The New York Times Best Seller list

The New York Times Best Seller list is widely considered the preeminent list of best-selling books in the United States.^[1][2] Since October 12, 1931, The New York Times Book Review has published the list weekly.^[1] In the 21st century, it has evolved into multiple lists, grouped by genre and format, including fiction and nonfiction, hardcover, paperback and electronic.

The list is based on a proprietary method that uses sales figures, other data and internal guidelines that are unpublished—how the Times compiles the list is a trade secret.^[3] In 1983, as part of a legal argument, the Times stated that the list is not mathematically objective but rather editorial content. In 2017, a Times representative said that the goal is that the lists reflect authentic best sellers.^[4] The list has been a source of controversy. When the Times believes a book has reached the list in a suspicious way—such as through bulk purchases—the book's entry on the list is marked with a dagger symbol (†).^[5]