Most of the players involved (authors, publishers, agents, book sellers) agree that the New York Times Bestsellers are the most well-known and prominent lists of books shared on a weekly basis. The list provides a common talking point for clubs and readers. They connect us on a social level supporting the “water cooler” discussions in person and virtually. Making the list is not that big of a deal for established bestselling authors but for the unknown or first time author it is a great benefit.

When I was assigned the task of curating the New York Times bestsellers NextReads newsletters in 2018, all I knew about the lists was that books and authors seemed to bear the label like a medal of honor. The Times started publishing the lists on October 12, 1931 but at that time it was only for New York City. On April 9, 1942 the lists went national. By the 60’s and 70’s independent and chain bookstores began using the lists to promote books in their stores. Though many lists have been created over the years, the New York Times Bestsellers is the preeminent one today.

The lists have been subdivided and categories added such as digital, young adult and paperback. In 2000, a Children’s Bestsellers list was added because J.K. Rowlings’ Harry Potter novels captured the top spots of fiction for lengthy periods of time. Today’s monthly lists include Audio, Business, Graphic Books, and Manga.

In the case of these bestseller lists, “bestseller” does not necessarily equal “best selling.” Making the list is based on certain criteria. On the average, books making the list sell between 1,000 and 10,000 copies each week. The list makers look to traditional publishing companies, sales figures, and other data, some of which is unknown. The guidelines have been ruled by the court to be a “trade secret” and the Times does not have to reveal their methodology. It is known that bulk sales are frowned upon and titles that are suspect are given the “†” symbol to indicate this possibility. Bottom line though, making the list means more money for authors, publishers, and book agents.

Fun facts:

1. As I managed the newsletters for over two years, three books remained on the lists: Becoming, Educated, and Where the Crawdads Sing.

2. 26% of the fiction titles last one week.

3. More than half of the non-fiction books are biographies.

4. Longest time on the New York Bestsellers List:

1. Diary of A Wimpy Kid by Greg Heffley
2. The 5 Love Languages: The Secret to Love That Lasts by Gary Chapman
3. Outliers: The Story of Success by Malcolm Gladwell
4. The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan
5. The Book Thief by Markus Zusak
6. What to Expect When You're Expecting by Heidi Eisenberg Murkoff