# List of The New York Times number-one books of 1980

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 6 | Jailbird | Kurt Vonnegut |
| January 13 | Jailbird | Kurt Vonnegut |
| January 20 | Smiley's People | John le Carré |
| January 27 | Smiley's People | John le Carré |
| February 3 | Smiley's People | John le Carré |
| February 10 | Smiley's People | John le Carré |
| February 17 | Princess Daisy | Judith Krantz |
| February 24 | Princess Daisy | Judith Krantz |
| March 2 | Princess Daisy | Judith Krantz |
| March 9 | Princess Daisy | Judith Krantz |
| March 16 | Princess Daisy | Judith Krantz |
| March 23 | The Bourne Identity | Robert Ludlum |
| March 30 | The Bourne Identity | Robert Ludlum |
| April 6 | The Bourne Identity | Robert Ludlum |
| April 13 | The Bourne Identity | Robert Ludlum |
| April 20 | The Bourne Identity | Robert Ludlum |
| April 27 | The Bourne Identity | Robert Ludlum |
| May 4 | The Bourne Identity | Robert Ludlum |
| May 11 | The Bourne Identity | Robert Ludlum |
| May 18 | The Bourne Identity | Robert Ludlum |
| May 25 | The Bourne Identity | Robert Ludlum |
| June 1 | The Bourne Identity | Robert Ludlum |
| June 8 | The Bourne Identity | Robert Ludlum |
| June 15 | The Bourne Identity | Robert Ludlum |
| June 22 | The Bourne Identity | Robert Ludlum |
| June 29 | The Bourne Identity | Robert Ludlum |
| July 6 | The Bourne Identity | Robert Ludlum |
| July 13 | Rage of Angels | Sidney Sheldon |
| July 20 | Rage of Angels | Sidney Sheldon |
| July 27 | Rage of Angels | Sidney Sheldon |
| August 3 | Rage of Angels | Sidney Sheldon |
| August 10 | Rage of Angels | Sidney Sheldon |
| August 17 | Rage of Angels | Sidney Sheldon |
| August 24 | Rage of Angels | Sidney Sheldon |
| August 31 | Rage of Angels | Sidney Sheldon |
| September 7 | Rage of Angels | Sidney Sheldon |
| September 14 | Rage of Angels | Sidney Sheldon |
| September 21 | Rage of Angels | Sidney Sheldon |
| September 28 | Firestarter | Stephen King |
| October 5 | Firestarter | Stephen King |
| October 12 | Firestarter | Stephen King |
| October 19 | The Key to Rebecca | Ken Follett |
| October 26 | The Key to Rebecca | Ken Follett |
| November 2 | The Covenant | James Michener |
| November 9 | The Covenant | James Michener |
| November 16 | The Covenant | James Michener |
| November 23 | The Covenant | James Michener |
| November 30 | The Covenant | James Michener |
| December 7 | The Covenant | James Michener |
| December 14 | The Covenant | James Michener |
| December 21 | The Covenant | James Michener |
| December 28 | The Covenant | James Michener |

## Nonfiction

The following list ranks the number-one best-selling nonfiction books, in the hardcover nonfiction category.
| Date | Book | Author |
| January 6 | Aunt Erma's Cope Book | Erma Bombeck |
| January 13 | Aunt Erma's Cope Book | Erma Bombeck |
| January 20 | Aunt Erma's Cope Book | Erma Bombeck |
| January 27 | The Brethren | Bob Woodward and Scott Armstrong |
| February 3 | The Brethren | Bob Woodward and Scott Armstrong |
| February 10 | The Brethren | Bob Woodward and Scott Armstrong |
| February 17 | The Brethren | Bob Woodward and Scott Armstrong |
| February 24 | The Brethren | Bob Woodward and Scott Armstrong |
| March 2 | The Brethren | Bob Woodward and Scott Armstrong |
| March 9 | The Brethren | Bob Woodward and Scott Armstrong |
| March 16 | The Brethren | Bob Woodward and Scott Armstrong |
| March 23 | Donahue | Phil Donahue |
| March 30 | Donahue | Phil Donahue |
| April 6 | Free to Choose | Milton Friedman and Rose Friedman |
| April 13 | Free to Choose | Milton Friedman and Rose Friedman |
| April 20 | Free to Choose | Milton Friedman and Rose Friedman |
| April 27 | Free to Choose | Milton Friedman and Rose Friedman |
| May 4 | Free to Choose | Milton Friedman and Rose Friedman |
| May 11 | Free to Choose | Milton Friedman and Rose Friedman |
| May 18 | Men in Love | Nancy Friday |
| May 25 | Thy Neighbor's Wife | Gay Talese |
| June 1 | Thy Neighbor's Wife | Gay Talese |
| June 8 | Thy Neighbor's Wife | Gay Talese |
| June 15 | Thy Neighbor's Wife | Gay Talese |
| June 22 | Thy Neighbor's Wife | Gay Talese |
| June 29 | Thy Neighbor's Wife | Gay Talese |
| July 6 | Thy Neighbor's Wife | Gay Talese |
| July 13 | Thy Neighbor's Wife | Gay Talese |
| July 20 | Thy Neighbor's Wife | Gay Talese |
| July 27 | Thy Neighbor's Wife | Gay Talese |
| August 3 | Shelley: Also known as Shirley | Shelley Winters |
| August 10 | Shelley: Also known as Shirley | Shelley Winters |
| August 17 | Shelley: Also known as Shirley | Shelley Winters |
| August 24 | Shelley: Also known as Shirley | Shelley Winters |
| August 31 | Shelley: Also known as Shirley | Shelley Winters |
| September 7 | Shelley: Also known as Shirley | Shelley Winters |
| September 14 | Shelley: Also known as Shirley | Shelley Winters |
| September 21 | Crisis Investing | Doug R. Casey |
| September 28 | Crisis Investing | Doug R. Casey |
| October 5 | Crisis Investing | Doug R. Casey |
| October 12 | Crisis Investing | Doug R. Casey |
| October 19 | Crisis Investing | Doug R. Casey |
| October 26 | Crisis Investing | Doug R. Casey |
| November 2 | Crisis Investing | Doug R. Casey |
| November 9 | Cosmos | Carl Sagan |
| November 16 | Cosmos | Carl Sagan |
| November 23 | Cosmos | Carl Sagan |
| November 30 | Cosmos | Carl Sagan |
| December 7 | Cosmos | Carl Sagan |
| December 14 | Cosmos | Carl Sagan |
| December 21 | Cosmos | Carl Sagan |
| December 28 | Cosmos | Carl Sagan |