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 Biography, Nonfiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Science & Technology, Identity: Gender, Relationships: Teams
Tags Science / Nature, Gender / Feminism, Health / Medicine, Technology, Women's Studies (Nonfiction), History: World, Biography
Publication year 2023
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Society: Globalization, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology, Life/Time: The Future, Society: Politics & Government, Society: Community
Tags Technology, Science / Nature, Business / Economics, Politics / Government, Technology, Sociology, Philosophy, Philosophy
Publication year 2010
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Identity: Race, Society: Politics & Government, Relationships: Mothers, Life/Time: Mortality & Death
Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Crime / Legal, Social Justice, Incarceration, Grief / Death, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Realistic Fiction, Race / Racism
Publication year 2001
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family
Tags American Literature, Drama / Tragedy, History: U.S., Modern Classic Fiction
The Corrections is a 2001 novel by Jonathan Franzen that won the National Book Award. Franzen is the author of several essay collections and novels, including the novels Freedom, Purity, and Crossroads. He has received many awards for his work, including the Whiting Award in 1988 and a Guggenheim Fellowship in 1996.The main action of the novel takes place during the turn of the 21st century, a time of great financial prosperity in the United... Read The Corrections Summary
Publication year 2016
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Relationships: Marriage, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Relationships: Mothers
Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Psychological Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction
The Couple Next Door, Shari Lapena’s 2016 international best-seller, begins as a classic detective story. As the mystery deepens, the novel turns into a tense psychological study of a dysfunctional family, the calculating logic of emotional manipulation, the spiral of post-partum depression, and the corrupting power of greed. Paramount Television optioned the novel for a TV series adaptation in 2018. Shari Lapena is the author of eight novels for adults, including The Couple Next Door... Read The Couple Next Door Summary
Publication year 2020
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Relationships: Siblings, Relationships: Mothers, Relationships: Fathers, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies
Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction
Publication year 2023
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Society: Colonialism, Values/Ideas: Literature
Tags Historical Fiction, Health / Medicine, Asian Literature
Publication year 2021
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Society: Class, Society: Economics, Society: Community
Tags Anthropology, Science / Nature, History: World, Anthropology, Business / Economics, Sociology, Philosophy, Philosophy, Politics / Government
Publication year 2003
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Natural World: Appearance & Reality
Tags Humor, Satire, American Literature, Arts / Culture, Modern Classic Fiction, Romance
The Devil Wears Prada, published in 2004, is the debut novel of author Lauren Weisberger. It tells the tale of a hapless assistant working for a tyrannical boss in the fashion industry.The story takes place largely in present-day New York City, mostly in the offices of a high-fashion magazine called Runway. The central character, Andrea Sachs (who uses the nickname Andy), narrates the story from the first-person perspective, and the events she describes transpire over... Read The Devil Wears Prada Summary
Publication year 2021
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Identity: Race, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice
Tags Race / Racism, Social Justice, Civil Rights / Jim Crow, Sociology, History: World, Politics / Government
Publication year 2022
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Identity: Femininity, Relationships: Marriage, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Society: War
Tags Historical Fiction, Auto/Biographical Fiction, WWII / World War II, Military / War, Russian Literature, History: World, Romance
Publication year 2021
Genre Biography, Nonfiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Identity: Gender, Relationships: Siblings, Society: Class, Society: Education, Values/Ideas: Equality
Tags Biography, History: World, Gender / Feminism, Health / Medicine, Science / Nature, Women's Studies (Nonfiction)
Publication year 2022
Genre Novel/Book in Verse, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Natural World: Place, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Siblings, Relationships: Grandparents, Relationships: Friendship, Relationships: Mothers, Values/Ideas: Equality, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Literature, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Values/Ideas: Win & Lose, Identity: Language, Identity: Masculinity, Identity: Race, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Society: Colonialism, Society: Community, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Society: Nation, Society: Education, Self Discovery, Relationships: Fathers
Tags Historical Fiction, Children's Literature, Free verse, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Race / Racism, History: African , African American Literature, History: World
Publication year 2022
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Friendship, Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Self Discovery, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos
Tags Love / Sexuality, Modern Classic Fiction, Business / Economics, Drama / Tragedy, Romance, Fantasy, Humor
Publication year 2012
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Natural World: Animals, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Relationships: Friendship, Values/Ideas: Fate, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Relationships: Family, Society: War, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance
Tags Fantasy, Action / Adventure, Children's Literature, Animals
Publication year 2021
Genre Biography, Nonfiction
Themes Relationships: Friendship, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Values/Ideas: Art
Tags WWII / World War II, Holocaust, History: European, Military / War, History: World, Biography
Publication year 2006
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Art, Values/Ideas: Beauty, Values/Ideas: Literature, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Life/Time: Midlife, Society: Education, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Identity: Language, Society: Community, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Friendship, Self Discovery
Tags Modern Classic Fiction, Philosophy, Philosophy, Class, Arts / Culture, Depression / Suicide, Relationships, French Literature
The Elegance of the Hedgehog by Muriel Barbery was published in 2006 and translated by Alison Anderson into English for publication in 2008. The novel has been translated into more than 40 languages and was a major bestseller in France. The novel was adapted into a film called The Hedgehog (Le Hérisson) in 2009 to critical acclaim. The Elegance of the Hedgehog follows the narrative point of view of two erudite narrators: Renée, a concierge... Read The Elegance of the Hedgehog Summary
Publication year 2013
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Regret, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Relationships: Marriage, Self Discovery, Society: Class, Society: Globalization, Society: Politics & Government, Society: War, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Literature
Tags Romance, Fantasy, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction
Publication year 2022
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Society: Globalization, Society: Economics, Society: Politics & Government, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger
Tags Politics / Government, Business / Economics, History: U.S., Agriculture, Class, Finance / Money / Wealth, Food, History: World, Immigration / Refugee, Military / War, Technology, Urban Development
Publication year 2022
Genre Biography, Nonfiction
Tags Holocaust, WWII / World War II, History: European, Military / War, History: World, Biography