FICTION

BLUEBEARD by Kurt Vonnegut (Dell: $4.95). An Armenian painter has greater success in developing nascent painters’ work than his own. He is consoled by a prolific writer of young-adult books and a secret he keeps hidden in a potato barn.

FRIED GREEN TOMATOES AT THE WHISTLE STOP CAFE by Fannie Flagg (McGraw-Hill: $5.95). Actress Flagg has written a captivating tale of a small Southern town where the denizens do not always find life easy, but it’s filled with precious memories--and a few choice recipes!

SEARCH THE SHADOWS by Barbara Michaels (Berkley: $4.50). Michaels, an archeologist by training, creates a story of a young Egyptology student who is mystified by the premature death of her mother and the identity of her father.

A MAN RIDES THROUGH by Stephen R. Donaldson (Del Rey: $4.95). Terisa Morgan follows her companion Gerarden through the mirror in this sequel to “The Mirror of Her Dreams.”

WINTERS’ TALES: Stories and Observations for the Unusual by Jonathan Winters (Random House: $5.95). Comedian and painter Winters, a man for all seasons, can add author to his talents since penning these eclectic writings.

NONFICTION

THE PULITZER PRIZES: Volume Two 1988 by Kendall J. Wills (Touchstone: $12.95) Beginning in 1917, the Pulitzers have been one of the most coveted awards in journalism. Here are the newest inductees’ stories, photographs, cartoons and criticisms.

THE BEST by Peter Passell (Penguin: $5.95). Passell polls, tallies and proclaims the winners from peanut butter to mutual funds.

BEST EVIDENCE: Disguise and Deception in the Assassination of John F. Kennedy by David S. Lifton (Carroll & Graf: $11.95). Lifton joins a tenacious group of professionals who subscribe to the conspiracy theory in the assassination of President Kennedy. His theory rests on a preponderance of possible forgeries of medical documents and discrepancies in the appearance of Kennedy’s wounds.

AMERICA IS MY NEIGHBORHOOD by Willard Scott with Daniel Paisner (Simon & Schuster: $6.95). NBC’s good will ambassador shares how he has made the nation his backyard.

CELEBRATE THE WONDER: A Family Christmas Treasury by Kristin M. Tucker and Rebecca Lowe Warren (Ballantine: $6.95). Rich with activities for the whole family and explanations of the myths, meaning and sentiments of the holiday season.

SELF-HELP / REFERENCE

THE FIRESIDE COMPANION TO THE THEATRE by Ethan Mordden (Fireside: $12.95). A miscellany of contemporary and classic theater facts, figures and sundries.

THE ARTHUR ANDERSEN TAX GUIDE AND PLANNER 1989 (Perigee Books: $7.95). A year-round tax guide that includes the highlights of the new tax laws and how to make the most of them.