# List of The New York Times number-one books of 2010

The American daily newspaper The New York Times publishes multiple weekly lists ranking the best selling books in the United States. The lists are split in three genres—fiction, nonfiction and children's books. Both the fiction and nonfiction lists are further split into multiple lists.

## Fiction

The following list ranks the number-one best selling fiction books, in the hardcover fiction category.
The most popular books of the year were The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest, by Stieg Larsson and The Help, by Kathryn Stockett, with respectively 8 and 6 weeks at the top. The author James Patterson was at the top for five different books (Worst Case, The 9th Judgment, Private, The Postcard Killers and Cross Fire).
| Date | Book | Author |
| January 3 | The Lost Symbol | Dan Brown |
| January 10 | The Lost Symbol | Dan Brown |
| January 17 | The Lost Symbol | Dan Brown |
| January 24 | The Help | Kathryn Stockett |
| January 31 | The Help | Kathryn Stockett |
| February 7 | The Help | Kathryn Stockett |
| February 14 | The Help | Kathryn Stockett |
| February 21 | Worst Case | James Patterson |
| February 28 | Worst Case | James Patterson |
| March 7 | The Help | Kathryn Stockett |
| March 14 | Fantasy in Death | J. D. Robb |
| March 21 | House Rules | Jodi Picoult |
| March 28 | House Rules | Jodi Picoult |
| April 4 | The Help | Kathryn Stockett |
| April 11 | Caught | Harlan Coben |
| April 18 | Silver Borne | Patricia Briggs |
| April 25 | Changes | Jim Butcher |
| May 2 | The Shadow of Your Smile | Mary Higgins Clark |
| May 9 | Deliver us from Evil | David Baldacci |
| May 16 | The 9th Judgment | James Patterson and Maxine Paetro |
| May 23 | Dead in the Family | Charlaine Harris |
| May 30 | Dead in the Family | Charlaine Harris |
| June 6 | 61 Hours | Lee Child |
| June 13 | The Girl Who Kicked the Hornets' Nest | Stieg Larsson |
| June 20 | The Girl Who Kicked the Hornets' Nest | Stieg Larsson |
| June 27 | The Girl Who Kicked the Hornets' Nest | Stieg Larsson |
| July 4 | The Overton Window | Glenn Beck |
| July 11 | Sizzling Sixteen | Janet Evanovich |
| July 18 | Private | James Patterson |
| July 25 | The Search | Nora Roberts |
| August 1 | The Girl Who Kicked the Hornets' Nest | Stieg Larsson |
| August 8 | The Rembrandt Affair | Daniel Silva |
| August 15 | The Girl Who Kicked the Hornets' Nest | Stieg Larsson |
| August 22 | The Girl Who Kicked the Hornets' Nest | Stieg Larsson |
| August 29 | The Girl Who Kicked the Hornets' Nest | Stieg Larsson |
| September 5 | The Postcard Killers | James Patterson and Liza Marklund |
| September 12 | The Girl Who Kicked the Hornets' Nest | Stieg Larsson |
| September 19 | Freedom | Jonathan Franzen |
| September 26 | Freedom | Jonathan Franzen |
| October 3 | Safe Haven | Nicholas Sparks |
| October 10 | Freedom | Jonathan Franzen |
| October 17 | Fall of Giants | Ken Follett |
| October 24 | The Reversal | Michael Connelly |
| October 31 | American Assassin | Vince Flynn |
| November 7 | Worth Dying For | Lee Child |
| November 14 | The Confession | John Grisham |
| November 21 | Towers of Midnight | Robert Jordan and Brandon Sanderson |
| November 28 | Hell's Corner | David Baldacci |
| December 5 | Cross Fire | James Patterson |
| December 12 | Cross Fire | James Patterson |
| December 19 | Port Mortuary | Patricia Cornwell |
| December 26 | Dead or Alive | Tom Clancy and Grant Blackwood |

## Nonfiction

The following list ranks the number-one best selling nonfiction books, in the hardcover nonfiction category.
| Date | Book | Author | Publisher |
| January 3 | Going Rogue | Sarah Palin | HarperCollins |
| January 10 | Have a Little Faith | Mitch Albom | Hyperion |
| January 19 | Committed | Elizabeth Gilbert | Viking |
| January 24 | Game Change | John Heilemann and Mark Halperin | HarperCollins |
| January 31 | Game Change | John Heilemann and Mark Halperin | HarperCollins |
| February 7 | Game Change | John Heilemann and Mark Halperin | HarperCollins |
| February 14 | Game Change | John Heilemann and Mark Halperin | HarperCollins |
| February 21 | Game Change | John Heilemann and Mark Halperin | HarperCollins |
| February 28 | Game Change | John Heilemann and Mark Halperin | HarperCollins |
| March 7 | Game Change | John Heilemann and Mark Halperin | HarperCollins |
| March 14 | No Apology | Mitt Romney | St. Martin's |
| March 21 | Chelsea Chelsea Bang Bang | Chelsea Handler | Grand Central |
| March 28 | The Big Short | Michael Lewis | Norton |
| April 4 | The Big Short | Michael Lewis | Norton |
| April 11 | The Big Short | Michael Lewis | Norton |
| April 18 | The Big Short | Michael Lewis | Norton |
| April 25 | Oprah: A Biography | Kitty Kelley | Crown |
| May 2 | The Big Short | Michael Lewis | Norton |
| May 9 | The Big Short | Michael Lewis | Norton |
| May 16 | Spoken from the Heart | Laura Bush | Scribner |
| May 30 | Spoken from the Heart | Laura Bush | Scribner |
| June 6 | Spoken from the Heart | Laura Bush | Scribner |
| June 13 | Spoken from the Heart | Laura Bush | Scribner |
| June 20 | Shit My Dad Says | Justin Halpern | HarperCollins |
| June 27 | Shit My Dad Says | Justin Halpern | HarperCollins |
| July 4 | Shit My Dad Says | Justin Halpern | HarperCollins |
| July 11 | Shit My Dad Says | Justin Halpern | HarperCollins |
| July 18 | Shit My Dad Says | Justin Halpern | HarperCollins |
| July 25 | Shit My Dad Says | Justin Halpern | HarperCollins |
| August 1 | The Obama Diaries | Laura Ingraham | Threshold Editions |
| August 8 | Shit My Dad Says | Justin Halpern | HarperCollins |
| August 15 | Shit My Dad Says | Justin Halpern | HarperCollins |
| August 22 | Shit My Dad Says | Justin Halpern | HarperCollins |
| August 29 | Shit My Dad Says | Justin Halpern | HarperCollins |
| September 5 | Shit My Dad Says | Justin Halpern | HarperCollins |
| September 12 | Crimes Against Liberty | David Limbaugh | Regnery |
| September 19 | Crimes Against Liberty | David Limbaugh | Regnery |
| September 26 | The Grand Design | Stephen Hawking and Leonard Mlodinow | Bantam Books |
| October 3 | The Grand Design | Stephen Hawking and Leonard Mlodinow | Bantam Books |
| October 10 | Earth (The Book) | Jon Stewart and others | Grand Central |
| October 17 | Obama's Wars | Bob Woodward | Simon & Schuster |
| October 24 | Obama's Wars | Bob Woodward | Simon & Schuster |
| October 31 | Earth (The Book) | Jon Stewart and others | Grand Central |
| November 7 | Earth (The Book) | Jon Stewart and others | Grand Central |
| November 14 | Life | Keith Richards with James Fox | Little, Brown |
| November 21 | Life | Keith Richards with James Fox | Little, Brown |
| November 28 | Decision Points | George W. Bush | Crown |
| December 5 | Decision Points | George W. Bush | Crown |
| December 12 | Decision Points | George W. Bush | Crown |
| December 19 | Decision Points | George W. Bush | Crown |
| December 26 | Decision Points | George W. Bush | Crown |