# List of The New York Times number-one books of 1972

This is a list of books that topped The New York Times best-seller list in 1972.

## Fiction

The following list ranks the number-one best-selling fiction books.
| Date | Book | Author |
| January 2 | Wheels | Arthur Hailey |
| January 9 | Wheels | Arthur Hailey |
| January 16 | The Winds of War | Herman Wouk |
| January 23 | Wheels | Arthur Hailey |
| January 30 | The Winds of War | Herman Wouk |
| February 6 | The Winds of War | Herman Wouk |
| February 13 | The Winds of War | Herman Wouk |
| February 20 | The Winds of War | Herman Wouk |
| February 27 | The Winds of War | Herman Wouk |
| March 5 | The Winds of War | Herman Wouk |
| March 12 | The Winds of War | Herman Wouk |
| March 19 | The Winds of War | Herman Wouk |
| March 26 | The Winds of War | Herman Wouk |
| April 2 | The Winds of War | Herman Wouk |
| April 9 | The Winds of War | Herman Wouk |
| April 16 | The Winds of War | Herman Wouk |
| April 23 | The Winds of War | Herman Wouk |
| April 30 | The Winds of War | Herman Wouk |
| May 7 | The Winds of War | Herman Wouk |
| May 14 | The Word | Irving Wallace |
| May 21 | The Winds of War | Herman Wouk |
| May 28 | The Winds of War | Herman Wouk |
| June 4 | The Word | Irving Wallace |
| June 11 | The Winds of War | Herman Wouk |
| June 18 | The Winds of War | Herman Wouk |
| June 25 | The Winds of War | Herman Wouk |
| July 2 | Jonathan Livingston Seagull | Richard Bach |
| July 9 | Jonathan Livingston Seagull | Richard Bach |
| July 16 | Jonathan Livingston Seagull | Richard Bach |
| July 23 | Jonathan Livingston Seagull | Richard Bach |
| July 30 | Jonathan Livingston Seagull | Richard Bach |
| August 6 | Jonathan Livingston Seagull | Richard Bach |
| August 13 | Jonathan Livingston Seagull | Richard Bach |
| August 20 | Jonathan Livingston Seagull | Richard Bach |
| August 27 | Jonathan Livingston Seagull | Richard Bach |
| September 3 | Jonathan Livingston Seagull | Richard Bach |
| September 10 | Jonathan Livingston Seagull | Richard Bach |
| September 17 | Jonathan Livingston Seagull | Richard Bach |
| September 24 | Jonathan Livingston Seagull | Richard Bach |
| October 1 | Jonathan Livingston Seagull | Richard Bach |
| October 8 | Jonathan Livingston Seagull | Richard Bach |
| October 15 | Jonathan Livingston Seagull | Richard Bach |
| October 22 | Jonathan Livingston Seagull | Richard Bach |
| October 29 | Jonathan Livingston Seagull | Richard Bach |
| November 5 | Jonathan Livingston Seagull | Richard Bach |
| November 12 | Jonathan Livingston Seagull | Richard Bach |
| November 19 | Jonathan Livingston Seagull | Richard Bach |
| November 26 | Jonathan Livingston Seagull | Richard Bach |
| December 3 | Jonathan Livingston Seagull | Richard Bach |
| December 10 | Jonathan Livingston Seagull | Richard Bach |
| December 17 | Jonathan Livingston Seagull | Richard Bach |
| December 24 | Jonathan Livingston Seagull | Richard Bach |
| December 31 | Jonathan Livingston Seagull | Richard Bach |

## Nonfiction

The following list ranks the number-one best-selling nonfiction books.
| Date | Book | Author |
| January 2 | Eleanor and Franklin | Joseph P. Lash |
| January 9 | Eleanor and Franklin | Joseph P. Lash |
| January 16 | Eleanor and Franklin | Joseph P. Lash |
| January 23 | Eleanor and Franklin | Joseph P. Lash |
| January 30 | Eleanor and Franklin | Joseph P. Lash |
| February 6 | Eleanor and Franklin | Joseph P. Lash |
| February 13 | Eleanor and Franklin | Joseph P. Lash |
| February 20 | Eleanor and Franklin | Joseph P. Lash |
| February 27 | Eleanor and Franklin | Joseph P. Lash |
| March 5 | Eleanor and Franklin | Joseph P. Lash |
| March 12 | Eleanor and Franklin | Joseph P. Lash |
| March 19 | The Game Of The Foxes | Ladislas Farago |
| March 26 | The Game Of The Foxes | Ladislas Farago |
| April 2 | The Game Of The Foxes | Ladislas Farago |
| April 9 | The Game Of The Foxes | Ladislas Farago |
| April 16 | The Game Of The Foxes | Ladislas Farago |
| April 23 | The Game Of The Foxes | Ladislas Farago |
| April 30 | The Game Of The Foxes | Ladislas Farago |
| May 7 | The Game Of The Foxes | Ladislas Farago |
| May 14 | The Game Of The Foxes | Ladislas Farago |
| May 21 | The Game Of The Foxes | Ladislas Farago |
| May 28 | The Boys of Summer | Roger Kahn |
| June 4 | The Boys of Summer | Roger Kahn |
| June 11 | The Boys of Summer | Roger Kahn |
| June 18 | The Boys of Summer | Roger Kahn |
| June 25 | I'm OK – You're OK | Thomas A. Harris, M.D. |
| July 2 | The Boys of Summer | Roger Kahn |
| July 9 | The Boys of Summer | Roger Kahn |
| July 16 | I'm OK – You're OK | Thomas A. Harris, M.D. |
| July 23 | O Jerusalem! | Larry Collins and Dominique Lapierre |
| July 30 | O Jerusalem! | Larry Collins and Dominique Lapierre |
| August 6 | I'm OK – You're OK | Thomas A. Harris, M.D. |
| August 13 | O Jerusalem! | Larry Collins and Dominique Lapierre |
| August 20 | I'm OK – You're OK | Thomas A. Harris, M.D. |
| August 27 | O Jerusalem! | Larry Collins and Dominique Lapierre |
| September 3 | I'm OK – You're OK | Thomas A. Harris, M.D. |
| September 10 | I'm OK – You're OK | Thomas A. Harris, M.D. |
| September 17 | I'm OK – You're OK | Thomas A. Harris, M.D. |
| September 24 | I'm OK – You're OK | Thomas A. Harris, M.D. |
| October 1 | I'm OK – You're OK | Thomas A. Harris, M.D. |
| October 8 | I'm OK – You're OK | Thomas A. Harris, M.D. |
| October 15 | I'm OK – You're OK | Thomas A. Harris, M.D. |
| October 22 | I'm OK – You're OK | Thomas A. Harris, M.D. |
| October 29 | I'm OK – You're OK | Thomas A. Harris, M.D. |
| November 5 | I'm OK – You're OK | Thomas A. Harris, M.D. |
| November 12 | I'm OK – You're OK | Thomas A. Harris, M.D. |
| November 19 | I'm OK – You're OK | Thomas A. Harris, M.D. |
| November 26 | I'm OK – You're OK | Thomas A. Harris, M.D. |
| December 3 | I'm OK – You're OK | Thomas A. Harris, M.D. |
| December 10 | I'm OK – You're OK | Thomas A. Harris, M.D. |
| December 17 | I'm OK – You're OK | Thomas A. Harris, M.D. |
| December 24 | I'm OK – You're OK | Thomas A. Harris, M.D. |
| December 31 | I'm OK – You're OK | Thomas A. Harris, M.D. |