The five hottest out-of-print books

The online book-search engine BookFinder.com periodically delivers updates on the most popular out-of-print books, as indicated by its customers' ordering habits. These lists are fascinating, mostly because they represent a set of books that don't show up on traditional best-seller lists and don't benefit from any marketing campaign. But they remain enduringly popular, mostly by good, old word-of-mouth.

Here are the top five most sought-after books of 2007, according to BookFinder.com. To get the top 10, go to its Web site (www.bookfinder.com).

1. "Once a Runner" by John L. Parker Jr. Published in 1978, this is a "cult classic distance running novel" whose sequel, "Again to Carthage," was released in November.

2. "Football Scouting Methods" by Steve Belichick. A 1962 "legendary football scout's playbook."

3. "Sex" by Madonna. Published in 1992. Still hot.

4. "Promise Me Tomorrow" by Nora Roberts. A 1984 novel that "the best-selling romance novelist refuses to reprint." Hmmm...

5. "The Lion's Paw" by Robb White. A children's adventure story, first published in 1946.

Mary Ann Gwinn, Seattle Times book editor