# List of The New York Times number-one books of 1990

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 | The Dark Half | Stephen King |
| January 14 | The Dark Half | Stephen King |
| January 21 | Daddy | Danielle Steel |
| January 28 | Daddy | Danielle Steel |
| February 4 | The Bad Place | Dean Koontz |
| February 11 | The Bad Place | Dean Koontz |
| February 18 | Devices and Desires | P. D. James |
| February 25 | Devices and Desires | P. D. James |
| March 4 | Oh, the Places You'll Go! | Dr. Seuss |
| March 11 | Devices and Desires | P. D. James |
| March 18 | The Bourne Ultimatum | Robert Ludlum |
| March 25 | The Bourne Ultimatum | Robert Ludlum |
| April 1 | The Bourne Ultimatum | Robert Ludlum |
| April 8 | The Bourne Ultimatum | Robert Ludlum |
| April 15 | The Bourne Ultimatum | Robert Ludlum |
| April 22 | September | Rosamunde Pilcher |
| April 29 | September | Rosamunde Pilcher |
| May 6 | September | Rosamunde Pilcher |
| May 13 | The Stand | Stephen King |
| May 20 | The Stand | Stephen King |
| May 27 | September | Rosamunde Pilcher |
| June 3 | The Stand | Stephen King |
| June 10 | The Stand | Stephen King |
| June 17 | The Burden of Proof | Scott Turow |
| June 24 | The Burden of Proof | Scott Turow |
| July 1 | The Burden of Proof | Scott Turow |
| July 8 | The Burden of Proof | Scott Turow |
| July 15 | The Burden of Proof | Scott Turow |
| July 22 | The Burden of Proof | Scott Turow |
| July 29 | The Burden of Proof | Scott Turow |
| August 5 | The Burden of Proof | Scott Turow |
| August 12 | The Burden of Proof | Scott Turow |
| August 19 | The Burden of Proof | Scott Turow |
| August 26 | The Burden of Proof | Scott Turow |
| September 2 | Memories of Midnight | Sidney Sheldon |
| September 9 | Memories of Midnight | Sidney Sheldon |
| September 16 | Four Past Midnight | Stephen King |
| September 23 | Four Past Midnight | Stephen King |
| September 30 | Four Past Midnight | Stephen King |
| October 7 | Four Past Midnight | Stephen King |
| October 14 | Four Past Midnight | Stephen King |
| October 21 | The Plains of Passage | Jean M. Auel |
| October 28 | The Plains of Passage | Jean M. Auel |
| November 4 | The Plains of Passage | Jean M. Auel |
| November 11 | The Plains of Passage | Jean M. Auel |
| November 18 | The Plains of Passage | Jean M. Auel |
| November 25 | The Plains of Passage | Jean M. Auel |
| December 2 | The Plains of Passage | Jean M. Auel |
| December 9 | The Plains of Passage | Jean M. Auel |
| December 16 | The Plains of Passage | Jean M. Auel |
| December 23 | The Plains of Passage | Jean M. Auel |
| December 30 | The Plains of Passage | Jean M. Auel |

## Nonfiction

The following list ranks the number-one best selling nonfiction books, in the hardcover nonfiction category.
| Date | Book | Author |
| January 7 | It Was On Fire When I Lay Down On It | Robert Fulghum |
| January 14 | It Was On Fire When I Lay Down On It | Robert Fulghum |
| January 21 | It Was On Fire When I Lay Down On It | Robert Fulghum |
| January 28 | Liar's Poker | Michael Lewis |
| February 4 | Megatrends 2000 | John Naisbitt and Patricia Aburdene |
| February 11 | Megatrends 2000 | John Naisbitt and Patricia Aburdene |
| February 18 |
| February 25 |
| March 4 |
| March 11 | Barbarians at the Gate | Bryan Burrough and John Helyar |
| March 18 | Megatrends 2000 | John Naisbitt and Patricia Aburdene |
| March 25 | Megatrends 2000 | John Naisbitt and Patricia Aburdene |
| April 1 | Megatrends 2000 | John Naisbitt and Patricia Aburdene |
| April 8 | Means of Ascent | Robert A. Caro |
| April 15 | Megatrends 2000 | John Naisbitt and Patricia Aburdene |
| April 22 | Means of Ascent | Robert A. Caro |
| April 29 | Men at Work | George F. Will |
| May 6 | Men at Work | George F. Will |
| May 13 | Men at Work | George F. Will |
| May 20 | Men at Work | George F. Will |
| May 27 | Men at Work | George F. Will |
| June 3 | Men at Work | George F. Will |
| June 10 | Men at Work | George F. Will |
| June 17 | Men at Work | George F. Will |
| June 24 | Men at Work | George F. Will |
| July 1 | Men at Work | George F. Will |
| July 8 | Men at Work | George F. Will |
| July 15 | Men at Work | George F. Will |
| July 22 | Men at Work | George F. Will |
| July 29 | Men at Work | George F. Will |
| August 5 | Men at Work | George F. Will |
| August 12 | Men at Work | George F. Will |
| August 19 | Men at Work | George F. Will |
| August 26 | Men at Work | George F. Will |
| September 2 | Men at Work | George F. Will |
| September 9 | Trump: Surviving at the Top | Donald J. Trump with Charles Leerhsen |
| September 16 | Darkness Visible | William Styron |
| September 23 | Trump: Surviving at the Top | Donald J. Trump with Charles Leerhsen |
| September 30 | Millie's Book | as dictated to Barbara Bush |
| October 7 | By Way of Deception | Victor Ostrovsky and Claire Hoy |
| October 14 | By Way of Deception | Victor Ostrovsky and Claire Hoy |
| October 21 | By Way of Deception | Victor Ostrovsky and Claire Hoy |
| October 28 | By Way of Deception | Victor Ostrovsky and Claire Hoy |
| November 4 | By Way of Deception | Victor Ostrovsky and Claire Hoy |
| November 11 | The Civil War | Geoffrey C. Ward with Ric Burns and Ken Burns |
| November 18 | The Civil War | Geoffrey C. Ward with Ric Burns and Ken Burns |
| November 25 | The Civil War | Geoffrey C. Ward with Ric Burns and Ken Burns |
| December 2 | A Life on the Road | Charles Kuralt |
| December 9 | A Life on the Road | Charles Kuralt |
| December 16 | A Life on the Road | Charles Kuralt |
| December 23 | A Life on the Road | Charles Kuralt |
| December 30 | A Life on the Road | Charles Kuralt |