1. The Lost Symbol - Dan Brown

2. The Help - Kathryn Stockett

3. Let the Great World Spin - Colum McCann

4. The Age of Wonder - Richard Holmes

5. The Next 100 Years - George Friedman

6. True Compass - Edward M. Kennedy

7. An Edible History of Humanity - Tom Standage

8. Grace Hopper and the Invention of the Information Age - Kurt W. Beyer

9. A New Literary History of America - Greil Marcus

10. The Brothers Boswell - Phillip Baruth

11. Juliet, Naked A Novel - Nick Hornby

12. The Drawings of Gustave Dore - Gustave Dore

1. University of Virginia (Charlottesville)
2. City University of New York - Hunter College (New York, N.Y.)
3. New College of Florida (Sarasota)
4. Florida State University (Tallahassee)
5. University of Colorado-Boulder
6. State University of New York-Binghamton
7. University of Georgia (Athens)
8. Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (Blacksburg)
9. Texas A&M University (College Station)
10. University of Oklahoma (Norman)

Virginia has six schools in the top 100--including two in the top 10--and Maryland has five in the top 100, with one in the top 10.

The University of Maryland at College Park jumping from No. 28 in 2008 to No. 8 overall for 2010.

As has been true every year since Kiplinger’s began making these lists in 1998, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill won the top spot. It was followed by the University of Florida, the University of Virginia, the College of William and Mary (Va.), Binghamton University (part of the State University of New York system), the University of Georgia, the University of Washington, the University of Maryland-College Park, SUNY Geneseo and North Carolina State University.

The Virginia schools were: University of Virgina - #3

College of William and Mary - #4 Virginia Polytechnic Institute - #16 James Madison University - #21 University of Mary Washington - #38 George Mason University - #64

Maryland schools were: University of Maryland - #8

St. Mary’s College of Maryland - # 37 Salisbury University - # 59 University of Maryland, Baltimore County- # 93 Towson University - # 97

From: Potomac News and Messenger

PRINCE WILLIAM COUNTY, Va. - Ten years ago, Bill Clinton was president, words like iPod and Twitter were yet to enter our vocabulary, and everyone was worried about Y2K.

9/11 —The terrorist attacks at the World Trade Center, the Pentagon and the crash of United Airlines Flight 93 in Shanksville, Pa. on Sept. 11, 2001, affected people across the nation. For Prince William County residents, many of whom work at or near the Pentagon or know someone who does, the day was marked with fear. Nineteen residents of the Prince William County area were killed at the Pentagon and three people with ties to the county died at the World Trade Center that day. The Liberty Memorial was built at the McCoart Administration complex to remember those Prince William County residents and all who lost their lives that day.

Housing Market— Early in the 2000s, the area experienced a housing boom. Housing assessments and prices skyrocketed and affordable housing was in short supply. In more recent years, the real estate bubble burst and the county has seen a rise in foreclosures and a dip in housing prices.

Illegal immigration resolution—In 2007, after a highly attended meeting that stretched into the early morning hours, the Board of County Supervisors passed a resolution meant to crack down on illegal immigration. The resolution instructed police to ask about immigration status, if they had probable cause to do so. The resolution sparked massive opposition in the community.

Sniper attacks —In October 2003, the "Beltway Sniper" terrorized the Washington area. John Alan Muhammad and Lee Boyd Malvo were later convicted of the attacks that left 10 people dead. Muhammad was convicted of capital murder in Prince William Circuit Court for killing Dean Harold Meyers at a Sunoco gas station outside of Manassas. He was executed this year.

Virginia Tech shootings—In April 2007, 33 people were killed in a shooting at Virginia Tech in Blacksburg. One of the victims, Daniel Perez Cueva, was a Woodbridge resident and C.D. Hylton High School graduate.

In the days and weeks following the shooting, the effect of the tragedy was felt throughout the area as many in the community worked to honor the memory of Perez Cueva and all those killed at Virginia Tech. The shootings also prompted changes in security and emergency procedures at schools and college campuses throughout the area and across the country.

Population growth— The past decade has seen Prince William County's population skyrocket from 280,813 people in 2000 to and estimated 394,370 people this year, according to demographic information reported by the U.S. Census and county officials. The race and ethnicity of the county's population has also changed, as the number of Hispanic residents in the county has grown. In 2000, 9.7 percent of the county's population was Hispanic. This year, an estimated 19.1 percent of the population is Hispanic.

Election of Barack Obama—In 2008, Prince William County drew national attention when candidates from both presidential campaigns came to the area.

Now-President Barack Obama drew tens of thousands to the Prince William County Fairgrounds the night before the presidential election. In that election, Democrats were victorious in Prince William County and Virginia. But in the 2009 elections, Republicans staged strong victories in the state again.

Obama's inauguration in January 2009 also affected area residents, as people from throughout the country flocked to the area to witness it.

U.S. News ranks Virginia's "TJ" as America's Best High School for third consecutive year

Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology in Alexandria, Va., was named the best High School in America in U.S. News & World Report's America's Best High Schools rankings for 2009. A course load of offerings that include DNA science, neurology, and quantum physics would seem to be more than enough, but students and the faculty felt those classes weren't enough, so they decided to tackle another big question: What are the social responsibilities of educated people?

Over the course of the school year, students are exploring social responsibility through projects of their own design, ranging from getting school supplies for students with cerebral palsy in Shanghai to persuading their classmates to use handkerchiefs to reduce paper waste. The One Question project demonstrates the way "TJ," as it's referred to by students and teachers, encourages the wide-ranging interests of its students.

"None of our students has the same passion," says TJ Principal Evan Glazer. "But having a passion is widely accepted and embraced."

This enthusiasm has placed TJ at the top of the America's Best High Schools ranking for each of the three years that U.S. News has ranked high schools. U.S. News uses a three-step process that analyzes first how schools are educating all of their students, then their minority and disadvantaged students, and finally their collegebound students based on student scores on statewide tests, Advanced Placement tests, and International Baccalaureate tests.

Apple Inc has acquired digital music service Lala, as the dominant online music retailer explores new models for selling songs. Terms of the deal weren't disclosed by Apple, which confirmed the purchase on Friday.

ITunes is the leading music service in the United States with more than 70 percent of all digital music sales and it is the leading music retailer overall. But newer music streaming services from the likes of News Corp's MySpace Music and Spotify have begun to win over music fans in the last year.

A few thoughts on sports this Monday. First, congratulations to the Maryland Terp Field Hockey team. They had an undefeated season going into the National Championship game, but lost in the last 11 seconds of the game, 3-2 to North Carolina. The Terps still had a great sesaon, finishing 22-1 and setting many records during the year.

The Maryland football team continues to find way to lose and is now 2-9, one of the worst seasons in the past 30 years. I'm not sure a coaching change is what is needed but many do, so it very well could happen after the season is over next Saturday.

The Washington redskins, also, continue to find a way to lose. This past Sunday they lost to the Dallas Coboys, 7-6, when the Cowboys scored the winning touchdown in the last three minutes of the game, making the Redsin 3-7. But, six points is not enough to win in the NFL and the offense is just not putting enough points on the scoreboard. Coaching change here is most likely after the season.

The Wasington Wizzards were expected to be better this season but they are off to a rough start even with a new coach and Gilbert Arenas back. But, it is too early in the long NBA season to write them off - they have the players and a good coach so still hope they will make the playoffs this season.

The Washington Capitals are playing the best of all the area pro teams and have proven they can win even when Ovetchkin is out hurt. Hockey is another long sesaon so anything can happen and injuries can definitely play a part in the final record. But the Caos are real good and I do expect the Caps to be in the playoffs and go far.