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 King of Torts

by John Grisham

Publication year 2003

Genre Novel, Fiction

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

Published in 2003, The King of Torts is a legal thriller by John Grisham, a former attorney renowned for best-selling novels like The Firm and The Rainmaker that explore the US legal system. A #1 New York Times bestseller, The King of Torts follows a disillusioned public defender who is drawn into the lucrative and ethically compromised world of mass-tort litigation after uncovering a deadly corporate conspiracy. The story is set against the real-world rise... Read The King of Torts Summary

The Lacuna

by Barbara Kingsolver

Publication year 2009

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Memory, Sexual Identity, Self Discovery, Nation, Art, 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

The Language of Flowers

by Vanessa Diffenbaugh

Publication year 2011

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Love, Family, Forgiveness, Community, Childhood & Youth, Guilt

Tags Parenting, Coming of Age, Realistic Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction, Romance

The Language of Flowers (2011) is the debut novel of Vanessa Diffenbaugh. This fictional story follows Victoria Jones, a foster care child who is legally emancipated at the age of 18 and communicates primarily through the language of flowers. Diffenbaugh was inspired by the informational text Language of Flowers by Kate Greenaway, which outlined the use of secret messages delivered via bouquet during the Victorian Era. Diffenbaugh studied creative writing and education at Stanford University... Read The Language of Flowers Summary

The Last Duel

by Eric Jager

Publication year 2004

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Politics & Government, Justice, Conflict, Perseverance, Hate & Anger

Tags Medieval, European History, Mystery & Crime Fiction, World History, French Literature

... Read The Last Duel Summary

The Last Graduate

by Naomi Novik

Publication year 2021

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Conflict, Coming of Age, Death, Teamwork, Self Discovery, Social Class, Politics & Government, Good & Evil, Safety & Danger

Tags Fantasy, Romance, Science Fiction, Horror & Suspense

... Read The Last Graduate Summary

The Last Wish

by Andrzej Sapkowski

Publication year 1993

Genre Short Story Collection, Fiction

Themes 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

The Library Book

by Susan Orlean

Publication year 2018

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Memory, Literature

Tags US History, Crime & Law, Mystery & Crime Fiction, World History

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

The Lincoln Highway

by Amor Towles

Publication year 2021

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Loyalty & Betrayal, Revenge, Siblings, Family, Friendship, Fathers, Hate & Anger

Tags Historical Fiction, Incarceration, Mental Illness, Trauma & Abuse, Social Class, World History, Action & Adventure

... Read The Lincoln Highway Summary

The Little Liar

by Mitch Albom

Publication year 2023

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Truth & Lies, Perseverance, Forgiveness, Hate & Anger, Regret, Revenge, Death, Family, War, Justice

Tags Historical Fiction, World War II, Holocaust, Jewish Literature, Military & War, World History

... Read The Little Liar Summary