Does anyone really care whether a book is on the bestseller list anymore? From this article you would think that the Times bestseller list has magical powers. But the chain stores don't discount from that list anymore; Amazon rankings are more visible--though not necessarily more informative; and the press regularly describes books as bestsellers even when they've sold modestly.
Is bestseller a meaningful term anymore? And does it matter to you whether the book made the New York Times list before you take it seriously as something to buy or read?