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Titles · NYT Hardcover Fiction

The Chain

Paul I. Wellman

Entered Apr 10, 1949 · 20 weeks on the list, last seen Sep 4, 1949

Book Power
89.9
share-weeks: a #1 week is 14.5
Peak
#5
4 weeks there · first Apr 24, 1949
Top-ten weeks
10
weeks at #10 or better
Weeks on list
20
April 1949 – September 1949

Ranked by Book Power, part of the ChartReign Power model — not a list published by anyone else. How it works →

The run

Position by week; a gap is a spell off the list.

What it earned each author

Book Power is the book's own figure. Power contributed is what it earned each author's Career Power: a featured credit takes its reduced share, and a week where the author had other books charting is split between them.

AuthorCreditCredit sharePower contributed
Paul I. Wellmanprimary100%89.9

The top ten the week it peaked

See Apr 24, 1949 on the timeline →
  1. #1Point of No ReturnJohn P. Marquand
  2. #2The Big FishermanLloyd C. Douglas
  3. #3Dinner at Antoine'sFrances Parkinson Keyes
  4. #4Cutlass EmpireF. Van Wyck Mason
  5. #5The ChainPaul I. Wellman
  6. #6High TowersThomas B. Costain
  7. #7The Naked and the DeadNorman Mailer
  8. #8Double MuscadineFrances Gaither
  9. #9The DukaysLajos Zilaby
  10. #10The Young LionsIrwin Shaw

The #1 bestsellers of 1949

1949 in books

Every other book that reached #1 on the NYT Hardcover Fiction list in 1949.