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]
| Date | Book | Author |
|---|---|---|
| January 7 | The Bear and the Dragon | Tom Clancy |
| January 14 | From the Corner of His Eye | Dean Koontz |
| January 21 | ||
| January 28 | ||
| February 4 | A Day Late and a Dollar Short | Terry McMillan |
| February 11 | ||
| February 18 | ||
| February 25 | A Painted House | John Grisham |
| March 4 | ||
| March 11 | ||
| March 18 | ||
| March 25 | 1st to Die | James Patterson |
| April 1 | ||
| April 8 | Dreamcatcher | Stephen King |
| April 15 | ||
| April 22 | ||
| April 29 | A Common Life | Jan Karon |
| May 6 | On the Street Where You Live | Mary Higgins Clark |
| May 13 | ||
| May 20 | ||
| May 27 | ||
| June 3 | Chosen Prey | John Sandford |
| June 10 | ||
| June 17 | ||
| June 24 | "P" Is for Peril | Sue Grafton |
| July 1 | ||
| July 8 | Seven Up | Janet Evanovich |
| July 15 | Leap of Faith | Danielle Steel |
| July 22 | ||
| July 29 | The Fourth Hand | John Irving |
| August 5 | Suzanne's Diary for Nicholas | James Patterson |
| August 12 | ||
| August 19 | ||
| August 26 | ||
| September 2 | Valhalla Rising | Clive Cussler |
| September 9 | ||
| September 16 | ||
| September 23 | ||
| September 30 | Black House | Stephen King and Peter Straub |
| October 7 | ||
| October 14 | The Corrections | Jonathan Franzen |
| October 21 | ||
| October 28 | Isle of Dog | Patricia Cornwell |
| November 4 | Midnight Bayou | Nora Roberts |
| November 11 | The Kiss | Danielle Steel |
| November 18 | Desecration | Tim LaHaye and Jerry B. Jenkins |
| November 25 | ||
| December 2 | ||
| December 9 | Skipping Christmas | John Grisham |
| December 16 | ||
| December 23 | ||
| December 30 |
The following list ranks the number-one best selling nonfiction books, in the hardcover nonfiction category.[2]
| Date | Book | Author |
|---|---|---|
| January 7 | The O'Reilly Factor | Bill O'Reilly |
| January 14 | ||
| January 21 | ||
| January 28 | An Hour Before Daylight | Jimmy Carter |
| February 4 | ||
| February 11 | ||
| February 18 | Ice Bound | Jerri Nielsen with Maryanne Vollers |
| February 25 | ||
| March 4 | An Hour Before Daylight | Jimmy Carter |
| March 11 | ||
| March 18 | The O'Reilly Factor | Bill O'Reilly |
| March 25 | Longaberger | Dave Longaberger |
| April 1 | The O'Reilly Factor | Bill O'Reilly |
| April 8 | Seabiscuit | Laura Hillenbrand |
| April 15 | ||
| April 22 | ||
| April 29 | ||
| May 6 | ||
| May 13 | ||
| May 20 | Napalm & Silly Putty | George Carlin |
| May 27 | Foley Is Good | Mick Foley |
| June 3 | ||
| June 10 | John Adams | David McCullough |
| June 17 | ||
| June 24 | ||
| July 1 | ||
| July 8 | ||
| July 15 | ||
| July 22 | ||
| July 29 | ||
| August 5 | ||
| August 12 | ||
| August 19 | ||
| August 26 | ||
| September 2 | ||
| September 9 | The Wild Blue | Stephen Ambrose |
| September 16 | ||
| September 23 | ||
| September 30 | Jack Welch with John A. Byrne | |
| October 7 | ||
| October 14 | ||
| October 21 | ||
| October 28 | Germs | Judith Miller, Stephen Engelberg and William Broad |
| November 4 | ||
| November 11 | The No Spin Zone | |
| November 18 | ||
| November 25 | ||
| December 2 | ||
| December 9 | ||
| December 16 | One Nation | Editors of Life Magazine |
| December 23 | The No Spin Zone | Bill O'Reilly |
| December 30 |