New York Times Best Sellers

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