Authors · NYT Hardcover Fiction

John O'Hara

Charting Aug 27, 1934 → Feb 16, 1969 · 273 weeks with chart power

Peak Power: 10.84%; week of May 6, 1956
Career Power: 2,071; share-weeks
Weeks at #1: 6; weeks as the top author

Peak Year: 370; April 1963 – April 1964
Peak Five Years: 844; March 1960 – March 1965
Top-five weeks: 133; weeks ranked 1–5
Longevity: 273; weeks with chart power
Dominance: 14.53%; week of Sep 18, 1949
Comebacks: 6; April 1938, September 1949, January 1956, January 1959, January 1963, January 1968

Comebacks (thresholds from `config/scoring.json`)
Kind	Trough began	Returned	Trough weeks	Longest absence	Prior peak	Return share
After absence	Mar 9, 1936	Apr 11, 1938	109	108	4.20%	1.50%
After absence	Jul 18, 1938	Sep 11, 1949	582	581	4.20%	2.09%
After absence	Jun 11, 1950	Jan 22, 1956	292	206	10.62%	4.40%
After absence	Sep 16, 1956	Jan 18, 1959	120	116	10.84%	3.88%
After decline	Jun 4, 1961	Jan 27, 1963	85	32	10.84%	3.88%
After decline	May 15, 1966	Jan 21, 1968	88	38	10.84%	3.86%

Ranked by weekly Power Share, part of the ChartReign Power model — not the list's own positions (config version 4, Sep 22, 2026). How it works →

Exponentially smoothed share of the week's total power (the primary metric).

Titles on the NYT Hardcover Fiction

20 books · 2,071 share-weeks of Career Power

Power contributed is what each book earned this author: their weekly Power Share, split across their books (a featured credit takes its reduced share). Book Power is the book's own figure, the same for every author on it. Bar length compares books within this list.

Title	Peak	Weeks	On chart	Power contributedPower	Book Power
A Rage to Live	#1September 1949	33	September 1949 – April 1950	323.7	323.7
Ten North Frederick	#2March 1956	32	December 1955 – July 1956	286.5	286.5
Elizabeth Appleton	#2June 1963	21	June 1963 – November 1963	217.5	217.5
From the Terrace	#3January 1959	27	December 1958 – July 1959	198.0	198.0
The Hat on the Bed	#3January 1964	19	December 1963 – April 1964	152.1	152.1
Ourselves to Know	#4March 1960	19	February 1960 – July 1960	135.8	135.8
Sermons and Soda Water	#4January 1961	19	December 1960 – April 1961	125.1	125.1
The Lockwood Concern	#4January 1966	15	December 1965 – March 1966	107.5	107.5
The Instrument	#4February 1968	12	December 1967 – March 1968	84.9	84.9
The Cape Cod Lighter	#4January 1963	12	December 1962 – March 1963	81.2	81.2
The Horse Knows the Way	#4February 1965	11	December 1964 – March 1965	78.6	78.6
Butterfield 8	#3November 1935	7	October 1935 – December 1935	57.2	57.2
The Big Laugh	#7June 1962	14	June 1962 – September 1962	55.4	55.4
Appointment in Samarra	#5September 1934	7	August 1934 – October 1934	47.8	47.6
Waiting for Winter	#9February 1967	9	January 1967 – March 1967	38.8	38.8
Hope of Heaven	#4April 1938	5	April 1938 – May 1938	38.6	38.6
And Other Stories	#7February 1969	6	December 1968 – February 1969	29.8	29.8
The Farmers Hotel	#12December 1951	3	December 1951 – December 1951	8.3	8.3
A Family Party	#14September 1956	1	September 1956	2.4	2.4
Assembly	#16January 1962	1	January 1962	1.8	1.8