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 Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Relationships: Teams, Self Discovery, Society: Class, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger

Tags Fantasy, Romance, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction


Publication year 2021

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Relationships: Marriage, Emotions/Behavior: Memory

Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Relationships, Grief / Death, Love / Sexuality, Modernism, American Literature, Modern Classic Fiction


Publication year 2018

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies

Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Trauma / Abuse / Violence


Publication year 2022

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Grief

Tags Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Psychological Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction


Publication year 2022

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Identity: Race, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Society: Politics & Government, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Fear

Tags Magical Realism, Race / Racism, Internet Culture / Social Media, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction, Fantasy


Publication year 1993

Genre Short Story Collection, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Fate

Tags Fantasy, Action / Adventure

The Last Wish, by Andrzej Sapkowski, is a collection of short stories in the fantasy genre, although it borrows heavily from the folk and fairy tale tradition, as well. The collection was first published in Polish in 1993, although several stories had previously been published as part of a separate collection in 1990. Along with a series of short story collections and novels, The Last Wish is part of the Witcher saga. Subtitled Introducing the... Read The Last Wish Summary


Publication year 2018

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Values/Ideas: Literature

Tags History: U.S., Crime / Legal, Mystery / Crime Fiction, History: World

Susan Orlean, longtime staff writer at The New Yorker and best-selling author of The Orchid Thief, returned to narrative nonfiction with The Library Book (2018). Through the story of the Los Angeles Central Library, Orlean provides a history of libraries, examining what we stand to lose as the world’s base of knowledge transitions into the digital realm. Orlean received a Goodreads Choice Awards nomination for Best Nonfiction and a place on Reese Witherspoon’s Hello Sunshine... Read The Library Book Summary


Publication year 2024

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Natural World: Environment, Natural World: Flora/plants, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology

Tags Science / Nature


Publication year 2021

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Relationships: Siblings, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Friendship, Relationships: Fathers, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger

Tags Historical Fiction, Incarceration, Mental Illness, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Class, History: World, Action / Adventure


Publication year 2021

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Family, Relationships: Friendship, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Society: Community, Natural World: Space & The Universe

Tags Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Action / Adventure, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Children's Literature, Fantasy


Publication year 2023

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Emotions/Behavior: Regret, Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Relationships: Family, Society: War, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice

Tags Historical Fiction, WWII / World War II, Holocaust, Jewish Literature, Military / War, History: World


Publication year 2013

Genre Novel, Fiction

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

Tags Romance, Psychological Fiction, German Literature, Modern Classic Fiction, French Literature, Travel Literature

Nina George’s romance novel The Little Paris Bookshop was originally published in German in 2013 and was translated to English by Simon Pare in 2015. The story follows Jean Perdu, a bookseller, as he travels from Paris to Avignon on his floating bookstore, the Literary Apothecary. Perdu leaves Paris on a whim after receiving heartbreaking news about the death of his former lover. Perdu is joined in his travels by Max Jordan, a bestselling author... Read The Little Paris Bookshop Summary


Publication year 2023

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Identity: Femininity, Identity: Sexuality, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Self Discovery, Society: Class

Tags Historical Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Fantasy, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, History: World, LGBTQ, Religion / Spirituality


Publication year 2019

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Identity: Sexuality, Relationships: Family, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality

Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, British Literature, Modern Classic Fiction


Publication year 2012

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Relationships: Marriage, Life/Time: Coming of Age

Tags Romance, Historical Fiction, Relationships, Grief / Death, Love / Sexuality, American Literature, Modern Classic Fiction, Drama / Tragedy

In 2013’s The Longest Ride, Nicholas Sparks, one of the most prolific and successful American romance novelists of the millennium, investigates how despite their differences, opposite personalities can find their way to commitment. In juxtaposing two relationships, one ending after more than 50 years and the other just beginning, this #1 New York Times bestselling novel explores how love can flourish, endure, and sustain even through the most difficult times. The novel is part Western... Read The Longest Ride Summary


Publication year 2014

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Identity: Mental Health, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Art, Values/Ideas: Fame, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict

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

The Long Way Home (2014) is the 10th novel in the Inspector Gamache series written by the Canadian author Louise Penny. Like the other books in the series, the novel revolves around the village of Three Pines, Quebec, although it also encompasses events in other places. In addition to a central mystery focused on a wife’s attempt to find her estranged husband, the novel explores themes of art, creativity, ambition, and loss. This guide references... Read The Long Way Home Summary


Publication year 2021

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Identity: Gender, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice

Tags Historical Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Gender / Feminism, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction, History: World, Fantasy


Publication year 2009

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Society: Colonialism, Life/Time: The Past, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Natural World: Place

Tags History: World, Action / Adventure, Travel Literature, Mystery / Crime Fiction, History: The Americas, Race / Racism, WWI / World War I, Anthropology, Anthropology, Science / Nature, Biography

David Grann’s The Lost City of Z: A Tale of Deadly Obsession in the Amazon (2009) tells the story of Percy Harrison Fawcett’s ill-fated expedition into the Brazilian jungle. After nearly two decades spent exploring the region and gathering evidence, Fawcett concluded that a sophisticated ancient civilization, a city he called Z, lay hidden deep in the Amazonian wilderness. In 1925, while searching for Z, Fawcett disappeared along with his son Jack and Jack’s friend... Read The Lost City of Z Summary


Publication year 2018

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Natural World: Environment, Society: Community, Life/Time: The Past

Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction


Publication year 1995

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Natural World: Environment, Natural World: Climate, Values/Ideas: Beauty, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology, Natural World: Animals

Tags Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Action / Adventure, Animals, Fantasy

The Lost World (1995) is a sequel to Michael Crichton’s techno-thriller Jurassic Park, a 1990 bestseller. The original novel focuses on an ambitious business plan to hatch live dinosaurs through genetic engineering and then display them in a family-friendly theme park on Isla Nublar off the coast of Costa Rica. The plan goes awry when the great animals take over the island and compel the company that initially bankrolled the park, In-Gen, to destroy the... Read The Lost World Summary