This is a list of books that topped The New York Times best-seller list in 1932. When the list began in 1931 through 1941 it only reflected sales in the New York City area.[1]
The following list ranks the number-one best-selling fiction books.
The two most popular books that year were The Fountain, by Charles Langbridge Morgan, which held on top of the list for 10 weeks, and Mary's Neck by Booth Tarkington, which was on top of the list for 7 weeks.[2]
| Date | Book | Author |
|---|---|---|
| January 4 | Maid in Waiting | John Galsworthy |
| January 11 | The Harbourmaster | William McFee |
| January 18 | ||
| January 25 | Mr. and Mrs. Pennington | Francis Brett Young |
| February 1 | ||
| February 8 | The End of Desire | Robert Herrick |
| February 15 | Mary's Neck | Booth Tarkington |
| February 22 | ||
| February 29 | ||
| March 7 | ||
| March 14 | ||
| March 21 | ||
| March 28 | ||
| April 4 | Magnolia Street | Louis Golding |
| April 11 | ||
| April 18 | ||
| April 25 | ||
| May 2 | Bright Skin | Julia Peterkin |
| May 9 | A Modern Hero | Louis Bromfield |
| May 16 | The Good Earth | Pearl S. Buck |
| May 23 | ||
| May 30 | ||
| June 6 | District Nurse | Faith Baldwin |
| June 13 | The Fountain | Charles Langbridge Morgan |
| June 20 | ||
| June 27 | ||
| July 4 | ||
| July 11 | ||
| July 18 | ||
| July 25 | ||
| August 1 | ||
| August 8 | ||
| August 15 | Faraway | J. B. Priestley |
| August 22 | Lark Ascending | Mazo De La Roche |
| August 29 | The Fountain | Charles Langbridge Morgan |
| September 5 | A New York Tempest | Manuel Komroff |
| September 12 | The Sheltered Life | Ellen Glasgow |
| September 19 | ||
| September 26 | ||
| October 3 | Sons | Pearl S. Buck |
| October 10 | ||
| October 17 | ||
| October 24 | ||
| October 31 | ||
| November 7 | ||
| November 14 | Invitation to the Waltz | Rosamond Lehmann |
| November 21 | Flowering Wilderness | John Galsworthy |
| November 28 | ||
| December 5 | ||
| December 12 | ||
| December 19 | ||
| December 26 |
The following list ranks the number-one best-selling nonfiction books.[3]
| Date | Book | Author |
|---|---|---|
| January 4 | The Epic of America | James Truslow Adams |
| January 11 | ||
| January 18 | ||
| January 25 | ||
| February 1 | Only Yesterday | Frederick Lewis Allen |
| February 8 | ||
| February 15 | A Fortune to Share | Vash Young |
| February 22 | Only Yesterday | Frederick Lewis Allen |
| February 29 | The Story of My Life | Clarence Darrow |
| March 7 | ||
| March 14 | Once A Grand Duke | Grand Duke Alexander Mikhailovich of Russia |
| March 21 | Only Yesterday | Frederick Lewis Allen |
| March 28 | ||
| April 4 | The Epic of America | James Truslow Adams |
| April 11 | Only Yesterday | Frederick Lewis Allen |
| April 18 | Recovery | Arthur Salter, 1st Baron Salter |
| April 25 | Only Yesterday | Frederick Lewis Allen |
| May 2 | Recovery | Arthur Salter, 1st Baron Salter |
| May 9 | ||
| May 16 | Only Yesterday | Frederick Lewis Allen |
| May 23 | ||
| May 30 | 20,000 Years in Sing Sing | Lewis E. Lawes |
| June 6 | ||
| June 13 | ||
| June 20 | ||
| June 27 | ||
| July 4 | Only Yesterday | Frederick Lewis Allen |
| July 11 | A New Way to Better Golf | Alex J. Morrison |
| July 18 | 20,000 Years in Sing Sing | Lewis E. Lawes |
| July 25 | ||
| August 1 | ||
| August 8 | What We Live By | Ernest Dimnet |
| August 15 | ||
| August 22 | 20,000 Years in Sing Sing | Lewis E. Lawes |
| August 29 | What We Live By | Ernest Dimnet |
| September 5 | A Princess in Exile | Grand Duchess Maria Pavlovna of Russia (1890–1958) |
| September 12 | More Merry-Go-Round | Anonymous (Drew Pearson and Robert S. Allen) |
| September 19 | ||
| September 26 | ||
| October 3 | ||
| October 10 | Ernest Hemingway | |
| October 17 | ||
| October 24 | ||
| October 31 | Van Loon's Geography | Hendrik Willem van Loon |
| November 7 | James Truslow Adams | |
| November 14 | ||
| November 21 | ||
| November 28 | Van Loon's Geography | Hendrik Willem van Loon |
| December 5 | ||
| December 12 | ||
| December 19 | ||
| December 26 |