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 2013
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Identity: Race, Relationships: Siblings, Self Discovery, Society: Immigration, Society: Politics & Government, Society: War, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice
Tags American Literature
Elizabeth Strout’s novel The Burgess Boys, published in 2013, explores the relationships between adult siblings during a time of family crisis. It examines the ways that past events and traumas continue to shape one’s sense of self. Set amid a Somali refugee crisis in the state of Maine, it also explores the ways that identity forms community and the way that community can be affected by newcomers.The author of 10 novels, Strout is acclaimed for... Read The Burgess Boys Summary
Publication year 2022
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed
Tags Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction
Publication year 2023
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Relationships: Friendship
Tags LGBTQ, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Realistic Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction, Humor
Publication year 1993
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Life/Time: The Future, Natural World: Environment, Self Discovery
Tags Religion / Spirituality, Philosophy, Inspirational, Fantasy, Philosophy, Self Help, Action / Adventure
The Celestine Prophecy: An Adventure is a 1993 novel by James Redfield. A bestseller, the novel is a compilation of New Age philosophical and spiritual concepts, which Redfield labels as insights, that are loosely connected by a plot that follows the narrator’s search for them in the Peruvian jungle. An ancient manuscript is rumored to have been discovered, and the insights in the Manuscript claim that the end of the 20th century will witness a... Read The Celestine Prophecy Summary
Publication year 2014
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger
Tags Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Psychological Fiction, Trauma / Abuse / Violence
Publication year 2020
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Relationships: Siblings, Natural World: Appearance & Reality
Tags Food, Modern Classic Fiction
Publication year 2007
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Values/Ideas: Fate, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Relationships: Marriage
Tags Romance, Love / Sexuality, Modern Classic Fiction, Drama / Tragedy
Nicholas Sparks’s The Choice (2007) is a traditional romance novel that delves into the complexities of love, choices, and life’s unforeseen events. The story unfolds in the picturesque coastal town of Beaufort, North Carolina, where Travis Parker, an easygoing bachelor, encounters a life-changing series of events when Gabby Holland, a determined medical student, becomes his neighbor. The novel examines the themes of Coincidence Versus Destiny, Choices and Their Consequences, and Challenges to Romantic Relationships.Sparks is... Read The Choice Summary
Publication year 2017
Genre Biography, Nonfiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Life/Time: The Past
Tags Psychology, Health / Medicine, History: European, WWII / World War II, Holocaust, Military / War, History: World, Psychology, Self Help, Biography
Publication year 1993
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Emotions/Behavior: Gratitude, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Relationships: Friendship
Tags Inspirational, Holidays & Occasions, Christian literature, Religion / Spirituality
The Christmas Box (1993) is a holiday-themed, loosely autobiographical novel by American author Richard Paul Evans. It tells the story of Richard, a workaholic who learns important lessons about the meaning of Christmas and the importance of family. He makes these discoveries with the help of an elderly widow and an angelic entity who visits Richard in his dreams. Evans was a 31-year-old advertising executive and had no formal writing experience when he self-published The... Read The Christmas Box Summary
Publication year 2022
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Natural World: Environment, Natural World: Climate, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed
Tags Science / Nature, Climate Change, Politics / Government, History: World
Publication year 2018
Genre Novel, Fiction
Tags Historical Fiction, Romance, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Victorian Period, British Literature, History: World, Fantasy
Publication year 2022
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Friendship, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Society: Education
Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Fantasy, Gothic Literature, Religion / Spirituality, Modern Classic Fiction, Arts / Culture
Publication year 2021
Genre Biography, Nonfiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Science & Technology, Identity: Gender, Relationships: Teams
Tags Science / Nature, Gender / Feminism, Health / Medicine, Technology, Women's Studies (Nonfiction), History: World, Biography
Publication year 2023
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Society: Globalization, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology, Life/Time: The Future, Society: Politics & Government, Society: Community
Tags Technology, Science / Nature, Business / Economics, Politics / Government, Technology, Sociology, Philosophy, Philosophy
Publication year 2010
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Identity: Race, Society: Politics & Government, Relationships: Mothers, Life/Time: Mortality & Death
Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Crime / Legal, Social Justice, Incarceration, Grief / Death, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Realistic Fiction, Race / Racism
Publication year 2001
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family
Tags American Literature, Drama / Tragedy, History: U.S., Modern Classic Fiction
The Corrections is a 2001 novel by Jonathan Franzen that won the National Book Award. Franzen is the author of several essay collections and novels, including the novels Freedom, Purity, and Crossroads. He has received many awards for his work, including the Whiting Award in 1988 and a Guggenheim Fellowship in 1996.The main action of the novel takes place during the turn of the 21st century, a time of great financial prosperity in the United... Read The Corrections Summary
Publication year 2016
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Relationships: Marriage, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Relationships: Mothers
Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Psychological Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction
The Couple Next Door, Shari Lapena’s 2016 international best-seller, begins as a classic detective story. As the mystery deepens, the novel turns into a tense psychological study of a dysfunctional family, the calculating logic of emotional manipulation, the spiral of post-partum depression, and the corrupting power of greed. Paramount Television optioned the novel for a TV series adaptation in 2018. Shari Lapena is the author of eight novels for adults, including The Couple Next Door... Read The Couple Next Door Summary
Publication year 2020
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Relationships: Siblings, Relationships: Mothers, Relationships: Fathers, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies
Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction
Publication year 2023
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Society: Colonialism, Values/Ideas: Literature
Tags Historical Fiction, Health / Medicine, Asian Literature
Publication year 2021
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Society: Class, Society: Economics, Society: Community
Tags Anthropology, Science / Nature, History: World, Anthropology, Business / Economics, Sociology, Philosophy, Philosophy, Politics / Government