Barack Obama and Arthur C. Clarke wrote the most expensive titles sold by Abe Books during the holiday-buying season this year. Combined, these books sold for more than $8,700--an interesting glimpse into the rare book market during a recession.

According to the report, a copy (signed by Obama and his wife) of the President-elect's memoir, Dreams From My Father, sold for $5,000 earlier this month. In contrast, a complete, signed first-edition set of Clarke's Space Odyssey series sold for $3,750. Clarke died earlier this year, perhaps driving that sale.

SciFi Signal counted down the rest of the top five most expensive books of the holiday season--a split between modern and older authors:

"3. Brave New World by Aldous Huxley --$3,000 -- First American edition, one of 250 numbered copies signed by the author.
4. The Vampire Chronicles by Anne Rice --$3,000 -- Complete set (10) of first editions -- all signed by Rice.
5. China, in a series of Views, Displaying the Scenery, Architecture, and Social Habits of that Ancient Empire by George Newenham Wright --$2,556 -- Published in 1843, a rare insight into China during the Qing Dynasty."