# List of The New York Times number-one books of 1997

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.
| Date | Book | Author |
| January 5 | Airframe | Michael Crichton |
| January 12 | Airframe | Michael Crichton |
| January 19 | Airframe | Michael Crichton |
| January 26 | Airframe | Michael Crichton |
| February 2 | Hornet's Nest | Patricia Cornwell |
| February 9 | Hornet's Nest | Patricia Cornwell |
| February 16 | Hornet's Nest | Patricia Cornwell |
| February 23 | Hornet's Nest | Patricia Cornwell |
| March 2 | Sole Survivor | Dean Koontz |
| March 9 | Sole Survivor | Dean Koontz |
| March 16 | The Partner | John Grisham |
| March 23 | The Partner | John Grisham |
| March 30 | The Partner | John Grisham |
| April 6 | The Partner | John Grisham |
| April 13 | The Partner | John Grisham |
| April 20 | The Partner | John Grisham |
| April 27 | The Partner | John Grisham |
| May 4 | Pretend You Don't See Her | Mary Higgins Clark |
| May 11 | Pretend You Don't See Her | Mary Higgins Clark |
| May 18 | Pretend You Don't See Her | Mary Higgins Clark |
| May 25 | Pretend You Don't See Her | Mary Higgins Clark |
| June 1 | Pretend You Don't See Her | Mary Higgins Clark |
| June 8 | The Partner | John Grisham |
| June 15 | Plum Island | Nelson DeMille |
| June 22 | Plum Island | Nelson DeMille |
| June 29 | Plum Island | Nelson DeMille |
| July 6 | Plum Island | Nelson DeMille |
| July 13 | Plum Island | Nelson DeMille |
| July 20 | Special Delivery | Danielle Steel |
| July 27 | Special Delivery | Danielle Steel |
| August 3 | Unnatural Exposure | Patricia Cornwell |
| August 10 | Unnatural Exposure | Patricia Cornwell |
| August 17 | Unnatural Exposure | Patricia Cornwell |
| August 24 | Unnatural Exposure | Patricia Cornwell |
| August 31 | Cold Mountain | Charles Frazier |
| September 7 | Cold Mountain | Charles Frazier |
| September 14 | Cold Mountain | Charles Frazier |
| September 21 | Cold Mountain | Charles Frazier |
| September 28 | Cold Mountain | Charles Frazier |
| October 5 | Cold Mountain | Charles Frazier |
| October 12 | Flood Tide | Clive Cussler |
| October 19 | Flood Tide | Clive Cussler |
| October 26 | Flood Tide | Clive Cussler |
| November 2 | Cold Mountain | Charles Frazier |
| November 9 | Cold Mountain | Charles Frazier |
| November 16 | Cold Mountain | Charles Frazier |
| November 23 | Cold Mountain | Charles Frazier |
| November 30 | The Ghost | Danielle Steel |
| December 7 | Cold Mountain | Charles Frazier |
| December 14 | Cold Mountain | Charles Frazier |
| December 21 | Cold Mountain | Charles Frazier |
| December 28 | Cold Mountain | Charles Frazier |

## Nonfiction

The following list ranks the number-one best selling nonfiction books, in the hardcover nonfiction category.
| Date | Book | Author |
| January 5 | A Reporter's Life | Walter Cronkite |
| January 12 | A Reporter's Life | Walter Cronkite |
| January 19 | A Reporter's Life | Walter Cronkite |
| January 26 | A Reporter's Life | Walter Cronkite |
| February 2 | A Reporter's Life | Walter Cronkite |
| February 9 | A Reporter's Life | Walter Cronkite |
| February 16 | Angela's Ashes | Frank McCourt |
| February 23 | Personal History | Katharine Graham |
| March 2 | Personal History | Katharine Graham |
| March 9 | Personal History | Katharine Graham |
| March 16 | Murder in Brentwood | Mark Fuhrman |
| March 23 | Murder in Brentwood | Mark Fuhrman |
| March 30 | Angela's Ashes | Frank McCourt |
| April 6 | Angela's Ashes | Frank McCourt |
| April 13 | Angela's Ashes | Frank McCourt |
| April 20 | Angela's Ashes | Frank McCourt |
| April 27 | Angela's Ashes | Frank McCourt |
| May 4 | Angela's Ashes | Frank McCourt |
| May 11 | Underboss | Peter Maas |
| May 18 | Angela's Ashes | Frank McCourt |
| May 25 | Mothers & Daughters | Carol Saline and Sharon J. Wohlmuth |
| June 1 | Without a Doubt | Marcia Clark with Teresa Carpenter |
| June 8 | Into Thin Air | Jon Krakauer |
| June 15 | Into Thin Air | Jon Krakauer |
| June 22 | Into Thin Air | Jon Krakauer |
| June 29 | Just as I Am | Billy Graham |
| July 6 | Into Thin Air | Jon Krakauer |
| July 13 | Angela's Ashes | Frank McCourt |
| July 20 | Angela's Ashes | Frank McCourt |
| July 27 | Angela's Ashes | Frank McCourt |
| August 3 | Angela's Ashes | Frank McCourt |
| August 10 | Angela's Ashes | Frank McCourt |
| August 17 | Angela's Ashes | Frank McCourt |
| August 24 | Angela's Ashes | Frank McCourt |
| August 31 | Angela's Ashes | Frank McCourt |
| September 7 | Angela's Ashes | Frank McCourt |
| September 14 | Angela's Ashes | Frank McCourt |
| September 21 | Angela's Ashes | Frank McCourt |
| September 28 | Angela's Ashes | Frank McCourt |
| October 5 | The Royals | Kitty Kelley |
| October 12 | The Royals | Kitty Kelley |
| October 19 | The Royals | Kitty Kelley |
| October 26 | The Royals | Kitty Kelley |
| November 2 | Diana: Her True Story – In Her Own Words | Andrew Morton |
| November 9 | Diana: Her True Story – In Her Own Words | Andrew Morton |
| November 16 | Diana: Her True Story – In Her Own Words | Andrew Morton |
| November 23 | Angela's Ashes | Frank McCourt |
| November 30 | Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil | John Berendt |
| December 7 | Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil | John Berendt |
| December 14 | Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil | John Berendt |
| December 21 | Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil | John Berendt |
| December 28 | Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil | John Berendt |