Since 1931, the country's best-selling books have appeared on an authoritative weekly list in the New York Times, a list that has transformed into a resource for readers and booksellers alike. Read on to discover both past and present best sellers—you just might find your next book club pick!
Publication year 2017
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Society: Economics, Society: Class, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Equality, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Society: Education, Society: Colonialism, Society: Nation
Tags Business / Economics, Politics / Government, Philosophy, Social Justice, Civil Rights / Jim Crow, Finance / Money / Wealth, History: U.S., American Literature, Sociology, History: World, Philosophy
Requiem for the American Dream: The 10 Principles of Concentration of Wealth & Power by linguist and political activist Noam Chomsky evaluates the rise of income inequality in the US over the last 40 years. It argues that the main consequence of neoliberalism, which has increased since the 1970s, is a dramatic concentration of wealth and power to the elite—at the expense of the lower and middle classes. Chomsky observes how rapid financialization since the... Read Requiem for the American Dream Summary
Publication year 2017
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Friendship, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt
Tags Realistic Fiction, Bullying, Children's Literature, Education, Education, Modern Classic Fiction, Humor
Publication year 2022
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Identity: Mental Health, Identity: Race, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice
Tags Social Justice, Self Help, Politics / Government, Race / Racism, Philosophy, Psychology, Psychology, Philosophy, Mental Illness, Health / Medicine
Publication year 2018
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Society: War
Tags Romance, Fantasy, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, New Adult
Publication year 1994
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Identity: Femininity, Relationships: Family, Identity: Gender, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth
Tags Psychology, Gender / Feminism, Parenting, Women's Studies (Nonfiction), Education, Education, Sociology, Psychology, Mental Illness, Self Help
Reviving Ophelia was written in 1994 by Mary Pipher, a psychologist who works with women and teen girls, studying the ways cultural norms impact their mental health. The book comprises a collection of Pipher’s essays, which are based on the interviews and focus groups with adolescent girls she conducted with her daughter, Sara Pipher. She wrote the collection to bring awareness to the cultural trauma and dysfunction experienced by adolescent girls and to assist girls... Read Reviving Ophelia Summary
Publication year 2020
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Identity: Mental Health, Natural World: Environment, Natural World: Place, Relationships: Teams, Society: War, Values/Ideas: Equality, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology, Values/Ideas: Win & Lose
Tags Fantasy, Action / Adventure, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Narrative / Epic Poem
Publication year 2008
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Society: Community, Society: Globalization, Society: Class
Tags Addiction / Substance Abuse, Journalism, Sociology, History: U.S., Information Age, Education, Education, Anthropology, Anthropology, Social Science, Arts / Culture, Health / Medicine
Publication year 2022
Genre Biography, Nonfiction
Themes Society: Colonialism, Identity: Race, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Natural World: Place, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Values/Ideas: Fame, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal
Tags History: African , Action / Adventure, Travel Literature, Science / Nature, History: World, Biography
Publication year 2022
Genre Biography, Nonfiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Relationships: Siblings, Natural World: Place, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt
Tags Crime / Legal, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Journalism, Business / Economics, Class, Finance / Money / Wealth, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Leadership/Organization/Management, History: World, Biography
Publication year 2015
Genre Graphic Novel/Book, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Friendship, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Relationships: Teams, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Self Discovery, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies
Tags Realistic Fiction, Sports, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Children's Literature, Modern Classic Fiction
Publication year 2002
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Identity: Femininity, Identity: Masculinity, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Life/Time: The Past, Natural World: Place, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Friendship, Society: Class, Values/Ideas: Beauty, Values/Ideas: Fame, Values/Ideas: Literature, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies
Tags Romance, Historical Fiction, Regency Era
Publication year 2023
Genre Novel, Fiction
Tags Romance, Humor, Gender / Feminism
Publication year 1976
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Identity: Race, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed
Tags Historical Fiction, Race / Racism, African American Literature, History: World, Classic Fiction
Roots is a 1976 historical fiction novel by Alex Haley. Haley served in the United States Coast Guard during World War II and as a military journalist after the war. Prior to writing Roots, Haley interviewed famous Black Americans and ghostwrote The Autobiography of Malcolm X, which has remained a bestselling work since its publication in 1965. In Roots, Haley combines his journalistic experience with Black America and his family’s oral history, bolstered with research... Read Roots Summary
Publication year 2023
Genre Biography, Nonfiction
Themes Society: Class, Society: Community, Relationships: Friendship, Relationships: Teams
Tags Health / Medicine, Sociology, Poverty, Class, Social Justice, Politics / Government, Biography
Publication year 2007
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Identity: Race, Society: Class, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Society: Politics & Government
Tags Modern Classic Fiction, Parenting
... Read Run Summary
Publication year 2002
Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Self Discovery, Identity: Sexuality, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance
Tags LGBTQ, Mental Illness, Humor, Psychology, Psychology, Biography
Running with Scissors by Augusten Burroughs was first published in 2002 as a memoir. After several of the figures it features sued for defamation and dishonesty of its claims, however, it was recategorized as a book. It can also be classified as a bildungsroman since it follows the adolescent growth of its narrator and protagonist. Running with Scissors was adapted into a feature film in 2006.Other works by this author include Dry and A Wolf... Read Running With Scissors Summary
Publication year 2018
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Identity: Femininity, Society: Class, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger
Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Poverty, Addiction / Substance Abuse, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Realistic Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction
Sadie is a young adult mystery novel published in 2018 by the Canadian author Courtney Summers. The book chronicles teenager Sadie Hunter’s quest to find the man who killed her sister. In alternating chapters, Sadie’s subsequent disappearance becomes the topic of West McCray’s podcast The Girls. Sadie won the 2018 Edgar Award and was chosen for many Best of 2018 book lists.Plot SummarySadie follows the journey of 19-year-old protagonist Sadie Hunter as she searches for... Read Sadie Summary
Publication year 2010
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Emotions/Behavior: Love
Tags Romance, Love / Sexuality, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Relationships, Addiction / Substance Abuse, American Literature, Modern Classic Fiction, Drama / Tragedy
Safe Haven is a novel by New York Times bestselling author Nicholas Sparks. Written in 2010, Safe Haven was adapted into a movie of the same name in 2013. Like most of Sparks’s novels, the setting of this story is North Carolina. The author often uses his home state as a backdrop to his romances, incorporating the beauty and history of the state as a central motif. In this novel, Sparks contrasts the beauty and... Read Safe Haven Summary
Publication year 2011
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Tags Science / Nature, Anthropology, Anthropology, Sociology, History: World, Psychology, Psychology, Philosophy, Philosophy
First published in Hebrew in 2011, with the English translation following in 2014, Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind examining the shaping of human history. Israeli author Yuval Noah Harari shines a light, sometimes harshly, on how humans have exploited the ideas of capitalism, religion, and politics to control the globe and put the species Homo sapiens on the threshold of banishing natural selection. Sapiens landed on the New York Times best-seller list and won... Read Sapiens Summary
Publication year 2023
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Identity: Mental Health, Natural World: Space & The Universe, Self Discovery, Society: Globalization, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology
Tags Self Help, Health / Medicine, Science / Nature, Philosophy, Leadership/Organization/Management, Psychology, Psychology, Mental Illness