The American daily newspaper The New York Times publishes multiple weekly lists ranking the best-selling books in the United States.
The following list ranks the number-one best-selling fiction books, in the hardcover fiction category.[1]
| Date | Book | Author | |
|---|---|---|---|
| January 1 | The Sands of Time | Sidney Sheldon | |
| January 8 | |||
| January 15 | |||
| January 22 | |||
| January 29 | |||
| February 5 | Midnight | Dean Koontz | |
| February 12 | |||
| February 19 | |||
| February 26 | Star | Danielle Steel | |
| March 5 | |||
| March 12 | |||
| March 19 | |||
| March 26 | The Satanic Verses | Salman Rushdie | |
| April 2 | |||
| April 9 | |||
| April 16 | |||
| April 23 | |||
| April 30 | |||
| May 7 | |||
| May 14 | |||
| May 21 | |||
| May 28 | While My Pretty One Sleeps | Mary Higgins Clark | |
| June 4 | |||
| June 11 | The Russia House | John le Carré | |
| June 18 | |||
| June 25 | |||
| July 2 | |||
| July 9 | |||
| July 16 | |||
| July 23 | |||
| July 30 | |||
| August 6 | Polar Star | Martin Cruz Smith | |
| August 13 | |||
| August 20 | The Russia House | John le Carré | |
| August 27 | |||
| September 3 | Clear and Present Danger | Tom Clancy | |
| September 10 | |||
| September 17 | |||
| September 24 | |||
| October 1 | |||
| October 8 | |||
| October 15 | |||
| October 22 | |||
| October 29 | |||
| November 5 | The Dark Half | Stephen King | |
| November 12 | |||
| November 19 | |||
| November 26 | Daddy | Danielle Steel | |
| December 3 | |||
| December 10 | |||
| December 17 | |||
| December 24 | The Dark Half | Stephen King | |
| December 31 | Daddy | Danielle Steel |
The following list ranks the number-one best-selling nonfiction books, in the hardcover nonfiction category.[2]
| Date | Book | Author |
|---|---|---|
| January 1 | All I Really Need to Know I Learned in Kindergarten | Robert Fulghum |
| January 8 | ||
| January 15 | ||
| January 22 | ||
| January 29 | ||
| February 5 | ||
| February 12 | Blind Faith | Joe McGinniss |
| February 19 | ||
| February 26 | All I Really Need to Know I Learned in Kindergarten | Robert Fulghum |
| March 5 | ||
| March 12 | ||
| March 19 | ||
| March 26 | ||
| April 2 | ||
| April 9 | ||
| April 16 | ||
| April 23 | ||
| April 30 | ||
| May 7 | ||
| May 14 | ||
| May 21 | A Woman Named Jackie | C. David Heymann |
| May 28 | ||
| June 4 | ||
| June 11 | ||
| June 18 | ||
| June 25 | ||
| July 2 | Summer of '49 | David Halberstam |
| July 9 | A Woman Named Jackie | C. David Heymann |
| July 16 | It's Always Something | Gilda Radner |
| July 23 | ||
| July 30 | ||
| August 6 | ||
| August 13 | All I Really Need to Know I Learned in Kindergarten | Robert Fulghum |
| August 20 | ||
| August 27 | It's Always Something | Gilda Radner |
| September 3 | All I Really Need to Know I Learned in Kindergarten | Robert Fulghum |
| September 10 | ||
| September 17 | ||
| September 24 | ||
| October 1 | ||
| October 8 | ||
| October 15 | ||
| October 22 | ||
| October 29 | ||
| November 5 | ||
| November 12 | ||
| November 19 | ||
| November 26 | My Turn | Nancy Reagan with William Novak |
| December 3 | ||
| December 10 | ||
| December 17 | ||
| December 24 | All I Really Need to Know I Learned in Kindergarten | Robert Fulghum |
| December 31 |