# List of The New York Times number-one books of 1986

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 | The Mammoth Hunters | Jean M. Auel |
| January 12 | The Mammoth Hunters | Jean M. Auel |
| January 19 | The Mammoth Hunters | Jean M. Auel |
| January 26 | The Mammoth Hunters | Jean M. Auel |
| February 2 | The Mammoth Hunters | Jean M. Auel |
| February 9 | The Mammoth Hunters | Jean M. Auel |
| February 16 | Lie Down with Lions | Ken Follett |
| February 23 | Lie Down with Lions | Ken Follett |
| March 2 | Lake Wobegon Days | Garrison Keillor |
| March 9 | The Bourne Supremacy | Robert Ludlum |
| March 16 | The Bourne Supremacy | Robert Ludlum |
| March 23 | The Bourne Supremacy | Robert Ludlum |
| March 30 | The Bourne Supremacy | Robert Ludlum |
| April 6 | The Bourne Supremacy | Robert Ludlum |
| April 13 | The Bourne Supremacy | Robert Ludlum |
| April 20 | The Bourne Supremacy | Robert Ludlum |
| April 27 | The Bourne Supremacy | Robert Ludlum |
| May 4 | A Perfect Spy | John le Carré |
| May 11 | A Perfect Spy | John le Carré |
| May 18 | A Perfect Spy | John le Carré |
| May 25 | I'll Take Manhattan | Judith Krantz |
| June 1 | A Perfect Spy | John le Carré |
| June 8 | I'll Take Manhattan | Judith Krantz |
| June 15 | A Perfect Spy | John le Carré |
| June 22 | Last of the Breed | Louis L'Amour |
| June 29 | Last of the Breed | Louis L'Amour |
| July 6 | Last of the Breed | Louis L'Amour |
| July 13 | Last of the Breed | Louis L'Amour |
| July 20 | Wanderlust | Danielle Steel |
| July 27 | Wanderlust | Danielle Steel |
| August 3 | Wanderlust | Danielle Steel |
| August 10 | Wanderlust | Danielle Steel |
| August 17 | Red Storm Rising | Tom Clancy |
| August 24 | Red Storm Rising | Tom Clancy |
| August 31 | Red Storm Rising | Tom Clancy |
| September 7 | Red Storm Rising | Tom Clancy |
| September 14 | It | Stephen King |
| September 21 | It | Stephen King |
| September 28 | It | Stephen King |
| October 5 | It | Stephen King |
| October 12 | It | Stephen King |
| October 19 | It | Stephen King |
| October 26 | It | Stephen King |
| November 2 | It | Stephen King |
| November 9 | It | Stephen King |
| November 16 | It | Stephen King |
| November 23 | Whirlwind | James Clavell |
| November 30 | Whirlwind | James Clavell |
| December 7 | Whirlwind | James Clavell |
| December 14 | Whirlwind | James Clavell |
| December 21 | It | Stephen King |
| December 28 | It | Stephen King |

## Nonfiction

The following list ranks the number-one best-selling nonfiction books, in the hardcover nonfiction category.
| Date | Book | Author |
| January 5 | Iacocca: An Autobiography | Lee Iacocca with William Novak |
| January 12 | Yeager: An Autobiography | Chuck Yeager and Leo Janos |
| January 19 | Iacocca: An Autobiography | Lee Iacocca with William Novak |
| January 26 | Yeager: An Autobiography | Chuck Yeager and Leo Janos |
| February 2 | Yeager: An Autobiography | Chuck Yeager and Leo Janos |
| February 9 | Iacocca: An Autobiography | Lee Iacocca with William Novak |
| February 16 | Iacocca: An Autobiography | Lee Iacocca with William Novak |
| February 23 | Bus 9 to Paradise | Leo Buscaglia |
| March 2 | Bus 9 to Paradise | Leo Buscaglia |
| March 9 | Bus 9 to Paradise | Leo Buscaglia |
| March 16 | Bus 9 to Paradise | Leo Buscaglia |
| March 23 | You're Only Old Once! | Dr. Seuss |
| March 30 | You're Only Old Once! | Dr. Seuss |
| April 6 | You're Only Old Once! | Dr. Seuss |
| April 13 | You're Only Old Once! | Dr. Seuss |
| April 20 | You're Only Old Once! | Dr. Seuss |
| April 27 | You're Only Old Once! | Dr. Seuss |
| May 4 | You're Only Old Once! | Dr. Seuss |
| May 11 | The Triumph of Politics | David Stockman |
| May 18 | The Triumph of Politics | David Stockman |
| May 25 | Fatherhood | Bill Cosby |
| June 1 | Fatherhood | Bill Cosby |
| June 8 | Fatherhood | Bill Cosby |
| June 15 | Fatherhood | Bill Cosby |
| June 22 | Fatherhood | Bill Cosby |
| June 29 | Fatherhood | Bill Cosby |
| July 6 | Fatherhood | Bill Cosby |
| July 13 | Fatherhood | Bill Cosby |
| July 20 | Fatherhood | Bill Cosby |
| July 27 | Fatherhood | Bill Cosby |
| August 3 | Fatherhood | Bill Cosby |
| August 10 | Fatherhood | Bill Cosby |
| August 17 | Fatherhood | Bill Cosby |
| August 24 | Fatherhood | Bill Cosby |
| August 31 | Fatherhood | Bill Cosby |
| September 7 | Fatherhood | Bill Cosby |
| September 14 | Fatherhood | Bill Cosby |
| September 21 | Fatherhood | Bill Cosby |
| September 28 | Fatherhood | Bill Cosby |
| October 5 | Fatherhood | Bill Cosby |
| October 12 | His Way | Kitty Kelley |
| October 19 | His Way | Kitty Kelley |
| October 26 | His Way | Kitty Kelley |
| November 2 | His Way | Kitty Kelley |
| November 9 | His Way | Kitty Kelley |
| November 16 | His Way | Kitty Kelley |
| November 23 | His Way | Kitty Kelley |
| November 30 | A Day in the Life of America | David Elliot Cohen and Rick Smolan |
| December 7 | A Day in the Life of America | David Elliot Cohen and Rick Smolan |
| December 14 | A Day in the Life of America | David Elliot Cohen and Rick Smolan |
| December 21 | Fatherhood | Bill Cosby |
| December 28 | Fatherhood | Bill Cosby |