The American daily newspaper The New York Times publishes multiple weekly lists ranking the best selling books in the United States. The lists are split in three genres—fiction, nonfiction and children's books. Both the fiction and nonfiction lists are further split into multiple lists.
The following list ranks the number-one best selling fiction books, in the hardcover fiction category.[1]
The most popular books of the year were The Lost Symbol, by Dan Brown and The Associate, by John Grisham with respectively 7 and 4 weeks at the top. The author James Patterson was at the top for four different books (8th Confession, Swimsuit, Alex Cross's Trial and I, Alex Cross).
| Date | Book | Author |
|---|---|---|
| January 4 | The Christmas Sweater | Glenn Beck |
| January 11 | Scarpetta | Patricia Cornwell |
| January 18 | Black Ops | W. E. B. Griffin |
| January 25 | Plum Spooky | Janet Evanovich |
| February 1 | ||
| February 8 | ||
| February 15 | The Associate | John Grisham |
| February 22 | ||
| March 1 | ||
| March 8 | ||
| March 15 | Promises in Death | J. D. Robb |
| March 22 | Handle with Care | Jodi Picoult |
| March 29 | ||
| April 5 | ||
| April 12 | True Detectives | Jonathan Kellerman |
| April 19 | Long Lost | Harlan Coben |
| April 26 | Turn Coat | Jim Butcher |
| May 3 | Just Take My Heart | Mary Higgins Clark |
| May 10 | First Family | David Baldacci |
| May 17 | 8th Confession | James Patterson and Maxine Paetro |
| May 24 | Dead and Gone | Charlaine Harris |
| May 31 | Wicked Prey | John Sandford |
| June 7 | Gone Tomorrow | Lee Child |
| June 14 | The Scarecrow | Michael Connelly |
| June 21 | Skin Trade | Laurell K. Hamilton |
| June 28 | Relentless | Dean Koontz |
| July 5 | Knockout | Catherine Coulter |
| July 12 | Finger Lickin' Fifteen | Janet Evanovich |
| July 19 | Swimsuit | James Patterson and Maxine Paetro |
| July 26 | Black Hills | Nora Roberts |
| August 2 | Best Friends Forever | Jennifer Weiner |
| August 9 | The Defector | Daniel Silva |
| August 16 | The Girl Who Played with Fire | Stieg Larsson |
| August 23 | Bad Moon Rising | Sherrilyn Kenyon |
| August 30 | South of Broad | Pat Conroy |
| September 6 | ||
| September 13 | Alex Cross's Trial | James Patterson and Richard DiLallo |
| September 20 | Dark Slayer | Christine Feehan |
| September 27 | The Last Song | Nicholas Sparks |
| October 4 | The Lost Symbol | Dan Brown |
| October 11 | ||
| October 18 | ||
| October 25 | ||
| November 1 | ||
| November 8 | ||
| November 15 | The Gathering Storm | Robert Jordan and Brandon Sanderson |
| November 22 | Ford County | John Grisham |
| November 29 | Under the Dome | Stephen King |
| December 6 | I, Alex Cross | James Patterson |
| December 13 | ||
| December 20 | "U" Is for Undertow | Sue Grafton |
| December 27 | The Lost Symbol | Dan Brown |
The following list ranks the number-one best selling nonfiction books, in the hardcover nonfiction category.[2]
| Date | Book | Author | Publisher |
|---|---|---|---|
| January 4 | Outliers | Malcolm Gladwell | Little Brown |
| January 11 | |||
| January 18 | |||
| January 25 | |||
| February 1 | |||
| February 8 | |||
| February 15 | |||
| February 22 | The Yankee Years | Joe Torre and Tom Verducci | Doubleday |
| March 1 | |||
| March 8 | |||
| March 15 | |||
| March 22 | Outliers | Malcolm Gladwell | Little Brown |
| March 29 | |||
| April 5 | |||
| April 12 | Liberty and Tyranny | Mark R. Levin | Threshold Editions |
| April 19 | |||
| April 26 | |||
| May 3 | |||
| May 10 | |||
| May 17 | |||
| May 24 | |||
| May 31 | Resilience | Elizabeth Edwards | Broadway |
| June 7 | Liberty and Tyranny | Mark R. Levin | Threshold Editions |
| June 14 | |||
| June 21 | |||
| June 28 | |||
| July 5 | |||
| July 12 | Catastrophe | Dick Morris and Eileen McGann | Harper/HarperCollins |
| July 19 | |||
| July 26 | Outliers | Malcolm Gladwell | Little Brown |
| August 2 | Unmasked | Ian Halperin | Simon Spotlight Entertainment |
| August 9 | Outliers | Malcolm Gladwell | Little Brown |
| August 16 | Culture of Corruption | Michelle Malkin | Regnery |
| August 23 | |||
| August 30 | |||
| September 6 | |||
| September 13 | |||
| September 20 | |||
| September 27 | Official Book Club Selection | Kathy Griffin | Ballantine |
| October 4 | True Compass | Edward M. Kennedy | Twelve |
| October 11 | Arguing with Idiots | Glenn Beck, Kevin Balfe, and others | Mercury Radio Arts/Threshold Editions |
| October 18 | Have a Little Faith | Mitch Albom | Hyperion |
| October 25 | |||
| November 1 | |||
| November 8 | |||
| November 15 | The Book of Basketball | Bill Simmons | Ballantine |
| November 22 | Have a Little Faith | Mitch Albom | Hyperion |
| November 29 | Open | Andre Agassi | Knopf |
| December 6 | Going Rogue | Sarah Palin | Harper/HarperCollins |
| December 13 | |||
| December 20 | |||
| December 27 |
