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 | Politically Correct Bedtime Stories | James Finn Garner |
| January 8 | ||
| January 15 | ||
| January 22 | The Celestine Prophecy | James Redfield |
| January 29 | ||
| February 5 | ||
| February 12 | ||
| February 19 | ||
| February 26 | ||
| March 5 | ||
| March 12 | ||
| March 19 | ||
| March 26 | ||
| April 2 | ||
| April 9 | ||
| April 16 | ||
| April 23 | ||
| April 30 | The Rainmaker | John Grisham |
| May 7 | ||
| May 14 | ||
| May 21 | ||
| May 28 | ||
| June 4 | ||
| June 11 | ||
| June 18 | ||
| June 25 | The Bridges of Madison County | Robert James Waller |
| July 2 | The Rainmaker | John Grisham |
| July 9 | The Bridges of Madison County | Robert James Waller |
| July 16 | Beach Music | Pat Conroy |
| July 23 | ||
| July 30 | Memnoch the Devil | Anne Rice |
| August 6 | ||
| August 13 | Beach Music | Pat Conroy |
| August 20 | Memnoch the Devil | Anne Rice |
| August 27 | From Potter's Field | Patricia Cornwell |
| September 3 | ||
| September 10 | ||
| September 17 | "L" Is for Lawless | Sue Grafton |
| September 24 | ||
| October 1 | The Horse Whisperer | Nicholas Evans |
| October 8 | The Lost World | Michael Crichton |
| October 15 | ||
| October 22 | ||
| October 29 | ||
| November 5 | ||
| November 12 | ||
| November 19 | ||
| November 26 | ||
| December 3 | Five Days in Paris | Danielle Steel |
| December 10 | ||
| December 17 | The Christmas Box | Richard Paul Evans |
| December 24 | ||
| December 31 |
The following list ranks the number-one best selling nonfiction books, in the hardcover nonfiction category.[2]
| Date | Book | Author |
|---|---|---|
| January 1 | Don't Stand Too Close to a Naked Man | Tim Allen |
| January 8 | Crossing the Threshold of Hope | John Paul II |
| January 15 | ||
| January 22 | ||
| January 29 | ||
| February 5 | The Hot Zone | Richard Preston |
| February 12 | I Want to Tell You | O. J. Simpson |
| February 19 | ||
| February 26 | ||
| March 5 | ||
| March 12 | ||
| March 19 | Breaking the Surface | Greg Louganis with Eric Marcus |
| March 26 | ||
| April 2 | ||
| April 9 | ||
| April 16 | ||
| April 23 | The Hot Zone | Richard Preston |
| April 30 | In Retrospect | Robert S. McNamara with Brian VanDeMark |
| May 7 | ||
| May 14 | ||
| May 21 | ||
| May 28 | The Hot Zone | Richard Preston |
| June 4 | ||
| June 11 | ||
| June 18 | ||
| June 25 | ||
| July 2 | A Good Walk Spoiled | John Feinstein |
| July 9 | The Hot Zone | Richard Preston |
| July 16 | New Passages | Gail Sheehy |
| July 23 | To Renew America | Newt Gingrich |
| July 30 | ||
| August 6 | ||
| August 13 | ||
| August 20 | ||
| August 27 | ||
| September 3 | ||
| September 10 | My Point... and I Do Have One | Ellen DeGeneres |
| September 17 | ||
| September 24 | ||
| October 1 | My American Journey | Colin L. Powell with Joseph E. Persico |
| October 8 | ||
| October 15 | ||
| October 22 | ||
| October 29 | ||
| November 5 | ||
| November 12 | ||
| November 19 | ||
| November 26 | Miss America | Howard Stern |
| December 3 | ||
| December 10 | My American Journey | Colin L. Powell with Joseph E. Persico |
| December 17 | The Road Ahead | Bill Gates with Nathan Myhrvold and Peter Rinearson |
| December 24 | ||
| December 31 |