This is a list of books that topped The New York Times best-seller list in 1934. When the list began in 1931 through 1941 it only reflected sales in the New York City area. [1]
The following list ranks the number-one best-selling fiction books.
The two most popular books that year were So Red the Rose, by Stark Young, which held on top of the list for 17 weeks, and Lamb in His Bosom by Caroline Miller, which was on top of the list for 8 weeks. [2]
| Date | Book | Author |
|---|---|---|
| January 1 | Anthony Adverse | Hervey Allen |
| January 8 | ||
| January 15 | The Thin Man | Dashiell Hammett |
| January 22 | ||
| January 29 | ||
| February 5 | Work of Art | Sinclair Lewis |
| February 12 | ||
| February 19 | ||
| February 26 | ||
| March 5 | ||
| March 12 | ||
| March 19 | ||
| March 26 | Anthony Adverse | Hervey Allen |
| April 2 | The Oppermanns | Lion Feuchtwanger |
| April 9 | ||
| April 16 | Anthony Adverse | Hervey Allen |
| April 23 | ||
| April 30 | Seven Gothic Tales | Isak Dinesen |
| May 7 | Tender is the Night | F. Scott Fitzgerald |
| May 14 | Anthony Adverse | Hervey Allen |
| May 21 | Lamb in His Bosom | Caroline Miller |
| May 28 | Five Silver Daughters | Louis Golding |
| June 4 | Lamb in His Bosom | Caroline Miller |
| June 11 | ||
| June 18 | ||
| June 25 | ||
| July 2 | ||
| July 9 | ||
| July 16 | ||
| July 23 | I, Claudius | Robert Graves |
| July 30 | Anthony Adverse | Hervey Allen |
| August 6 | So Red the Rose | Stark Young |
| August 13 | ||
| August 20 | ||
| August 27 | ||
| September 3 | ||
| September 10 | ||
| September 17 | ||
| September 24 | ||
| October 1 | ||
| October 8 | ||
| October 15 | ||
| October 22 | ||
| October 29 | ||
| November 5 | ||
| November 12 | ||
| November 19 | ||
| November 26 | ||
| December 3 | Lost Horizon | James Hilton |
| December 10 | The Forty Days of Musa Dagh | Franz Werfel |
| December 17 | ||
| December 23 | ||
| December 30 |
The following list ranks the number-one best-selling nonfiction books.
| Date | Book | Author |
|---|---|---|
| January 1 | Crowded Hours | Alice Roosevelt Longworth |
| January 8 | ||
| January 15 | Brazilian Adventure | Peter Fleming |
| January 22 | Life Begins at Forty | Walter B. Pitkin |
| January 29 | ||
| February 5 | ||
| February 12 | The Native's Return | Louis Adamic |
| February 19 | ||
| February 26 | ||
| March 5 | ||
| March 12 | The Robber Barons | Matthew Josephson |
| March 19 | ||
| March 26 | While Rome Burns | Alexander Woollcott |
| April 2 | ||
| April 9 | ||
| April 16 | ||
| April 23 | ||
| April 30 | On Our Way | Franklin D. Roosevelt |
| May 7 | While Rome Burns | Alexander Woollcott |
| May 14 | Nijinsky | Romola Nijinsky |
| May 21 | While Rome Burns | Alexander Woollcott |
| May 28 | ||
| June 4 | Nijinsky | Romola Nijinsky |
| June 11 | ||
| June 18 | ||
| June 25 | While Rome Burns | Alexander Woollcott |
| July 2 | ||
| July 9 | ||
| July 16 | Stars Fell on Alabama | Carl Carmer |
| July 23 | Nijinsky | Romola Nijinsky |
| July 30 | While Rome Burns | Alexander Woollcott |
| August 6 | ||
| August 13 | Stars Fell on Alabama | Carl Carmer |
| August 20 | While Rome Burns | Alexander Woollcott |
| August 27 | The Coming American Boom | L. L. B. Angas |
| September 3 | English Journey | J. B. Priestley |
| September 10 | While Rome Burns | Alexander Woollcott |
| September 17 | ||
| September 24 | ||
| October 1 | ||
| October 8 | ||
| October 15 | The Challenge to Liberty | Herbert Hoover |
| October 22 | Forty-Two Years in the White House | Irwin H. Hoover |
| October 29 | ||
| November 5 | ||
| November 12 | While Rome Burns | Alexander Woollcott |
| November 19 | ||
| November 26 | ||
| December 3 | Wine from These Grapes | Edna St. Vincent Millay |
| December 10 | While Rome Burns | Alexander Woollcott |
| December 17 | ||
| December 23 | ||
| December 30 |