DIESEL, a bookstore in Brentwood and Larchmont, Calif., has created a separate, monthly Arts Bestseller List that includes domestic arts, architecture, fashion, art, music, film, interior design, gardening and more. Co-owner John Evans explained that while having fiction as its own category makes sense, lumping science, the arts, history, business and more into the same broad category of nonfiction does not. He noted too that when it comes to awards for nonfiction, books pertaining to the arts are often given short shrift.
"So, finally, we've addressed that in our own humble way by creating an Arts Bestseller List, which we post every month now, as we do with fiction and, yes, nonfiction," said Evans. "Maybe some of the annual awards that only go to fiction or nonfiction could start adding an Arts Award to their list."