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!

The Heretic's Daughter

by Kathleen Kent

Publication year 2008

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Fear, Death, Future, The Past, Food, Family, Mothers, Colonialism, Community, Politics & Government, Fate, Good & Evil, Justice, Power & Greed, Religion & Spirituality, Truth & Lies

Tags Historical Fiction, US History

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

The Hidden Life of Trees

by Peter Wohlleben

Publication year 2015

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Environment, Place, Objects & Materials

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

The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy

by Douglas Adams

Publication year 1979

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Politics & Government, Space, Science & Technology

Tags Science 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

The Host

by Stephenie Meyer

Publication year 2008

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Conflict, Love, Good & Evil

Tags Science Fiction, Fantasy, Romance, Horror & Suspense

The Host is bestselling author Stephenie Meyer’s first science fiction novel, published as Meyer was wrapping up her Twilight series. Published in 2008, The Host blends science fiction, romance, and psychological drama. Meyer sets the novel in a dystopian future where Earth has been overtaken by parasitic aliens called “souls.” These souls inhabit human bodies, erasing their consciousness.The novel focuses on Wanderer, a soul who takes over the body of a human, Melanie Stryder, who... Read The Host Summary

The House of Eve

by Sadeqa Johnson

Publication year 2023

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Family, Safety & Danger, Power & Greed, Education, Mothers, Marriage, Social Class, Sexual Identity, Race, Femininity, Shame & Pride, Regret, Love

Tags Historical Fiction, Romance, Race & Racism, World History

... Read The House of Eve Summary

The House of the Spirits

by Isabel Allende

Publication year 1982

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Literature, Politics & Government, Family, Order & Chaos

Tags Magical Realism, Latin American Literature, Historical Fiction, Life-Inspired Fiction, World History, 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

The It Girl

by Ruth Ware

Publication year 2022

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Self Discovery, Guilt, Friendship, Loyalty & Betrayal, Trust & Doubt

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

... Read The It Girl Summary

The Jesuit Guide to Almost Everything

by SJ James Martin

Publication year 2010

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Religion & Spirituality, Trust & Doubt, Good & Evil, Wins & Losses, Forgiveness, Love, Perseverance, Education

Tags Religion & Spirituality, Self-Improvement, Christian, 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

The Joy Luck Club

by Amy Tan

Publication year 1989

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Immigration, Daughters & Sons, Fate

Tags Realistic Fiction, Immigration & Refugeeism, Relationships, Race & Racism, Gender & Feminism, Asian Literature, American Literature, Education, Education, Modern Classic Fiction, World History, 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

The Kill Order

by James Dashner

Publication year 2012

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Love, Social Class, Science & Technology

Tags Action & Adventure, Science 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