This is a list of books that topped The New York Times best-seller list in 1961.
The following list ranks the number-one best-selling fiction books.
The most popular titles of the year were Hawaii by James Michener, The Agony and the Ecstasy, by Irving Stone and Franny and Zooey by J. D. Salinger with respectively 12, 27 and 10 weeks at the top. Hawaii had previously dominated the 1960 list, and Franney and Zooey continued into 1962 at the top of the list for a total run of 26 weeks.
The only other book to top the list in 1961 was The Last of the Just by André Schwarz-Bart. That book, a multi-generational saga translated from the French, spent 18 weeks slowly rising to the top, and spent 4 weeks there before being toppled by The Agony and the Ecstasy. It continued among the top 15 best sellers for another 20 weeks.[1]
| Date | Book | Author |
|---|---|---|
| January 2 | Hawaii | James Michener |
| January 9 | ||
| January 16 | ||
| January 23 | ||
| January 30 | ||
| February 6 | ||
| February 13 | ||
| February 20 | ||
| February 27 | ||
| March 5 | ||
| March 12 | ||
| March 19 | ||
| March 26 | The Last of the Just | André Schwarz-Bart |
| April 2 | ||
| April 9 | ||
| April 16 | ||
| April 23 | The Agony and the Ecstasy | Irving Stone |
| April 30 | ||
| May 7 | ||
| May 14 | ||
| May 21 | ||
| May 28 | ||
| June 4 | ||
| June 11 | ||
| June 18 | ||
| June 25 | ||
| July 2 | ||
| July 9 | ||
| July 16 | ||
| July 23 | ||
| July 30 | ||
| August 6 | ||
| August 13 | ||
| August 20 | ||
| August 27 | ||
| September 3 | ||
| September 10 | ||
| September 17 | ||
| September 24 | ||
| October 1 | ||
| October 8 | ||
| October 15 | ||
| October 22 | ||
| October 29 | Franny and Zooey | J. D. Salinger |
| November 5 | ||
| November 12 | ||
| November 19 | ||
| November 26 | ||
| December 3 | ||
| December 10 | ||
| December 17 | ||
| December 24 | ||
| December 31 |
The following list ranks the number-one best-selling nonfiction books.