# List of The New York Times number-one books of 1971

This is a list of books that topped The New York Times best-seller list in 1971.

## Fiction

The following list ranks the number-one best-selling fiction books.
| Date | Book | Author |
| January 3 | Love Story | Erich Segal |
| January 10 | Love Story | Erich Segal |
| January 17 | Love Story | Erich Segal |
| January 24 | Love Story | Erich Segal |
| January 31 | Love Story | Erich Segal |
| February 7 | Love Story | Erich Segal |
| February 14 | Love Story | Erich Segal |
| February 21 | QB VII | Leon Uris |
| February 28 | QB VII | Leon Uris |
| March 7 | QB VII | Leon Uris |
| March 14 | QB VII | Leon Uris |
| March 21 | QB VII | Leon Uris |
| March 28 | QB VII | Leon Uris |
| April 4 | QB VII | Leon Uris |
| April 11 | QB VII | Leon Uris |
| April 18 | QB VII | Leon Uris |
| April 25 | The Passions of the Mind | Irving Stone |
| May 2 | The Passions of the Mind | Irving Stone |
| May 9 | The Passions of the Mind | Irving Stone |
| May 16 | The Passions of the Mind | Irving Stone |
| May 23 | The Passions of the Mind | Irving Stone |
| May 30 | The Passions of the Mind | Irving Stone |
| June 6 | The Passions of the Mind | Irving Stone |
| June 13 | The Passions of the Mind | Irving Stone |
| June 20 | The Passions of the Mind | Irving Stone |
| June 27 | The Passions of the Mind | Irving Stone |
| July 4 | The Passions of the Mind | Irving Stone |
| July 11 | The Passions of the Mind | Irving Stone |
| July 18 | The Passions of the Mind | Irving Stone |
| July 25 | The Exorcist | William Peter Blatty |
| August 1 | The Exorcist | William Peter Blatty |
| August 8 | The Exorcist | William Peter Blatty |
| August 15 | The Exorcist | William Peter Blatty |
| August 22 | The Exorcist | William Peter Blatty |
| August 29 | The Exorcist | William Peter Blatty |
| September 5 | The Exorcist | William Peter Blatty |
| September 12 | The Exorcist | William Peter Blatty |
| September 19 | The Exorcist | William Peter Blatty |
| September 26 | The Exorcist | William Peter Blatty |
| October 3 | The Exorcist | William Peter Blatty |
| October 10 | The Exorcist | William Peter Blatty |
| October 17 | The Day of the Jackal | Frederick Forsyth |
| October 24 | The Day of the Jackal | Frederick Forsyth |
| October 31 | The Day of the Jackal | Frederick Forsyth |
| November 7 | Wheels | Arthur Hailey |
| November 14 | The Day of the Jackal | Frederick Forsyth |
| November 21 | The Day of the Jackal | Frederick Forsyth |
| November 28 | The Day of the Jackal | Frederick Forsyth |
| December 5 | Wheels | Arthur Hailey |
| December 12 | The Day of the Jackal | Frederick Forsyth |
| December 19 | Wheels | Arthur Hailey |
| December 26 | Wheels | Arthur Hailey |

## Nonfiction

The following list ranks the number-one best-selling nonfiction books.
| Date | Book | Author |
| January 3 | Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Sex* (*But Were Afraid to Ask) | Dr. David Reuben |
| January 10 | Civilization | Kenneth Clark |
| January 17 | The Greening of America | Charles Reich |
| January 24 | The Greening of America | Charles Reich |
| January 31 | The Greening of America | Charles Reich |
| February 7 | The Greening of America | Charles Reich |
| February 14 | The Greening of America | Charles Reich |
| February 21 | The Greening of America | Charles Reich |
| February 28 | The Greening of America | Charles Reich |
| March 7 | The Greening of America | Charles Reich |
| March 14 | The Greening of America | Charles Reich |
| March 21 | The Greening of America | Charles Reich |
| March 28 | The Greening of America | Charles Reich |
| April 4 | The Greening of America | Charles Reich |
| April 11 | The Greening of America | Charles Reich |
| April 18 | The Greening of America | Charles Reich |
| April 25 | The Greening of America | Charles Reich |
| May 2 | The Greening of America | Charles Reich |
| May 9 | The Greening of America | Charles Reich |
| May 16 | The Greening of America | Charles Reich |
| May 23 | The Greening of America | Charles Reich |
| May 30 | Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee | Dee Brown |
| June 6 | Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee | Dee Brown |
| June 13 | Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee | Dee Brown |
| June 20 | Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee | Dee Brown |
| June 27 | Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee | Dee Brown |
| July 4 | Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee | Dee Brown |
| July 11 | Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee | Dee Brown |
| July 18 | Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee | Dee Brown |
| July 25 | The Female Eunuch | Germaine Greer |
| August 1 | Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee | Dee Brown |
| August 8 | Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee | Dee Brown |
| August 15 | Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee | Dee Brown |
| August 22 | Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee | Dee Brown |
| August 29 | Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee | Dee Brown |
| September 5 | Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee | Dee Brown |
| September 12 | Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee | Dee Brown |
| September 19 | Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee | Dee Brown |
| September 26 | Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee | Dee Brown |
| October 3 | Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee | Dee Brown |
| October 10 | Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee | Dee Brown |
| October 17 | Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee | Dee Brown |
| October 24 | Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee | Dee Brown |
| October 31 | Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee | Dee Brown |
| November 7 | Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee | Dee Brown |
| November 14 | Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee | Dee Brown |
| November 21 | Any woman can! | David Reuben, M.D. |
| November 28 | Honor Thy Father | Gay Talese |
| December 5 | Eleanor and Franklin | Joseph P. Lash |
| December 12 | Eleanor and Franklin | Joseph P. Lash |
| December 19 | Eleanor and Franklin | Joseph P. Lash |
| December 26 | Eleanor and Franklin | Joseph P. Lash |