# List of The New York Times number-one books of 1979

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 7 | Chesapeake | James Michener |
| January 14 | Chesapeake | James Michener |
| January 21 | Chesapeake | James Michener |
| January 28 | Chesapeake | James Michener |
| February 4 | Chesapeake | James Michener |
| February 11 | Chesapeake | James Michener |
| February 18 | War and Remembrance | Herman Wouk |
| February 25 | Overload | Arthur Hailey |
| March 4 | Chesapeake | James Michener |
| March 11 | Chesapeake | James Michener |
| March 18 | Overload | Arthur Hailey |
| March 25 | War and Remembrance | Herman Wouk |
| April 1 | War and Remembrance | Herman Wouk |
| April 8 | The Matarese Circle | Robert Ludlum |
| April 15 | Good as Gold | Joseph Heller |
| April 22 | Good as Gold | Joseph Heller |
| April 29 | The Matarese Circle | Robert Ludlum |
| May 6 | The Matarese Circle | Robert Ludlum |
| May 13 | The Matarese Circle | Robert Ludlum |
| May 20 | The Matarese Circle | Robert Ludlum |
| May 27 | The Matarese Circle | Robert Ludlum |
| June 3 | The Matarese Circle | Robert Ludlum |
| June 10 | The Matarese Circle | Robert Ludlum |
| June 17 | The Matarese Circle | Robert Ludlum |
| June 24 | The Matarese Circle | Robert Ludlum |
| July 1 | The Matarese Circle | Robert Ludlum |
| July 8 | The Matarese Circle | Robert Ludlum |
| July 15 | The Matarese Circle | Robert Ludlum |
| July 22 | Sophie's Choice | William Styron |
| July 29 | Sophie's Choice | William Styron |
| August 5 | The Matarese Circle | Robert Ludlum |
| August 12 | Sophie's Choice | William Styron |
| August 19 | Sophie's Choice | William Styron |
| August 26 | Sophie's Choice | William Styron |
| September 2 | Sophie's Choice | William Styron |
| September 9 | The Last Enchantment | Mary Stewart |
| September 16 | The Last Enchantment | Mary Stewart |
| September 23 | The Last Enchantment | Mary Stewart |
| September 30 | The Last Enchantment | Mary Stewart |
| October 7 | Jailbird | Kurt Vonnegut |
| October 14 | The Dead Zone | Stephen King |
| October 21 | The Dead Zone | Stephen King |
| October 28 | The Establishment | Howard Fast |
| November 4 | Jailbird | Kurt Vonnegut |
| November 11 | The Establishment | Howard Fast |
| November 18 | The Establishment | Howard Fast |
| November 25 | The Establishment | Howard Fast |
| December 2 | The Establishment | Howard Fast |
| December 9 | Triple | Ken Follett |
| December 16 | Triple | Ken Follett |
| December 23 | The Establishment | Howard Fast |
| December 30 | Jailbird | Kurt Vonnegut |

## Nonfiction

The following list ranks the number-one best-selling nonfiction books, in the hardcover nonfiction category.
| Date | Book | Author |
| January 7 | Mommie Dearest | Christina Crawford |
| January 14 | Gnomes | text by Wil Huygen, illustrated by Rien Poortvliet |
| January 21 | Mommie Dearest | Christina Crawford |
| January 28 | Mommie Dearest | Christina Crawford |
| February 4 | Mommie Dearest | Christina Crawford |
| February 11 | Lauren Bacall by Myself | Lauren Bacall |
| February 18 | Lauren Bacall by Myself | Lauren Bacall |
| February 25 | Lauren Bacall by Myself | Lauren Bacall |
| March 4 | Lauren Bacall by Myself | Lauren Bacall |
| March 11 | Lauren Bacall by Myself | Lauren Bacall |
| March 18 | Lauren Bacall by Myself | Lauren Bacall |
| March 25 | Lauren Bacall by Myself | Lauren Bacall |
| April 1 | The Complete Scarsdale Medical Diet | Herman Tarnower, M.D. and Samm Sinclair Baker |
| April 8 | The Complete Scarsdale Medical Diet | Herman Tarnower, M.D. and Samm Sinclair Baker |
| April 15 | The Complete Scarsdale Medical Diet | Herman Tarnower, M.D. and Samm Sinclair Baker |
| April 22 | The Complete Scarsdale Medical Diet | Herman Tarnower, M.D. and Samm Sinclair Baker |
| April 29 | The Complete Scarsdale Medical Diet | Herman Tarnower, M.D. and Samm Sinclair Baker |
| May 6 | The Complete Scarsdale Medical Diet | Herman Tarnower, M.D. and Samm Sinclair Baker |
| May 13 | The Complete Scarsdale Medical Diet | Herman Tarnower, M.D. and Samm Sinclair Baker |
| May 20 | The Complete Scarsdale Medical Diet | Herman Tarnower, M.D. and Samm Sinclair Baker |
| May 27 | The Complete Scarsdale Medical Diet | Herman Tarnower, M.D. and Samm Sinclair Baker |
| June 3 | The Complete Scarsdale Medical Diet | Herman Tarnower, M.D. and Samm Sinclair Baker |
| June 10 | The Complete Scarsdale Medical Diet | Herman Tarnower, M.D. and Samm Sinclair Baker |
| June 17 | The Complete Scarsdale Medical Diet | Herman Tarnower, M.D. and Samm Sinclair Baker |
| June 24 | The Complete Scarsdale Medical Diet | Herman Tarnower, M.D. and Samm Sinclair Baker |
| July 1 | The Complete Scarsdale Medical Diet | Herman Tarnower, M.D. and Samm Sinclair Baker |
| July 8 | The Complete Scarsdale Medical Diet | Herman Tarnower, M.D. and Samm Sinclair Baker |
| July 15 | The Complete Scarsdale Medical Diet | Herman Tarnower, M.D. and Samm Sinclair Baker |
| July 22 | Cruel Shoes | Steve Martin |
| July 29 | The Complete Scarsdale Medical Diet | Herman Tarnower, M.D. and Samm Sinclair Baker |
| August 5 | The Complete Scarsdale Medical Diet | Herman Tarnower, M.D. and Samm Sinclair Baker |
| August 12 | The Complete Scarsdale Medical Diet | Herman Tarnower, M.D. and Samm Sinclair Baker |
| August 19 | The Complete Scarsdale Medical Diet | Herman Tarnower, M.D. and Samm Sinclair Baker |
| August 26 | The Complete Scarsdale Medical Diet | Herman Tarnower, M.D. and Samm Sinclair Baker |
| September 2 | The Complete Scarsdale Medical Diet | Herman Tarnower, M.D. and Samm Sinclair Baker |
| September 9 | The Complete Scarsdale Medical Diet | Herman Tarnower, M.D. and Samm Sinclair Baker |
| September 16 | The Complete Scarsdale Medical Diet | Herman Tarnower, M.D. and Samm Sinclair Baker |
| September 23 | The Complete Scarsdale Medical Diet | Herman Tarnower, M.D. and Samm Sinclair Baker |
| September 30 | The Complete Scarsdale Medical Diet | Herman Tarnower, M.D. and Samm Sinclair Baker |
| October 7 | The Complete Scarsdale Medical Diet | Herman Tarnower, M.D. and Samm Sinclair Baker |
| October 14 | The Complete Scarsdale Medical Diet | Herman Tarnower, M.D. and Samm Sinclair Baker |
| October 21 | The Complete Scarsdale Medical Diet | Herman Tarnower, M.D. and Samm Sinclair Baker |
| October 28 | Aunt Erma's Cope Book | Erma Bombeck |
| November 4 | The Complete Scarsdale Medical Diet | Herman Tarnower, M.D. and Samm Sinclair Baker |
| November 11 | The Complete Scarsdale Medical Diet | Herman Tarnower, M.D. and Samm Sinclair Baker |
| November 18 | Aunt Erma's Cope Book | Erma Bombeck |
| November 25 | Aunt Erma's Cope Book | Erma Bombeck |
| December 2 | Aunt Erma's Cope Book | Erma Bombeck |
| December 9 | Aunt Erma's Cope Book | Erma Bombeck |
| December 16 | Aunt Erma's Cope Book | Erma Bombeck |
| December 23 | Aunt Erma's Cope Book | Erma Bombeck |
| December 30 | The Brethren | Bob Woodward and Scott Armstrong |