The American daily newspaper The New York Times publishes multiple weekly lists ranking the best selling books in the United States.
The following list ranks the number-one best selling fiction books, in the hardcover fiction category. [1]
| Date | Book | Author |
|---|---|---|
| January 2 | Trinity | Leon Uris |
| January 9 | ||
| January 16 | ||
| January 23 | ||
| January 30 | ||
| February 6 | ||
| February 13 | ||
| February 20 | ||
| February 27 | ||
| March 6 | ||
| March 13 | ||
| March 20 | ||
| March 27 | ||
| April 3 | ||
| April 10 | Oliver's Story | Erich Segal |
| April 17 | ||
| April 24 | ||
| May 1 | ||
| May 8 | ||
| May 15 | ||
| May 22 | Falconer | John Cheever |
| May 29 | Oliver's Story | Erich Segal |
| June 5 | Falconer | John Cheever |
| June 12 | ||
| June 19 | The Thorn Birds | Colleen McCullough |
| June 26 | ||
| July 3 | ||
| July 10 | ||
| July 17 | ||
| July 24 | ||
| July 31 | ||
| August 7 | ||
| August 14 | ||
| August 21 | ||
| August 28 | ||
| September 4 | ||
| September 11 | ||
| September 18 | ||
| September 25 | ||
| October 2 | The Silmarillion | J. R. R. Tolkien |
| October 9 | ||
| October 16 | ||
| October 23 | ||
| October 30 | ||
| November 6 | ||
| November 13 | ||
| November 20 | ||
| November 27 | ||
| December 4 | ||
| December 11 | ||
| December 18 | ||
| December 25 |
The following list ranks the number-one best selling nonfiction books, in the hardcover nonfiction category. [2]
| Date | Book | Author |
|---|---|---|
| January 2 | Roots | Alex Haley |
| January 9 | ||
| January 16 | ||
| January 23 | ||
| January 30 | ||
| February 6 | ||
| February 13 | ||
| February 20 | ||
| February 27 | ||
| March 6 | ||
| March 13 | ||
| March 20 | ||
| March 27 | ||
| April 3 | ||
| April 10 | ||
| April 17 | ||
| April 24 | ||
| May 1 | ||
| May 8 | Your Erroneous Zones | Dr. Wayne W. Dyer |
| May 15 | ||
| May 22 | ||
| May 29 | ||
| June 5 | ||
| June 12 | ||
| June 19 | ||
| June 26 | ||
| July 3 | ||
| July 10 | ||
| July 17 | ||
| July 24 | The Book of Lists | David Wallechinsky, Irving Wallace and Amy Wallace |
| July 31 | ||
| August 7 | Your Erroneous Zones | Dr. Wayne W. Dyer |
| August 14 | ||
| August 21 | Looking Out for Number One | Robert Ringer |
| August 28 | Your Erroneous Zones | Dr. Wayne W. Dyer |
| September 4 | The Book of Lists | David Wallechinsky, Irving Wallace and Amy Wallace |
| September 11 | All Things Wise and Wonderful | James Herriot |
| September 18 | ||
| September 25 | ||
| October 2 | ||
| October 9 | ||
| October 16 | ||
| October 23 | ||
| October 30 | ||
| November 6 | ||
| November 13 | ||
| November 20 | ||
| November 27 | ||
| December 4 | ||
| December 11 | ||
| December 18 | ||
| December 25 |