The American daily newspaper The New York Times publishes multiple weekly lists ranking the best-selling books in the United States.
Fiction The following list ranks the number-one best-selling fiction books, in the hardcover fiction category.Adult New York Times Best Seller Lists for 1978
DateBookAuthor January 1 The Silmarillion J. R. R. Tolkien January 8 January 15 January 22 January 29 February 5 February 12 February 19 February 26 March 5 March 12 Bloodline Sidney Sheldon March 19 March 26 April 2 April 9 April 16 April 23 April 30 May 7 May 14 May 21 May 28 June 4 The Thorn Birds Colleen McCullough June 11 Bloodline Sidney Sheldon June 18 Scruples Judith Krantz June 25 July 2 July 9 The Holcroft Covenant Robert Ludlum July 16 Scruples Judith Krantz July 23 Chesapeake James Michener July 30 August 6 August 13 Not published due to a newspaper strike August 20 August 27 September 3 September 10 September 17 September 24 October 1 October 8 October 15 October 22 October 29 November 5 November 12 War and Remembrance Herman Wouk November 19 November 26 December 3 December 10 December 17 December 24 Chesapeake James Michener December 31
Nonfiction The following list ranks the number-one best-selling nonfiction books, in the hardcover nonfiction category.Adult New York Times Best Seller Lists for 1978
DateBookAuthor January 1 All Things Wise and Wonderful James Herriot January 8 January 15 January 22 January 29 February 5 February 12 February 19 February 26 The Complete Book of Running James F. Fixx March 5 March 12 March 19 The Ends of Power H. R. Haldeman with Joseph DiMona March 26 April 2 The Complete Book of Running James F. Fixx April 9 April 16 April 23 April 30 May 7 May 14 May 21 May 28 If Life is a Bowl of Cherries, What Am I Doing in the Pits? Erma Bombeck June 4 June 11 June 18 June 25 July 2 July 9 July 16 July 23 July 30 August 6 August 13 Not published due to a newspaper strike August 20 August 27 September 3 September 10 September 17 September 24 October 1 October 8 October 15 October 22 October 29 November 5 November 12 If Life is a Bowl of Cherries, What Am I Doing in the Pits? Erma Bombeck November 19 November 26 Mommie Dearest Christina Crawford December 3 December 10 December 17 December 24 December 31
See also Publishers Weekly list of bestselling novels in the United States in the 1970s
References