The #1 New York Times Best Seller: Intriguing Facts About the 484 Books That Have Been #1 New York Times Best Sellers Since the First List, 50 Years Ago.

Lists hundreds of books that have made the famous list, and offers facts about the publishing industry, authors, and the list itself

For people in the book industry, reading this handy tome is a trip down memory lane. Bear offers more than an examination of 50 years of popular American culture. Briefly summarizing each fiction and nonfiction number one title week by week, he also details the total number of weeks each title stayed on top and graphs its activity and position on the best-sellers list. Bear includes reprints of relevant articles about best sellers and popular taste and also quotes from various authors about writing and statistics. Some of the statistics are just fun, such as the grouping of best-selling authors by zodiac signs (although this does make for a quick birthdate check). Other statistics, such as a list of authors who never made the list, a list of all-time best-selling books, and an examination of these books by the nine authors who appear on the list most frequently, make this a ready reference tool. Separate indexes by author and title are helpful.
- Denise Sticha, Carnegie Lib. of Pittsburgh
Copyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc.