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.
On July 23, 2000, a new list was created for best-selling children's books. This controversial decision was due to the dominance of the Harry Potter series, which had occupied three of the top spots for over a year.[1] [2] [3]
The following list ranks the number-one best selling fiction books, in the hardcover fiction category.[4]
| Date | Book | Author |
|---|---|---|
| January 2 | Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets | J. K. Rowling |
| January 9 | ||
| January 16 | ||
| January 23 | ||
| January 30 | ||
| February 6 | ||
| February 13 | ||
| February 20 | The Brethren | John Grisham |
| February 27 | ||
| March 5 | ||
| March 12 | ||
| March 19 | ||
| March 26 | ||
| April 2 | ||
| April 9 | ||
| April 16 | ||
| April 23 | The Wedding | Danielle Steel |
| April 30 | ||
| May 7 | Before I Say Good-Bye | Mary Higgins Clark |
| May 14 | ||
| May 21 | ||
| May 28 | ||
| June 4 | Easy Prey | John Sandford |
| June 11 | The Indwelling | Tim LaHaye and Jerry B. Jenkins |
| June 18 | ||
| June 25 | ||
| July 2 | ||
| July 9 | Hot Six | Janet Evanovich |
| July 16 | The House on Hope Street | Danielle Steel |
| July 23 | ||
| July 30 | ||
| August 6 | ||
| August 13 | ||
| August 20 | Winter Solstice | Rosamunde Pilcher |
| August 27 | ||
| September 3 | ||
| September 10 | The Bear and the Dragon | Tom Clancy |
| September 17 | ||
| September 24 | ||
| October 1 | ||
| October 8 | ||
| October 15 | The Rescue | Nicholas Sparks |
| October 22 | ||
| October 29 | Drowning Ruth | Christina Schwarz |
| November 5 | The Last Precinct | Patricia Cornwell |
| November 12 | ||
| November 19 | ||
| November 26 | Winter's Heart | Robert Jordan |
| December 3 | The Mark | Tim LaHaye and Jerry B. Jenkins |
| December 10 | ||
| December 17 | ||
| December 24 | ||
| December 31 |
The following list ranks the number-one best selling nonfiction books, in the hardcover nonfiction category.[5]
| Date | Book | Author |
|---|---|---|
| January 2 | Tuesdays with Morrie | Mitch Albom |
| January 9 | ||
| January 16 | ||
| January 23 | ||
| January 30 | The Rock Says | The Rock with Joe Layden |
| February 6 | ||
| February 13 | ||
| February 20 | Tuesdays with Morrie | Mitch Albom |
| February 27 | The Rock Says | The Rock with Joe Layden |
| March 5 | Tuesdays with Morrie | Mitch Albom |
| March 12 | ||
| March 19 | ||
| March 26 | ||
| April 2 | ||
| April 9 | ||
| April 16 | ||
| April 23 | ||
| April 30 | ||
| May 7 | ||
| May 14 | ||
| May 21 | ||
| May 28 | ||
| June 4 | ||
| June 11 | Flags of Our Fathers | James Bradley with Ron Powers |
| June 18 | ||
| June 25 | ||
| July 2 | ||
| July 9 | ||
| July 16 | Tuesdays with Morrie | Mitch Albom |
| July 23 | ||
| July 30 | The Day John Died | Christopher Andersen |
| August 6 | Life on the Other Side | Sylvia Browne with Lindsay Harrison |
| August 13 | It's Not about the Bike | Lance Armstrong with Sally Jenkins |
| August 20 | ||
| August 27 | Tuesdays with Morrie | Mitch Albom |
| September 3 | It's Not about the Bike | Lance Armstrong with Sally Jenkins |
| September 10 | Tuesdays with Morrie | Mitch Albom |
| September 17 | Nothing Like It in the World | Stephen Ambrose |
| September 24 | ||
| October 1 | ||
| October 8 | ||
| October 15 | ||
| October 22 | The Beatles Anthology | The Beatles |
| October 29 | ||
| November 5 | ||
| November 12 | The O'Reilly Factor | Bill O'Reilly |
| November 19 | ||
| November 26 | ||
| December 3 | ||
| December 10 | ||
| December 17 | ||
| December 24 | The Beatles Anthology | The Beatles |
| December 31 |