Since 1931, the country's best-selling books have appeared on an authoritative weekly list in the New York Times, a list that has transformed into a resource for readers and booksellers alike. Read on to discover both past and present best sellers—you just might find your next book club pick!
Publication year 2022
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Relationships: Friendship, Society: Immigration, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance
Tags Historical Fiction, Romance, Realistic Fiction, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Modern Classic Fiction
Publication year 2021
Genre Biography, Nonfiction
Themes Relationships: Mothers, Relationships: Daughters & Sons, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Love
Tags History: U.S., Race / Racism, Social Justice, History: World, Biography
Publication year 2023
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Society: Politics & Government, Identity: Race, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice
Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Southern Literature, Race / Racism, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, African American Literature, Social Justice, Modern Classic Fiction
Publication year 2016
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Relationships: Family
Tags Romance, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Drama / Tragedy, Historical Fiction, Mental Illness
Bryn Greenwood’s novel All the Ugly and Wonderful Things (2016) acknowledges and inverts the features of fairy tales and romance novels to depict a relationship that challenges accepted social values and questions the definition of love itself. Sunk in the depravity and degradation of her father’s drug-dealing lifestyle, eight-year-old Wavy finds her only solace in a questionable attachment to Kellen, a 24-year-old man who is also isolated and longing for some scrap of beauty in... Read All the Ugly and Wonderful Things Summary
Publication year 2020
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Identity: Mental Health, Emotions/Behavior: Grief
Tags Romance, Grief / Death, Depression / Suicide, Realistic Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction, Mental Illness
Publication year 2018
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Relationships: Daughters & Sons, Relationships: Fathers
Tags Race / Racism, Class, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Modern Classic Fiction, Drama / Tragedy, Romance
Publication year 2021
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Self Discovery, Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance
Tags Fantasy, Action / Adventure, Race / Racism, Children's Literature, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Religion / Spirituality
Publication year 2006
Genre Graphic Novel/Book, Fiction
Themes Identity: Race, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Society: Immigration
Tags Allegory / Fable / Parable, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Bullying, Race / Racism, History: Asian, Immigration / Refugee, Chinese Literature, Children's Literature, Education, Education, Fantasy
American Born Chinese is a graphic novel published in 2006 by the American author and illustrator Gene Luen Yang, who also wrote the graphic novel Boxers (2013) and the graphic memoir Dragon Hopes (2020). Through three interweaving stories that span from the 16th century to the present, American Born Chinese explores issues of Chinese American identity, anti-Asian racism, and assimilation. American Born Chinese is the first graphic novel to be nominated for a National Book... Read American Born Chinese Summary
Publication year 2018
Genre Essay Collection, Nonfiction
Themes Identity: Race, Society: Immigration, Society: Community
Tags Immigration / Refugee, Race / Racism, Social Justice, Biography
American Like Me: Reflections on Life Between Cultures (2018) is an essay collection edited by actress and activist America Ferrera with E. Cayce Dumont. The collection contains essays from notable individuals in movie and TV entertainment, food, publishing, public service, comedy, music, and self-help content creation. These first-person accounts all address the often troublesome question of what it means to be American, especially when growing up between different cultures. American Like Me is a New... Read American Like Me Summary
Publication year 2005
Genre Biography, Nonfiction
Themes Society: War, Society: Politics & Government, Society: Nation, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Identity: Mental Health
Tags Biography, History: U.S., History: World, Science / Nature, Politics / Government, Military / War, WWII / World War II
Publication year 2017
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Natural World: Environment, Society: Politics & Government, Natural World: Animals
Tags Science / Nature, Animals, Journalism, Politics / Government
Publication year 2017
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Society: Economics, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice
Tags Health / Medicine, Business / Economics, History: U.S., Science / Nature, History: World, Politics / Government
An American Sickness: How Healthcare Became Big Business and How You Can Take It Back is physician and journalist Elisabeth Rosenthal’s overview and critique of the American healthcare system. It was initially published in April 2017, arriving during a time in which healthcare reform became a prominent cornerstone of both Democratic and Republican political campaigns. The book offers a mixture of testimonials from a myriad of people impacted by the health industry, including medical professionals... Read An American Sickness Summary
Publication year 2019
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Relationships: Family, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies
Tags Psychological Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction
Publication year 2005
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Relationships: Siblings, Relationships: Fathers, Life/Time: Mortality & Death
Tags Fantasy, Modern Classic Fiction, Magical Realism, Humor
Anansi Boys is a fantasy novel by British author Neil Gaiman, written in 2005. It is set within the same world as his earlier novel American Gods and shares the title character of Anansi. In 2006, the novel won both the Locus Award and the British Fantasy Society Award. Anansi Boys deals with themes of family, duality, and storytelling, drawing from West African mythology and archetypes to create a story rooted in the here and... Read Anansi Boys Summary
Publication year 2002
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Society: War
Tags WWII / World War II, History: U.S., Military / War, History: African , History: World
An Army at Dawn is a nonfiction military history book published in 2002 by American author and journalist Rick Atkinson. Subtitled The War in North Africa, 1942-1943, the book chronicles the successful Allied invasion of North Africa during World War II. The first installment of Atkinson's Liberation Trilogy, An Army at Dawn received the 2003 Pulitzer Prize for History.This study guide refers to the 2002 edition published by Henry Holt and Company.Plot SummaryOn September 1... Read An Army at Dawn Summary
Publication year 2009
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Values/Ideas: Win & Lose, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict
Tags Historical Fiction, Romance, Fantasy, Magical Realism, Action / Adventure, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, History: World
An Echo in the Bone (2009) is the seventh novel in the Outlander series by Diana Gabaldon. Combining elements of the historical fiction, adventure, fantasy, magical realism, and romance genres, the series follows the adventures of Claire Randall, a WWII battle nurse who accidentally time travels to 18th-century Scotland and falls in love with Jamie Fraser, a Highland warrior. Over the course of 10 planned novels, Gabaldon follows Claire, Jamie, and their family as they... Read An Echo in the Bone Summary
Publication year 2015
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Relationships: Friendship, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Society: War
Tags Fantasy, Romance, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction
Book DetailAn Ember in the Ashes, published by Razorbill in 2015, is the first in Sabaa Tahir's An Ember in the Ashes series. The novel debuted at number two on the young adult New York Times best seller list and was also a USA Today and international bestselling book. In addition, TIME magazine named it one of the 100 Best Fantasy Books of all Time. It won the People’s Choice Award for favorite fantasy in... Read An Ember in the Ashes Summary
Publication year 2014
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Society: Nation, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Society: War, Values/Ideas: Equality, Society: Education, Identity: Race, Life/Time: The Past, Life/Time: The Future, Society: Community, Natural World: Place, Society: Colonialism
Tags History: U.S., Race / Racism, Social Justice, Politics / Government, Education, Military / War, Anthropology, Colonial America, Class, Colonialism / Postcolonialism, History: World
Publication year 2001
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Relationships: Family, Society: Class
Tags Romance, Historical Fiction, Regency Era
Publication year 2001
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Life/Time: Coming of Age, Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Identity: Masculinity, Society: Class
Tags Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, History: World, Drama / Tragedy, Historical Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction
A Painted House, a novel by #1 New York Times bestselling author John Grisham, tells the story of seven-year-old Luke Chandler coming of age in Black Oak, Arkansas, in 1952. The novel focuses on a fateful autumn in which one of the workers on Luke’s family’s cotton farm murders a local man. Luke, as one of the only witnesses to the murder, must navigate the tensions that arise as his loyalty to his family is... Read A Painted House Summary