List of The New York Times number-one books of 1942
Appearance
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
[edit]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
[edit]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 |
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ Miller, Laura J. (2000). "The Best-Seller List as Marketing Tool and Historical Fiction". In Ezra Greenspan (ed.). Book History. Vol. Three. Penn State University Press. pp. 286–304. ISBN 0271020504.
- ^ a b Adult New York Times Best Seller Lists for 1942
- ^ Bear, John (1992). The #1 New York Times Best Seller: Intriguing Facts About the 484 Books That Have Been #1 New York Times Bestsellers Since the First List, 50 Years Ago. Berkeley: Ten Speed Press. pp. 3-5.