New York Times Best Sellers

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 Relationships: Family, Relationships: Siblings, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt

Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Romance, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Class, Modern Classic Fiction, Fantasy, Action / Adventure


Publication year 2023

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Natural World: Environment, Natural World: Climate, Society: Class

Tags Science / Nature, Climate Change


Publication year 2008

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Life/Time: The Future, Life/Time: The Past, Natural World: Food, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Mothers, Society: Colonialism, Society: Community, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Fate, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies

Tags Historical Fiction, History: U.S.

The Heretic’s Daughter (2008) is the debut novel of author Kathleen Kent. Upon publication, it immediately made the New York Times bestseller list. Kent followed this title with two other best-selling historical fiction works: The Traitor’s Wife (2010) and The Outcasts (2013). She also wrote a crime fiction trilogy that was nominated for an Edgar Award. A resident of Texas, Kent was inducted into the Texas Institute of Letters in 2020 for her contribution to... Read The Heretic's Daughter Summary


Publication year 2015

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Natural World: Environment, Natural World: Place, Natural World: Objects

Tags Science / Nature

Peter Wohlleben’s 2015 book The Hidden Life of Trees: What They Feel, How They Communicate—Discoveries from a Secret World explores what modern science has learned—and has yet to find out—about trees and forests. Wohlleben’s book was named a best seller by the New York Times, Washington Post, and Wall Street Journal and won the Indie Choice Award for Best Nonfiction Book of the Year. Wohlleben, who has decades of experience working as a professional forester... Read The Hidden Life of Trees Summary


Publication year 2021

Genre Poem, Fiction

Tags Inspirational, African American Literature, Gender / Feminism, Modern Classic Fiction, History: World, Social Justice, Politics / Government


Publication year 1979

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Society: Politics & Government, Natural World: Space & The Universe, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology

Tags Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Humor, Fantasy, Action / Adventure

Douglas Adams’s The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy first appeared in book form in 1979, after Adams originally conceived it as a radio play. The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy explores and satirizes many facets of modern life, such as the legitimacy of authority, the absurdity of bureaucracy, and the search for the ultimate answer to the question of life, the universe, and everything. The book follows the galactic exploits of Arthur Dent, the last... Read The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy Summary


Publication year 2022

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Life/Time: The Past, Society: Community

Tags Romance, Historical Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction, Religion / Spirituality


Publication year 2023

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Family, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Society: Education, Relationships: Mothers, Relationships: Marriage, Society: Class, Identity: Sexuality, Identity: Race, Identity: Femininity, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Emotions/Behavior: Regret, Emotions/Behavior: Love

Tags Historical Fiction, Romance, Race / Racism, History: World


Publication year 1982

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Literature, Society: Politics & Government, Relationships: Family, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos

Tags Magical Realism, Latin American Literature, Historical Fiction, Auto/Biographical Fiction, History: World, Fantasy

The House of the Spirits (1982) is Chilean writer Isabel Allende’s debut novel. The family saga follows the journey of the Trueba family across three generations. Set in an unnamed Latin American country (widely believed to be Chile), the family’s journey is interwoven with the sociopolitical history of their nation and the events that unfold over the span of half a century.Isabel Allende is one of the world’s most widely read Spanish-language authors. First published... Read The House of the Spirits Summary


Publication year 2023

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Family, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt

Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Sports


Publication year 2020

Genre Book, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Emotions/Behavior: Fear

Tags Fairy Tale / Folklore, Fantasy, Action / Adventure, Children's Literature


Publication year 2023

Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction

Themes Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Emotions/Behavior: Love

Tags Health / Medicine, Grief / Death, Philosophy, Science / Nature, Biography, Religion / Spirituality


Publication year 2020

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Society: Class, Values/Ideas: Win & Lose, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Relationships: Siblings, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Relationships: Family

Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Romance, Poverty, Grief / Death, Finance / Money / Wealth, Information Age, Class, Modern Classic Fiction, Fantasy


Publication year 2022

Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction

Themes Identity: Disability, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Natural World: Appearance & Reality

Tags Health / Medicine, Disability, Science / Nature, Biography


Publication year 2022

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Self Discovery, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Relationships: Friendship, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt

Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Psychological Fiction, Class, Grief / Death, Education, Love / Sexuality, Relationships, Modern Classic Fiction


Publication year 2010

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Win & Lose, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Society: Education

Tags Religion / Spirituality, Self Help, Christian literature, Philosophy, Philosophy

The Jesuit Guide to (Almost) Everything: A Spirituality for Real Life by Father James Martin was published in 2010. The book is an accessible introduction to Ignatian spirituality, a famous Catholic devotional practice developed in the 16th century by St. Ignatius of Loyola, the founder of the Jesuits. Father Martin, who left a career in corporate finance to become a Jesuit priest, is a prolific and popular writer on Catholic topics. He is an editor-at-large... Read The Jesuit Guide to Almost Everything Summary


Publication year 1989

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Society: Immigration, Relationships: Daughters & Sons, Values/Ideas: Fate

Tags Realistic Fiction, Immigration / Refugee, Relationships, Race / Racism, Gender / Feminism, Asian Literature, American Literature, Education, Education, Modern Classic Fiction, History: World, Historical Fiction, Chinese Literature, Classic Fiction

The Joy Luck Club by Amy Tan (1989) follows the stories of four Chinese women who immigrate to America and their American-born daughters. This was Tan’s first novel, a highly-acclaimed New York Times best-seller and winner of the 1989 California Book Award for Fiction. It was adapted into a film in 1993 and was the first wide American film release with a predominantly Asian American cast.Plot SummaryThe Joy Luck Club is divided into four parts... Read The Joy Luck Club Summary


Publication year 2021

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Society: Politics & Government

Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Crime / Legal


Publication year 2012

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Society: Class, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology

Tags Action / Adventure, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Fantasy

The Kill Order (2012) by American author James Dashner is the fourth novel in the Maze Runner series and a prequel to the first three books. Like the other Maze Runner books, The Kill Order is a work of young adult (YA) dystopian science-fiction. The novel reveals that a virus (the “Flare”) caused by solar flares incited civilization’s destruction and led to the development of the Glade project. The Maze Runner protagonists, Thomas and Teresa... Read The Kill Order Summary


Publication year 2009

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Identity: Sexuality, Self Discovery, Society: Nation, Values/Ideas: Art, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies

Tags Historical Fiction

The Lacuna (2009) is Barbara Kingsolver’s sixth novel. This work of historical fiction was a New York Times bestseller and winner of the 2010 Women’s Prize for Fiction. The novel traces the life of Mexican American Harrison Shepherd from the 1920s to the 1950s. The son of a dissolute flapper who chases rich men, Shepherd begins to make his way by landing a job working for the famous Mexican visual artists Frida Kahlo and Diego... Read The Lacuna Summary