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List of The New York Times number-one books of 1984

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The American daily newspaper The New York Times publishes multiple weekly lists ranking the best-selling books in the United States.

Changes to the list

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Beginning on January 1, 1984, The New York Times Book Review introduced revised and expanded best seller lists to "clarify categories of book buying". The hardcover books list was previously divided into two lists: fiction (15 titles) and general (15 titles). The hardcover fiction list remained the same, but the hardcover general list was divided into two new lists: nonfiction (15 titles) and advice, how-to, and miscellaneous (5 titles). The nonfiction list would be reserved for "serious nonfiction" while the advice list would be dedicated to the self-improvement genre. This change to the list was made because advice best sellers were sometimes crowding the general nonfiction list.[1] The inaugural number one bestseller of the advice list, The Body Principal by Victoria Principal, had been number 10 and number 12 on the general nonfiction lists for the two preceding weeks.[2][3]

The paperback books list previously consisted of two categories: mass market and trade. Both categories were eliminated because the editors believed the distinction was "less important to the general reader than to the industry". Mass market and trade were replaced by three new categories: fiction (15 titles), nonfiction (5 titles) and advice, how-to and miscellaneous (10 titles). The miscellaneous category would accommodate cartoon books, joke books and other titles that were not listed before, including "road atlases, tax preparation guides and computer handbooks".[1]

Fiction

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The following list ranks the number-one best-selling fiction books, in the hardcover fiction category.[4]

Date Book Author
January 1 Poland James Michener
January 8
January 15 Pet Sematary Stephen King
January 22
January 29 Who Killed the Robins Family? Thomas Chastain
February 5 Pet Sematary Stephen King
February 12
February 19
February 26
March 4
March 11 The Aquitaine Progression Robert Ludlum
March 18
March 25
April 1
April 8
April 15
April 22
April 29
May 6
May 13
May 20
May 27
June 3 Full Circle Danielle Steel
June 10
June 17
June 24
July 1 The Aquitaine Progression Robert Ludlum
July 8 "...And Ladies of the Club" Helen Hooven Santmyer
July 15
July 22
July 29
August 5
August 12
August 19
August 26 First Among Equals Jeffrey Archer
September 2
September 9
September 16 The Fourth Protocol Frederick Forsyth
September 23
September 30
October 7
October 14
October 21
October 28 The Talisman Stephen King and Peter Straub
November 4
November 11
November 18
November 25
December 2
December 9
December 16
December 23
December 30

Nonfiction

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The following list ranks the number-one best-selling nonfiction books, in the hardcover nonfiction category.[4]

Date Book Author
January 1 Motherhood: the Second Oldest Profession Erma Bombeck
January 8
January 15
January 22 In Search of Excellence Thomas J. Peters and Robert H. Waterman Jr.
January 29
February 5
February 12
February 19
February 26 Mayor Edward I. Koch with William Rauch
March 4 Motherhood: the Second Oldest Profession Erma Bombeck
March 11 Mayor Edward I. Koch with William Rauch
March 18
March 25
April 1
April 8
April 15
April 22
April 29 Motherhood: the Second Oldest Profession Erma Bombeck
May 6
May 13
May 20
May 27
June 3
June 10
June 17 First Lady from Plains Rosalynn Carter
June 24 Wired: The Short Life and Fast Times of John Belushi Bob Woodward
July 1
July 8
July 15
July 22 The Kennedys: an American Drama Peter Collier and David Horowitz
July 29
August 5
August 12
August 19
August 26
September 2
September 9 Loving Each Other Leo Buscaglia
September 16
September 23
September 30
October 7
October 14
October 21
October 28
November 4 Iacocca: An Autobiography Lee Iacocca with William Novak
November 11
November 18
November 25
December 2
December 9
December 16
December 23
December 30

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b "Times Book Review Plans Expanded Best Seller Lists". The New York Times. December 12, 1983. Retrieved March 31, 2023.
  2. ^ "The New York Times Book Review Best Sellers". The New York Times. January 1, 1984. p. BR28.
  3. ^ "Best Sellers". The New York Times. December 25, 1983. p. BR13.
  4. ^ a b Adult New York Times Best Seller Lists for 1984