Skip to content

Search our website or catalog

New York Times Best Seller lists

The New York Times Best Seller list is widely considered the preeminent list of best-selling books in the United States. It is updated online every Wednesday evening. Below are best seller lists for hardcover fiction and non-fiction. For more lists, visit our New York Times Children's Best Sellers page, our NYT Best Sellers for Teens page , or The New York Times's Best Sellers page.

Hardcover Fiction

January 16, 2011

1

What the Night Knowsby Dean Koontz
Someone is murdering entire families — recreating in detail a crime spree that took place two decades earlier — and a homicide detective is certain that his own family will be targets.

2

Dead or Aliveby Tom Clancy with Grant Blackwood
The covert intelligence expert Jack Ryan Jr. and his black-ops team face their greatest foe: a sadistic terrorist known as the Emir.

3

The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet’s Nestby Stieg Larsson
In the last volume of the Millennium trilogy, Mikael Blomkvist and Lisbeth Salander are threatened by an adversary from deep within the government.

4

The Outlawsby W. E. B. Griffin and William E. Butterworth IV
Charley Castillo investigates a deadly biohazard that he thought had been destroyed.

5

The Confessionby John Grisham
A man who committed a despicable crime but allowed another to be sent to death row in his place now wants to admit his guilt, but must convince the authorities he's telling the truth.

6

Cross Fireby James Patterson
Tracking the murderer of a relative, Alex Cross discovers a wild Washington scene with explosive secrets.

7

Port Mortuaryby Patricia Cornwell
In the 18th Kay Scarpetta novel, the forensic pathologist masters a sophisticated new autopsy technology at an Air Force base; meanwhile, a young man’s mysterious death causes trouble at her new forensic center in Cambridge, Mass.

8

Secrets to the Graveby Tami Hoag
The cast of “Deeper Than the Dead” become involved in a new case of violence that disturbs their community.

9

In Too Deepby Jayne Ann Krentz
The psychic detective Fallon Jones hires an assistant with secrets.

10

Freedomby Jonathan Franzen
A family of Midwestern liberals during the Bush years.

11

The Helpby Kathryn Stockett
Three women — a white socialite and two black maids — work on a tell-all book about black domestic servants in 1960s Mississippi.

12

Full Dark, No Starsby Stephen King
Grisly human behavior and its consequences drive this collection of stories.

13

Hell's Cornerby David Baldacci
The former assassin John Carr, a k a Oliver Stone, teams with an MI-6 agent to search for the perpetrators of a terrorist attack against the British prime minister.

14

Dead Zeroby Stephen Hunter
The veteran sharpshooter Bob Lee Swagger tries to uncover the truth about a rogue Marine Corps gunnery sergeant.

15

Fall of Giantsby Ken Follett
Five interrelated families from five countries are caught in the upheavals of World War I and the Russian Revolution.

----

Hardcover Nonfiction

January 16, 2011

1

Unbrokenby Laura Hillenbrand
An Olympic runner’s story of survival as a prisoner of the Japanese during World War II. Read by Edward Herrmann. 13 hours, 56 minutes unabridged.

2

Decision Pointsby George W. Bush
The former president discusses his decisions on 9/11, Iraq and Katrina.

3

Lifeby Keith Richards with James Fox
The Rolling Stones guitarist's revealing autobiography is also a portrait of the era when rock came of age.

4

Cleopatraby Stacy Schiff
Reimagining the Egyptian queen.

5

Autobiography of Mark Twain, Vol. 1by Mark Twain
Twain is pointedly political and willing to play the angry prophet.

6

Earth (the Book)by Jon Stewart and others
A visitor’s guide to the human race, presented by "The Daily Show."

7

Decodedby Jay-Z
The hip-hop star leads a narrative journey through his lyrics and his life.

8

Brokeby Glenn Beck and Kevin Balfe
The Fox News host’s plan for fixing the country’s financial woes.

9

I Remember Nothingby Nora Ephron
Reflections on age and memory, from the author of “I Feel Bad About My Neck.”

10

_____ My Dad Saysby Justin Halpern
A coming-of-age memoir organized around the musings, purveyed on Twitter, of the author's father. Originally published in 2010.

11

Washingtonby Ron Chernow
A biography of the first president.

12

____ Finish Firstby Tucker Max
A tale of bad decisions, debauchery and reckless sex.

13

The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacksby Rebecca Skloot
The story of a woman whose cancer cells were cultured without her permission in 1951.

14

The Last Boyby Jane Leavy
A biography of the Yankees star Mickey Mantle.

15

America by Heartby Sarah Palin
The former vice-presidential candidate reflects on family, faith and patriotism.