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 1995

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Conflict, Perseverance, Fear, Guilt, Hate & Anger, Revenge, Gender Identity, Masculinity, Mental Health, Death, Appearance & Reality, Family, Teamwork, Social Class, Community, Politics & Government, Good & Evil, Justice, Safety & Danger

Tags Mystery & Crime Fiction, Horror & Suspense, Psychological Fiction

Publication year 2000

Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction

Themes Nostalgia, Mental Health, Food, Teamwork

Tags Food, Arts & Culture, Humor

Kitchen Confidential is a nonfiction work by chef, author, and travel television host Anthony Bourdain, based on his 1999 essay, “Don’t Eat Before Reading This,” published in The New Yorker. In part a memoir of Bourdain’s years in the restaurant industry, it is also a candid exposé of New York City’s restaurant scene in the 1970s, ’80s, and ’90s. Bourdain takes his readers on a wild ride through his career journey while providing a realistic... Read Kitchen Confidential Summary

Publication year 2015

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Food, Family, Perseverance

Tags Food

Kitchens of the Great Midwest (2015) by J. Ryan Stradal is an immersive novel delving into the rich heritage and lifestyles of Midwestern Americans who are descendants of Norwegian immigrants navigating the challenges of the Dakota prairies and open country. The narrative unfolds as they forge a living, experience love, endure financial setbacks, and persevere in an unforgiving territory. This culinary journey serves as a window into the heart of the Midwest, capturing traditions like... Read Kitchens of the Great Midwest Summary

Publication year 2019

Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction

Themes Mental Health, Gender Identity, Art

Tags Crime & Law, Gender & Feminism, Women`s Studies, Biography

Published in 2019, Chanel Miller’s Know My Name: A Memoir is her first book. A harrowing account of surviving rape and reclaiming identity, Miller’s memoir documents her 2015 rape at Stanford University and its aftermath. A New York Times bestselling author, Miller provides a raw yet hopeful examination of sexual assault. Through the intersections of gender, race, and class, Miller, who is Chinese American, explores society’s treatment of survivors. Ultimately, Miller offers a hopeful journey... Read Know My Name: A Memoir Summary

Publication year 2022

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Social Class, Religion & Spirituality, Order & Chaos

Tags Historical Fiction, Horror & Suspense, Psychological Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction, World History, Magical Realism, Fantasy

Publication year 2021

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Coming of Age, Masculinity, Memory, Self Discovery, Truth & Lies, Safety & Danger

Tags Horror & Suspense, Mystery & Crime Fiction, Coming of Age, Fantasy, Religion & Spirituality

Publication year 2022

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Nation, Politics & Government, War

Tags Philosophy, Biography, Politics & Government, Leadership, World History, Business & Economics, Philosophy

Publication year 2018

Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction

Themes Fear, Power & Greed, Politics & Government, Race, Gender Identity, Justice

Tags Politics & Government, Leadership, Self-Improvement, Gender & Feminism, Social Justice, Business & Economics, Biography

Publication year 2020

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Race, Fear, Order & Chaos

Tags Horror & Suspense, Realistic Fiction, Information Age, Race & Racism, Social Class, Black Lives Matter, American Literature, Science Fiction, Mystery & Crime Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction

Rumaan Alam’s Leave the World Behind (2020) is a work of apocalyptic fiction that examines the relationship between race and class during an unspecified disaster that cuts off all communication, forcing two families together. The book uses omniscient narration and interpersonal conflict to heighten the fear of disconnection in the Information Age, treating the apocalypse as an event that happens on a human scale. Published to great acclaim, it has been longlisted for the National... Read Leave the World Behind Summary

Publication year 1995

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Forgiveness, Regret, Self Discovery, Politics & Government, Religion & Spirituality, Trust & Doubt

Tags Christian, Science Fiction, Religion & Spirituality, Horror & Suspense, Fantasy

Left Behind (1995) is the first book in the series of the same name. It was co-authored by Tim LaHaye, a minister and prophecy scholar, and Jerry B. Jenkins, an author of mystery novels, biographies, and Christian fiction. The series is a work of speculative Christian fiction based on biblical prophecies related to the so-called “end times.” Its plot opens with “the Rapture,” a cataclysmic event discussed in biblical prophecy in which Jesus returns to... Read Left Behind Summary

Publication year 2022

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Memory, Family

Tags Historical Fiction, Relationships, Love & Sexuality, Trauma & Abuse, British Literature, Modern Classic Fiction, World History

Publication year 2012

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Friendship, Mothers, Justice, Community, Self Discovery, Family

Tags Children`s Literature, Realistic Fiction, Bullying, Mystery & Crime Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction