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 2011
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Society: Economics, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology, Self Discovery
Tags Business / Economics, Self Help, Psychology, Leadership/Organization/Management, Psychology, Philosophy, Philosophy
Publication year 2021
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Friendship, Society: War, Identity: Race, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Natural World: Food, Values/Ideas: Literature
Tags Historical Fiction, Romance, WWII / World War II, Military / War, Italian Literature, History: World
Publication year 2023
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt
Tags Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Psychological Fiction
Publication year 2018
Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality
Tags Christian literature, Creative Nonfiction, Relationships, Health / Medicine, Religion / Spirituality, Biography, Self Help
Publication year 2019
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Identity: Mental Health, Self Discovery, Emotions/Behavior: Apathy, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt
Tags Self Help, Business / Economics, Psychology, Inspirational, Relationships
Publication year 2002
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Memory
Tags Auto/Biographical Fiction, Historical Fiction, Holocaust, Jewish Literature, WWII / World War II, Modern Classic Fiction, History: World, Magical Realism
Everything is Illuminated, Jonathan Safran Foer’s first book, was originally published by Houghton Mifflin in 2002. A portion of the book had been published previously in The New Yorker. The novel won several awards, including the National Jewish Book Award, the Guardian First Book Award, and the Young Lions Fiction Award. The book received rave reviews but also received some criticism for its fictional portrayal of historical events. In response to this criticism, Safran Foer... Read Everything Is Illuminated Summary
Publication year 2019
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Friendship, Relationships: Marriage, Identity: Mental Health
Tags Romance, Sports, Realistic Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction
Publication year 1958
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Society: Nation, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Identity: Race, Society: Immigration, Society: War
Tags Historical Fiction, Jewish Literature, Military / War, WWII / World War II, History: World, Classic Fiction, Religion / Spirituality
Exodus (1958) is a historical novel by the Jewish American author Leon Uris. The novel follows the multigenerational story of a Jewish family in Palestine, giving the sweep of Jewish history from the First Aliyah in the 1880s to the modern state of Israel’s establishment in 1948. It focuses its greatest attention on the years from 1946 to 1948, following a group of Jewish agents and refugees as they first attempt to transport immigrants to... Read Exodus Summary
Publication year 2015
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Relationships: Teams, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict
Tags Military / War, Business / Economics, Self Help, War On Terrorism / Iraq War, Leadership/Organization/Management, Psychology, Psychology
In the 2015 military and business book Extreme Ownership: How US Navy SEALs Lead and Win, two of the most highly decorated US Navy SEALs of the Iraq War describe the lessons of leadership learned during combat and how those lessons apply to companies and organizations. Authors Jocko Willink and Leif Babin explain that the single most important element of a team is its leader and that the team succeeds in its mission only if... Read Extreme Ownership Summary
Publication year 2021
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Society: War, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Equality, Society: Immigration
Tags WWII / World War II, History: World, Military / War, History: U.S., History: European, Grief / Death, Japanese Literature, Biography
Publication year 2009
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Life/Time: The Past, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Self Discovery, Values/Ideas: Fate, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality
Tags Fantasy, Romance
Publication year 2021
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Relationships: Family
Tags Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction
Publication year 2021
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Relationships: Siblings, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger
Tags Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Psychological Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction
Publication year 2013
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Life/Time: Coming of Age, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Identity: Mental Health, Relationships: Family, Values/Ideas: Literature, Society: Community
Tags Realistic Fiction, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Relationships, Romance, New Adult
Fangirl is a 2013 contemporary young adult novel by Rainbow Rowell. Rowell is an award-winning author whose novels depict relatable struggles in the contemporary world. Her most acclaimed contemporary young adult novels, Fangirl and Eleanor & Park, and her most acclaimed adult novel, Landline, are all set in and around her hometown of Omaha, Nebraska.Fangirl follows 18-year-old Cath Avery as she navigates identity, family, and romantic struggles in her first year at college. Her anxiety... Read Fangirl Summary
Publication year 2017
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Relationships: Siblings
Tags Realistic Fiction, LGBTQ, Parenting, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Modern Classic Fiction
Publication year 1992
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Identity: Race, Life/Time: Midlife, Life/Time: The Future, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Teams, Self Discovery, Society: Nation, Society: Politics & Government, Society: War, Values/Ideas: Equality, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies
Tags Historical Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Military / War, WWII / World War II
Publication year 2021
Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction
Themes Natural World: Environment, Natural World: Flora/plants, Identity: Gender, Society: Community
Tags Science / Nature, Biography
Publication year 2019
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Life/Time: The Past, Life/Time: Aging, Identity: Sexuality, Relationships: Family
Tags Romance, LGBTQ
Publication year 2014
Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction
Themes Identity: Race, Identity: Gender, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Society: Community
Tags Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Race / Racism, LGBTQ, African American Literature, Biography
Fire Shut Up in My Bones by the American author Charles M. Blow was published in 2014. The book is a nonfiction memoir of his childhood and early adulthood in the American South. Blow is unflinchingly honest in the details of his own abuse and how he carried that abuse with him for years. Blow is an op-ed columnist for the New York Times and an anchor for the Black News Channel. Fire Shut Up... Read Fire Shut Up in My Bones Summary
Publication year 2022
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Self Discovery, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Identity: Masculinity, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed
Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction