List of The New York Times number-one books of 1942
Bestselling books of 1942
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
This is a list of books that topped The New York Times best-seller list in 1942.
Though the bestseller list first began in 1931, it only became a national survey on August 9, 1942; previously the list only reflected sales from the New York metropolitan area.[1]
Fiction
The following list ranks the number-one best-selling fiction books.
The two most popular books that year were The Song of Bernadette, by Franz Werfel, which made the list for fourteen weeks; and The Robe, by Lloyd Douglas, which would reach number one for the final two weeks of 1942 and 34 weeks in 1943.[2][3]
| Date | Book | Author |
|---|---|---|
| January 5 | The Keys of the Kingdom | A. J. Cronin |
| January 12 | Windswept | Mary Ellen Chase |
| January 19 | ||
| January 26 | ||
| February 2 | ||
| February 9 | Dragon Seed | Pearl S. Buck |
| February 16 | Frenchman's Creek | Daphne du Maurier |
| February 23 | Dragon Seed | Pearl S. Buck |
| March 2 | ||
| March 9 | ||
| March 16 | ||
| March 23 | The Moon Is Down | John Steinbeck |
| March 30 | ||
| April 6 | ||
| April 13 | ||
| April 20 | ||
| April 27 | ||
| May 4 | ||
| May 11 | ||
| May 18 | ||
| May 25 | ||
| June 1 | ||
| June 8 | ||
| June 15 | And Now Tomorrow | Rachel Field |
| June 22 | ||
| June 29 | ||
| July 6 | ||
| July 13 | ||
| July 20 | The Song of Bernadette | Franz Werfel |
| July 27 | ||
| August 3 | And Now Tomorrow | Rachel Field |
| August 10 | The Song of Bernadette | Franz Werfel |
| August 17 | ||
| August 24 | ||
| August 31 | ||
| September 7 | ||
| September 14 | ||
| September 21 | ||
| September 28 | ||
| October 5 | ||
| October 12 | ||
| October 19 | ||
| October 26 | ||
| November 2 | The Prodigal Women | Nancy Hale |
| November 9 | ||
| November 16 | ||
| November 23 | The Valley of Decision | Marcia Davenport |
| November 30 | ||
| December 7 | The Prodigal Women | Nancy Hale |
| December 14 | ||
| December 21 | The Robe | Lloyd Douglas |
| December 28 | ||
Nonfiction
The following list ranks the number-one best-selling nonfiction books.[2]
| Date | Book | Author |
|---|---|---|
| January 5 | Berlin Diary | William L. Shirer |
| January 12 | Mission to Moscow | Joseph E. Davies |
| January 19 | ||
| January 26 | ||
| February 2 | ||
| February 9 | ||
| February 16 | ||
| February 23 | ||
| March 2 | ||
| March 9 | ||
| March 16 | Flight to Arras | Antoine de Saint-Exupéry |
| March 23 | The Japanese Enemy | Hugh Byas |
| March 30 | Flight to Arras | Antoine de Saint-Exupéry |
| April 6 | ||
| April 13 | Past Imperfect | Ilka Chase |
| April 20 | Flight to Arras | Antoine de Saint-Exupéry |
| April 27 | ||
| May 4 | Cross Creek | Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings |
| May 11 | The Last Time I Saw Paris | Elliot Paul |
| May 18 | ||
| May 25 | ||
| June 1 | ||
| June 8 | ||
| June 15 | ||
| June 22 | ||
| June 29 | ||
| July 6 | ||
| July 13 | ||
| July 20 | ||
| July 27 | ||
| August 3 | ||
| August 10 | Washington Is Like That | W. M. Kiplinger |
| August 17 | The Last Time I Saw Paris | Elliot Paul |
| August 24 | Victory Through Air Power | Alexander de Seversky |
| August 31 | See Here, Private Hargrove | Marion Hargrove |
| September 7 | The Last Time I Saw Paris | Elliot Paul |
| September 14 | Victory Through Air Power | Alexander de Seversky |
| September 21 | The Coming Battle of Germany | William B. Ziff |
| September 28 | They Were Expendable | William Lindsay White |
| October 5 | ||
| October 12 | ||
| October 19 | See Here, Private Hargrove | Marion Hargrove |
| October 26 | ||
| November 2 | ||
| November 9 | ||
| November 16 | ||
| November 23 | ||
| November 30 | ||
| December 7 | ||
| December 14 | ||
| December 21 | ||
| December 28 | Our Hearts Were Young and Gay | Cornelia Otis Skinner and Emily Kimbrough |