# List of The New York Times number-one books of 1988

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 3 | The Tommyknockers | Stephen King |
| January 10 | The Tommyknockers | Stephen King |
| January 17 | The Tommyknockers | Stephen King |
| January 24 | The Bonfire of the Vanities | Tom Wolfe |
| January 31 | The Bonfire of the Vanities | Tom Wolfe |
| February 7 | The Bonfire of the Vanities | Tom Wolfe |
| February 14 | The Bonfire of the Vanities | Tom Wolfe |
| February 21 | The Bonfire of the Vanities | Tom Wolfe |
| February 28 | The Bonfire of the Vanities | Tom Wolfe |
| March 6 | The Bonfire of the Vanities | Tom Wolfe |
| March 13 | The Bonfire of the Vanities | Tom Wolfe |
| March 20 | The Icarus Agenda | Robert Ludlum |
| March 27 | The Icarus Agenda | Robert Ludlum |
| April 3 | The Icarus Agenda | Robert Ludlum |
| April 10 | The Icarus Agenda | Robert Ludlum |
| April 17 | The Icarus Agenda | Robert Ludlum |
| April 24 | The Icarus Agenda | Robert Ludlum |
| May 1 | The Icarus Agenda | Robert Ludlum |
| May 8 | The Icarus Agenda | Robert Ludlum |
| May 15 | Zoya | Danielle Steel |
| May 22 | Zoya | Danielle Steel |
| May 29 | Zoya | Danielle Steel |
| June 5 | Zoya | Danielle Steel |
| June 12 | Zoya | Danielle Steel |
| June 19 | Zoya | Danielle Steel |
| June 26 | Zoya | Danielle Steel |
| July 3 | Alaska | James Michener |
| July 10 | Alaska | James Michener |
| July 17 | Alaska | James Michener |
| July 24 | Alaska | James Michener |
| July 31 | Alaska | James Michener |
| August 7 | The Cardinal of the Kremlin | Tom Clancy |
| August 14 | The Cardinal of the Kremlin | Tom Clancy |
| August 21 | The Cardinal of the Kremlin | Tom Clancy |
| August 28 | The Cardinal of the Kremlin | Tom Clancy |
| September 4 | The Cardinal of the Kremlin | Tom Clancy |
| September 11 | The Cardinal of the Kremlin | Tom Clancy |
| September 18 | The Cardinal of the Kremlin | Tom Clancy |
| September 25 | The Cardinal of the Kremlin | Tom Clancy |
| October 2 | The Cardinal of the Kremlin | Tom Clancy |
| October 9 | The Cardinal of the Kremlin | Tom Clancy |
| October 16 | The Cardinal of the Kremlin | Tom Clancy |
| October 23 | The Cardinal of the Kremlin | Tom Clancy |
| October 30 | The Queen of the Damned | Anne Rice |
| November 6 | The Queen of the Damned | Anne Rice |
| November 13 | The Queen of the Damned | Anne Rice |
| November 20 | The Sands of Time | Sidney Sheldon |
| November 27 | The Sands of Time | Sidney Sheldon |
| December 4 | The Sands of Time | Sidney Sheldon |
| December 11 | The Sands of Time | Sidney Sheldon |
| December 18 | The Sands of Time | Sidney Sheldon |
| December 25 | The Sands of Time | Sidney Sheldon |

## Nonfiction

The following list ranks the number-one best-selling nonfiction books, in the hardcover nonfiction category.
| Date | Book | Author |
| January 3 | Time Flies | Bill Cosby |
| January 10 | Time Flies | Bill Cosby |
| January 17 | Trump: The Art of the Deal | Donald J. Trump with Tony Schwartz |
| January 24 | Trump: The Art of the Deal | Donald J. Trump with Tony Schwartz |
| January 31 | Trump: The Art of the Deal | Donald J. Trump with Tony Schwartz |
| February 7 | Trump: The Art of the Deal | Donald J. Trump with Tony Schwartz |
| February 14 | Trump: The Art of the Deal | Donald J. Trump with Tony Schwartz |
| February 21 | Trump: The Art of the Deal | Donald J. Trump with Tony Schwartz |
| February 28 | Trump: The Art of the Deal | Donald J. Trump with Tony Schwartz |
| March 6 | Trump: The Art of the Deal | Donald J. Trump with Tony Schwartz |
| March 13 | Trump: The Art of the Deal | Donald J. Trump with Tony Schwartz |
| March 20 | Trump: The Art of the Deal | Donald J. Trump with Tony Schwartz |
| March 27 | Trump: The Art of the Deal | Donald J. Trump with Tony Schwartz |
| April 3 | Trump: The Art of the Deal | Donald J. Trump with Tony Schwartz |
| April 10 | Love, Medicine and Miracles | Bernie S. Siegel |
| April 17 | Trump: The Art of the Deal | Donald J. Trump with Tony Schwartz |
| April 24 | Love, Medicine and Miracles | Bernie S. Siegel |
| May 1 | Love, Medicine and Miracles | Bernie S. Siegel |
| May 8 | Love, Medicine and Miracles | Bernie S. Siegel |
| May 15 | Moonwalk | Michael Jackson |
| May 22 | Moonwalk | Michael Jackson |
| May 29 | For The Record | Donald T. Regan |
| June 5 | For The Record | Donald T. Regan |
| June 12 | For The Record | Donald T. Regan |
| June 19 | For The Record | Donald T. Regan |
| June 26 | A Brief History of Time | Stephen W. Hawking |
| July 3 | Talking Straight | Lee Iacocca with Sonny Kleinfield |
| July 10 | Talking Straight | Lee Iacocca with Sonny Kleinfield |
| July 17 | A Brief History of Time | Stephen W. Hawking |
| July 24 | A Brief History of Time | Stephen W. Hawking |
| July 31 | A Brief History of Time | Stephen W. Hawking |
| August 7 | A Brief History of Time | Stephen W. Hawking |
| August 14 | A Brief History of Time | Stephen W. Hawking |
| August 21 | A Brief History of Time | Stephen W. Hawking |
| August 28 | A Brief History of Time | Stephen W. Hawking |
| September 4 | A Brief History of Time | Stephen W. Hawking |
| September 11 | A Brief History of Time | Stephen W. Hawking |
| September 18 | A Brief History of Time | Stephen W. Hawking |
| September 25 | A Brief History of Time | Stephen W. Hawking |
| October 2 | A Brief History of Time | Stephen W. Hawking |
| October 9 | A Brief History of Time | Stephen W. Hawking |
| October 16 | A Brief History of Time | Stephen W. Hawking |
| October 23 | A Brief History of Time | Stephen W. Hawking |
| October 30 | A Brief History of Time | Stephen W. Hawking |
| November 6 | A Brief History of Time | Stephen W. Hawking |
| November 13 | A Brief History of Time | Stephen W. Hawking |
| November 20 | The Last Lion | William Manchester |
| November 27 | The Last Lion | William Manchester |
| December 4 | Gracie | George Burns |
| December 11 | Gracie | George Burns |
| December 18 | Gracie | George Burns |
| December 25 | Gracie | George Burns |