This is a list of books that topped The New York Times Best Seller list in 1962.

Fiction The following list ranks the number-one best-selling fiction books.Adult New York Times Best Seller lists for 1962

Four books topped the list that year, the longest on top being Ship of Fools by Katherine Anne Porter, which spent exactly half the year there – from April 29 to November 11, its last week at the top – though it continued in the top 15 best sellers for another 20 weeks. Franny and Zooey by J. D. Salinger started the year at the top of the list carrying over from 1961, where it entered the top spot on October 25. In all Salinger's book spent 25 continuous weeks in the top spot.John Bear, 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, 1992. pp. 83-85 The list was interrupted at the end of the year by the 1962–63 New York City newspaper strike which lasted 114 days and had a profound impact on the newspaper industry in New York.

DateBookAuthor January 7 Franny and Zooey J. D. Salinger January 14 January 21 January 28 February 4 February 11 February 18 February 25 March 4 March 11 March 18 March 25 April 1 April 8 April 15 April 22 April 29 Ship of Fools Katherine Anne Porter May 6 May 13 May 20 May 27 June 3 June 10 June 17 June 24 July 1 July 8 July 15 July 22 July 29 August 5 August 12 August 19 August 26 September 2 September 9 September 16 September 23 September 30 October 7 October 14 October 21 October 28 A Shade of Difference Allen Drury November 4 November 11 November 18 Seven Days in May Fletcher Knebel and Charles W. Bailey II November 25 A Shade of Difference Allen Drury December 2 Seven Days in May Fletcher Knebel and Charles W. Bailey II December 9 Not published due to a newspaper strike December 16 December 23 December 30

Nonfiction The following list ranks the number-one best-selling nonfiction books.Adult New York Times Best Seller lists for 1962 DateBookAuthor January 7 The Making of the President 1960 Theodore H. White January 14 January 21 My Life in Court Louis Nizer January 28 February 4 February 11 February 18 February 25 March 4 March 11 March 18 March 25 Calories Don't Count Herman Taller April 1 April 8 April 15 April 22 April 29 May 6 May 13 May 20 May 27 June 3 June 10 June 17 June 24 The Rothschilds Frederic Morton July 1 July 8 July 15 July 22 July 29 August 5 August 12 August 19 August 26 September 2 September 9 September 16 September 23 September 30 October 7 October 14 October 21 Travels with Charley John Steinbeck October 28 Silent Spring Rachel Carson November 4 November 11 November 18 November 25 December 2 Travels with Charley John Steinbeck December 9 Not published due to a newspaper strike December 16 December 23 December 30

See also Publishers Weekly list of bestselling novels in the United States in the 1960s

References