# List of The New York Times number-one books of 1940

This is a list of books that topped The New York Times best-seller list in 1940. When the list began in 1931 through 1941 it only reflected sales in the New York City area.

## Fiction

The following list ranks the number-one best-selling fiction books.
The two most popular books that year were How Green Was My Valley, by Richard Llewellyn, which held on top of the list for 13 weeks, and Stars on the Sea by F. Van Wyck Mason, which was on top of the list for 10 weeks.
| Date | Book | Author |
| January 1 | The Nazarene | Sholem Asch |
| January 8 | The Nazarene | Sholem Asch |
| January 15 | The Nazarene | Sholem Asch |
| January 22 | The Nazarene | Sholem Asch |
| January 29 | The Nazarene | Sholem Asch |
| February 5 | Kitty Foyle | Christopher Morley |
| February 12 | The Nazarene | Sholem Asch |
| February 19 | Kitty Foyle | Christopher Morley |
| February 26 | Kitty Foyle | Christopher Morley |
| March 4 | How Green Was My Valley | Richard Llewellyn |
| March 11 | How Green Was My Valley | Richard Llewellyn |
| March 18 | Native Son | Richard Wright |
| March 25 | How Green Was My Valley | Richard Llewellyn |
| April 1 | How Green Was My Valley | Richard Llewellyn |
| April 8 | How Green Was My Valley | Richard Llewellyn |
| April 15 | How Green Was My Valley | Richard Llewellyn |
| April 22 | How Green Was My Valley | Richard Llewellyn |
| April 29 | How Green Was My Valley | Richard Llewellyn |
| May 6 | How Green Was My Valley | Richard Llewellyn |
| May 13 | How Green Was My Valley | Richard Llewellyn |
| May 20 | How Green Was My Valley | Richard Llewellyn |
| May 27 | How Green Was My Valley | Richard Llewellyn |
| June 3 | How Green Was My Valley | Richard Llewellyn |
| June 10 | Stars on the Sea | F. Van Wyck Mason |
| June 17 | Stars on the Sea | F. Van Wyck Mason |
| June 24 | Stars on the Sea | F. Van Wyck Mason |
| July 1 | Stars on the Sea | F. Van Wyck Mason |
| July 8 | Stars on the Sea | F. Van Wyck Mason |
| July 15 | Stars on the Sea | F. Van Wyck Mason |
| July 22 | Stars on the Sea | F. Van Wyck Mason |
| July 29 | Stars on the Sea | F. Van Wyck Mason |
| August 5 | Stars on the Sea | F. Van Wyck Mason |
| August 12 | Stars on the Sea | F. Van Wyck Mason |
| August 19 | Mrs. Miniver | Jan Struther |
| August 26 | Mrs. Miniver | Jan Struther |
| September 2 | Mrs. Miniver | Jan Struther |
| September 9 | The Beloved Returns | Thomas Mann |
| September 16 | The Beloved Returns | Thomas Mann |
| September 23 | Mrs. Miniver | Jan Struther |
| September 30 | You Can't Go Home Again | Thomas Wolfe |
| October 7 | You Can't Go Home Again | Thomas Wolfe |
| October 14 | Mrs. Miniver | Jan Struther |
| October 21 | Mrs. Miniver | Jan Struther |
| October 28 | For Whom the Bell Tolls | Ernest Hemingway |
| November 4 | For Whom the Bell Tolls | Ernest Hemingway |
| November 11 | For Whom the Bell Tolls | Ernest Hemingway |
| November 18 | For Whom the Bell Tolls | Ernest Hemingway |
| November 25 | For Whom the Bell Tolls | Ernest Hemingway |
| December 2 | Oliver Wiswell | Kenneth Roberts |
| December 9 | Oliver Wiswell | Kenneth Roberts |
| December 16 | Oliver Wiswell | Kenneth Roberts |
| December 23 | Oliver Wiswell | Kenneth Roberts |
| December 30 | Oliver Wiswell | Kenneth Roberts |

## Nonfiction

The following list ranks the number-one best-selling nonfiction books.