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 2021
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Relationships: Marriage
Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Romance, Realistic Fiction, Gender / Feminism, Social Justice, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Modern Classic Fiction
Publication year 2019
Genre Essay Collection, Nonfiction
Themes Society: Nation, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Equality, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Hope
Tags History: U.S., Race / Racism, Social Justice, Politics / Government, History: World
Publication year 1998
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Relationships: Teams, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance
Tags Self Help, Psychology, Business / Economics, Philosophy, History: World, Psychology, Philosophy, Politics / Government
Robert Greene (1959) is an American self-help book author with a focus on strategy and power. After training in Classical Studies at the University of California, Berkeley, Greene worked numerous jobs before pitching The 48 Laws of Power to book packager Joost Elffers in 1995. The book was inspired by Greene’s time as a writer in Hollywood, where he learned that today’s powerful people share common traits with historic princes, leaders, and tyrants. As he... Read The 48 Laws Of Power Summary
Publication year 2022
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies
Tags Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Action / Adventure, Modern Classic Fiction
Publication year 1989
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Life/Time: The Future
Tags Self Help, Business / Economics, Leadership/Organization/Management, Psychology, Psychology, Philosophy, Philosophy
The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People (Aug 1989) by Stephen R. Covey is one of the most influential self-help books of the late twentieth century. To date, the title has sold over 40 million copies and has been a New York Times bestseller. Covey was named as one of Time Magazine’s 25 Most Influential Americans of 1996. His book is classified under the categories of Business Management, Organizational Behavior, and Personal Success in Business... Read The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People Summary
Publication year 1985
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Relationships: Marriage, Relationships: Family
Tags Romance, American Literature, Modern Classic Fiction, Classic Fiction
Anne Tyler’s The Accidental Tourist is a literary fiction novel that follows the character-driven story of Macon Leary, who must navigate life following the death of his son and the dissolution of his marriage. The Accidental Tourist was originally published in 1985 and was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize. The Accidental Tourist is Anne Tyler’s 10th novel and one of her most recognized works. This study guide follows the paperback Berkley edition released in... Read The Accidental Tourist Summary
Publication year 2021
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Society: Politics & Government, Society: War, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Values/Ideas: Win & Lose
Tags War On Terrorism / Iraq War, Military / War, History: U.S., History: Middle Eastern, Politics / Government, Journalism, History: World
Publication year 2018
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Life/Time: The Future, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology, Society: Politics & Government
Tags Technology, Business / Economics, Politics / Government, Class, War On Terrorism / Iraq War, Information Age, Science / Nature, Sociology, History: World, Philosophy, Philosophy
Publication year 1994
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Society: Immigration, Identity: Mental Health
Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Historical Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Mental Illness, History: U.S., Poverty, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, History: World
The Alienist, by Caleb Carr, is a New York Times-bestselling historical thriller originally published in 1994 and adapted for television as a TNT series in 2018. A historian by trade, Carr applies his expertise to The Alienist as well as its sequels, The Angel of Darkness (1997) and Surrender, New York (2016). Set in New York City in 1896, The Alienist tells the story of Dr. Laszlo Kreizler, a psychologist (“alienist,” in the parlance of... Read The Alienist Summary
Publication year 2022
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Literature, Self Discovery, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Identity: Mental Health
Tags Romance, Humor, New Adult, Love / Sexuality, Modern Classic Fiction
Publication year 2020
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Science & Technology, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Values/Ideas: Fate
Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction, Classical Period, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Psychological Fiction, French Literature, Post Modernism
Publication year 2023
Genre Biography, Nonfiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Art, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Beauty, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger
Tags Arts / Culture, Crime / Legal
Publication year 2020
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger
Tags Romance, Realistic Fiction, British Literature, Modern Classic Fiction
Publication year 2021
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Fate, Self Discovery, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Relationships: Friendship, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Natural World: Animals, Emotions/Behavior: Memory
Tags Fantasy, Action / Adventure, Children's Literature, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Animals, History: World, Historical Fiction
Publication year 2020
Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction
Themes Identity: Gender, Identity: Race, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice
Tags Health / Medicine, Race / Racism, Gender / Feminism, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Women's Studies (Nonfiction), Biography
Publication year 2023
Genre Biography, Nonfiction
Themes Identity: Mental Health, Self Discovery, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Relationships: Friendship
Tags Crime / Legal, Psychology, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Psychology, Mental Illness, Biography
Publication year 2011
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Values/Ideas: Fate, Society: Class
Tags Romance, Southern Literature, Love / Sexuality, Modern Classic Fiction, Drama / Tragedy
The Best of Me (2010) is a love story by the best-selling American author Nicholas Sparks. It was adapted into a feature film by the same name in 2014. The novel is about the conflict-ridden love story between Dawson Cole and Amanda Colliers, high school lovers who were separated by social circumstances. Twenty-five years later, they get together to honor the memory of Tuck Hostetler, a father-figure who was their silent supporter and well-wisher. Once... Read The Best of Me Summary
Publication year 2019
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Tags Science / Nature, History: World, Humor, Health / Medicine
Widely known for his best-selling books A Short History of Nearly Everything and A Walk in the Woods, author and educator Bill Bryson published another bestseller in 2019. The Body: a Guide for Occupants is a tour of human anatomy and its wonders. Compiled for the general reader, The Body is a compendium of facts, many amazing or weird, about human anatomy and physiology. It explores the various organ systems—skin, brain, eyes, nose, mouth and throat... Read The Body: A Guide for Occupants Summary
Publication year 2021
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Science & Technology, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Win & Lose, Society: War, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance
Tags WWII / World War II, Military / War, Technology, History: U.S., Technology, History: World
Publication year 2014
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Identity: Gender, Identity: Indigenous, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Life/Time: The Future, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Natural World: Climate, Society: Class, Society: War, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed
Tags Fantasy, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction, Magical Realism
The Bone Clocks (2014) is a work of literary fantasy and the sixth novel by English author David Mitchell. It was longlisted for the 2014 Man Booker Prize, and also received the 2015 World Fantasy Award.Spanning nearly 60 years and featuring five different narrators, The Bone Clocks follows Holly Sykes, a young woman from Kent, England, who becomes embroiled in a secret war between two groups of immortal beings called the Horologists and the Anchorites... Read The Bone Clocks Summary