The American daily newspaper The New York Times publishes multiple weekly lists ranking the best selling books in the United States. The lists are split in three genres—fiction, nonfiction and children's books. Both the fiction and nonfiction lists are further split into multiple lists.
The following list ranks the number-one best selling fiction books, in the hardcover fiction category.[1]
The most frequent weekly best seller of the year was For One More Day by Mitch Albom with 6 weeks at the top of the list.
| Date | Book | Author |
|---|---|---|
| January 1 | Mary, Mary | James Patterson |
| January 8 | ||
| January 15 | "S" Is for Silence | Sue Grafton |
| January 22 | The Hostage | W. E. B. Griffin |
| January 29 | The Da Vinci Code | Dan Brown |
| February 5 | ||
| February 12 | Cell | Stephen King |
| February 19 | ||
| February 26 | ||
| March 5 | The 5th Horseman | James Patterson and Maxine Paetro |
| March 12 | ||
| March 19 | The House | Danielle Steel |
| March 26 | The 5th Horseman | James Patterson and Maxine Paetro |
| April 2 | The Da Vinci Code | Dan Brown |
| April 9 | ||
| April 16 | Gone | Jonathan Kellerman |
| April 23 | Two Little Girls in Blue | Mary Higgins Clark |
| April 30 | ||
| May 7 | ||
| May 14 | ||
| May 21 | Beach Road | James Patterson and Peter de Jonge |
| May 28 | ||
| June 4 | ||
| June 11 | At Risk | Patricia Cornwell |
| June 18 | The Husband | Dean Koontz |
| June 25 | ||
| July 2 | ||
| July 9 | Twelve Sharp | Janet Evanovich |
| July 16 | ||
| July 23 | ||
| July 30 | Angels Fall | Nora Roberts |
| August 6 | Phantom | Terry Goodkind |
| August 13 | Angels Fall | Nora Roberts |
| August 20 | Judge and Jury | James Patterson and Andrew Gross |
| August 27 | ||
| September 3 | ||
| September 10 | ||
| September 17 | Rise and Shine | Anna Quindlen |
| September 24 | The Book of Fate | Brad Meltzer |
| October 1 | The Thirteenth Tale | Diane Setterfield |
| October 8 | ||
| October 15 | For One More Day | Mitch Albom |
| October 22 | ||
| October 29 | ||
| November 5 | ||
| November 12 | Lisey's Story | Stephen King |
| November 19 | Dear John | Nicholas Sparks |
| November 26 | ||
| December 3 | Cross | James Patterson |
| December 10 | ||
| December 17 | ||
| December 24 | For One More Day | Mitch Albom |
| December 31 |
The following list ranks the number-one best selling nonfiction books, in the hardcover nonfiction category.[2]
| Date | Book | Author |
|---|---|---|
| January 1 | Teacher Man | Frank McCourt |
| January 8 | Team of Rivals | Doris Kearns Goodwin |
| January 15 | Our Endangered Values | Jimmy Carter |
| January 22 | My Friend Leonard | James Frey |
| January 29 | For Laci | Sharon Rocha |
| February 5 | ||
| February 12 | Marley & Me | John Grogan |
| February 19 | ||
| February 26 | ||
| March 5 | ||
| March 12 | ||
| March 19 | ||
| March 26 | ||
| April 2 | ||
| April 9 | ||
| April 16 | ||
| April 23 | ||
| April 30 | Don't Make a Black Woman Take off Her Earrings | Tyler Perry |
| May 7 | ||
| May 14 | Marley & Me | John Grogan |
| May 21 | ||
| May 28 | ||
| June 4 | ||
| June 11 | ||
| June 18 | Dispatches from the Edge | Anderson Cooper |
| June 25 | Ann Coulter | |
| July 2 | Wisdom of Our Fathers | Tim Russert |
| July 9 | Godless: The Church of Liberalism | Ann Coulter |
| July 16 | Marley & Me | John Grogan |
| July 23 | ||
| July 30 | ||
| August 6 | ||
| August 13 | Fiasco | Thomas E. Ricks |
| August 20 | ||
| August 27 | Marley & Me | John Grogan |
| September 3 | ||
| September 10 | I Feel Bad About My Neck | Nora Ephron |
| September 17 | ||
| September 24 | ||
| October 1 | Marley & Me | John Grogan |
| October 8 | I Feel Bad About My Neck | Nora Ephron |
| October 15 | Culture Warrior | Bill O'Reilly |
| October 22 | State of Denial | Bob Woodward |
| October 29 | The Innocent Man | John Grisham |
| November 5 | ||
| November 12 | The Audacity of Hope | Barack Obama |
| November 19 | ||
| November 26 | ||
| December 3 | ||
| December 10 | The Innocent Man | John Grisham |
| December 17 | ||
| December 24 | The Audacity of Hope | Barack Obama |
| December 31 |