. Blackburn and Aarons did good guarding for Flat Rock with Deason and Potts for forward. However, Brownville boys with their good pass work were too much for the locals and Brownville boys walked from the court to the tune of three to nine.”

“The Aggie team has not been defeated in basketball this year. They have played several close games, but each time they managed to come to the top in the end. They have accomplished this through hard work and a well developed fighting spirit. They never give up even if they are behind in the score.
“From a comparative score of the teams in the district the Aggies are chosen as one of the eight teams to meet at Georgiana to play for the championship of the district. If the Aggies can win this, which is very likely, they will go to the state tournament at Tuscaloosa. The prospects are bright for a championship team this year.”

“A troop of Boy Scouts is being fully organized under the leadership of W.P. McMillan.
“These are the boys that have passed the (Tenderfoot) test: Orman Bowers, Billy Beaven, Claude Pritchett, George Hairston, Lloyd Hairston, Frank Fountain, Robert Mills, Walter Wild, Billy Kamplain, Murray Kamplain, Winston Hagood, Wilbur Kelley, Clinton Hyde, Clinton Gregory, George Lambert, John Wright Jr., William Letford and Sam Robison.”