Titles
The biggest books on NYT Hardcover Fiction that entered the chart in the 1930s, ranked by Book Power. Click a column to re-sort.
Book Power is the book's own figure: each week on the list is worth its position as a share of a full list — a #1 week is 14.5, a #6 week is 7.3, a #16 week is 1.8 — added up over the run. No credit split and no discount for what else the author had charting. What a book earned each author is on the author pages.
Ranked by Book Power, part of the ChartReign Power model — not a list published by anyone else. How it works →
| # | Title | Book Power | Weeks at #1 | Top-ten weeks | Weeks on list | Peak | On list |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Anthony AdverseHervey Allen | 996.2 | 33 | 86 | 86 | #1Jul 1933 | Jul 1933 → Jan 1937 |
| 2 | Gone with the WindMargaret Mitchell | 819.2 | 33 | 67 | 78 | #1Jul 1936 | Jul 1936 → Jan 1992 |
| 3 | The CitadelA. J. Cronin | 718.7 | 25 | 60 | 60 | #1Oct 1937 | Sep 1937 → Dec 1938 |
| 4 | Northwest PassageKenneth Roberts | 613.0 | 15 | 53 | 53 | #1Jul 1937 | Jul 1937 → Jul 1938 |
| 5 | Drums Along the MohawkWalter D. Edmonds | 513.6 | 4 | 46 | 46 | #1Feb 1937 | Aug 1936 → Sep 1937 |
| 6 | The YearlingMarjorie Kinnan Rawlings | 499.8 | 12 | 42 | 42 | #1May 1938 | Apr 1938 → May 1939 |
| 7 | All This and Heaven TooRachel Field | 483.8 | 16 | 38 | 38 | #1Nov 1938 | Oct 1938 → Aug 1939 |
| 8 | The Grapes of WrathJohn Steinbeck | 458.1 | 24 | 35 | 35 | #1May 1939 | Apr 1939 → Dec 1939 |
| 9 | Good-Bye, Mr. ChipsJames Hilton | 391.1 | 0 | 41 | 41 | #2Sep 1934 | Jul 1934 → Apr 1935 |
| 10 | My Son, My Son!Howard Spring | 381.8 | 11 | 31 | 31 | #1Jul 1938 | May 1938 → Jan 1939 |
| 11 | RebeccaDaphne Du Maurier | 380.9 | 9 | 32 | 32 | #1Oct 1938 | Oct 1938 → May 1939 |
| 12 | It Can't Happen HereSinclair Lewis | 350.2 | 8 | 31 | 31 | #1Nov 1935 | Oct 1935 → Dec 1936 |
| 13 | So Red the RoseStark Young | 335.7 | 17 | 27 | 27 | #1Aug 1934 | Jul 1934 → Mar 1935 |
| 14 | Green LightLloyd C. Douglas | 334.5 | 3 | 31 | 31 | #1Apr 1935 | Mar 1935 → Dec 1935 |
| 15 | The Last PuritanGeorge Santayana | 329.5 | 11 | 29 | 29 | #1Feb 1936 | Feb 1936 → Sep 1936 |
| 16 | Kitty FoyleChristopher Morley | 292.9 | 7 | 25 | 25 | #1Nov 1939 | Nov 1939 → May 1940 |
| 17 | The NazareneSholem Asch | 281.7 | 7 | 24 | 24 | #1Dec 1939 | Oct 1939 → Apr 1940 |
| 18 | Lamb in His BosomCaroline Miller | 278.4 | 8 | 24 | 24 | #1May 1934 | May 1934 → Nov 1934 |
| 19 | Of Time and the RiverThomas Wolfe | 265.9 | 7 | 25 | 25 | #1Mar 1935 | Mar 1935 → Sep 1935 |
| 20 | The Rains CameLouis Bromfield | 263.5 | 0 | 28 | 28 | #3Nov 1937 | Nov 1937 → May 1938 |
| 21 | EuropaRobert Briffault | 261.5 | 9 | 21 | 21 | #1Sep 1935 | Sep 1935 → Feb 1936 |
| 22 | The FountainCharles Morgan | 244.8 | 10 | 18 | 18 | #1Jun 1932 | Jun 1932 → Oct 1932 |
| 23 | The Forty Days of Musa DaghFranz Werfel | 237.0 | 7 | 20 | 20 | #1Dec 1934 | Dec 1934 → Aug 1935 |
| 24 | The YearsVirginia Woolf | 225.9 | 4 | 19 | 19 | #1May 1937 | Apr 1937 → Aug 1937 |
| 25 | Lost HorizonJames Hilton | 205.2 | 1 | 23 | 23 | #1Dec 1934 | Oct 1934 → Apr 1935 |
| 26 | And So - VictoriaVaughan Wilkins | 199.2 | 0 | 20 | 20 | #2Aug 1937 | Aug 1937 → Jan 1938 |
| 27 | TheatreSomerset Maugham | 196.1 | 5 | 19 | 19 | #1Mar 1937 | Mar 1937 → Aug 1937 |
| 28 | The Outward RoomMillen Brand | 189.0 | 7 | 17 | 17 | #1May 1937 | May 1937 → Sep 1937 |
| 29 | Wickford PointJohn P. Marquand | 187.3 | 2 | 16 | 16 | #1Apr 1939 | Mar 1939 → Jul 1939 |
| 30 | EscapeEthel Vance | 183.1 | 5 | 16 | 16 | #1Oct 1939 | Oct 1939 → Jan 1940 |
| 31 | The Mortal StormPhyllis Bottome | 181.3 | 0 | 18 | 18 | #2May 1938 | Apr 1938 → Aug 1938 |
| 32 | Vein of IronEllen Glasgow | 179.4 | 2 | 17 | 17 | #1Sep 1935 | Sep 1935 → Jan 1936 |
| 33 | SparkenbrokeCharles Morgan | 178.7 | 5 | 15 | 15 | #1Apr 1936 | Apr 1936 → Aug 1936 |
| 34 | Ann VickersSinclair Lewis | 172.4 | 11 | 12 | 12 | #1Jan 1933 | Jan 1933 → Apr 1933 |
| 35 | Paths of GloryHumphrey Cobb | 168.2 | 6 | 14 | 14 | #1Jun 1935 | Jun 1935 → Oct 1935 |
| 36 | Moment in PekingLin Yutang | 160.3 | 1 | 16 | 16 | #1Dec 1939 | Dec 1939 → Mar 1940 |
| 37 | Come and Get ItEdna Ferber | 153.4 | 3 | 14 | 14 | #1Mar 1935 | Mar 1935 → Jun 1935 |
| 38 | The DoctorMary Roberts Rinehart | 151.2 | 4 | 13 | 13 | #1Jun 1936 | Jun 1936 → Aug 1936 |
| 39 | Eyeglass in GazaAldous Huxley | 149.1 | 0 | 14 | 14 | #2Aug 1936 | Jul 1936 → Oct 1936 |
| 40 | Work of ArtSinclair Lewis | 148.2 | 7 | 13 | 13 | #1Feb 1934 | Jan 1934 → Apr 1934 |
| 41 | Heaven's My DestinationThornton Wilder | 144.3 | 5 | 12 | 12 | #1Jan 1935 | Jan 1935 → Mar 1935 |
| 42 | Young RennyMazo de la Roche | 142.8 | 1 | 13 | 13 | #1Jun 1935 | May 1935 → Aug 1935 |
| 43 | White BannersLloyd C. Douglas | 142.5 | 0 | 15 | 15 | #3Oct 1936 | Oct 1936 → Feb 1937 |
| 44 | Yang and YinAlice Tisdale Hobart | 140.6 | 0 | 16 | 16 | #3Nov 1936 | Nov 1936 → Mar 1937 |
| 45 | Three HarboursF. Van Wyck Mason | 137.7 | 0 | 15 | 15 | #3Jan 1939 | Dec 1938 → Mar 1939 |
| 46 | American DreamMichael Foster | 136.2 | 0 | 13 | 13 | #2Jul 1937 | Jun 1937 → Sep 1937 |
| 47 | The Tree of LibertyElizabeth Page | 135.7 | 0 | 15 | 15 | #3Mar 1939 | Mar 1939 → Jul 1939 |
| 48 | The Late George ApleyJohn P. Marquand | 134.2 | 0 | 15 | 15 | #2Mar 1937 | Jan 1937 → May 1938 |
| 49 | The HurricaneCharles Nordloff & James Norman Hall | 133.9 | 0 | 12 | 12 | #2Feb 1936 | Feb 1936 → May 1936 |
| 50 | Time Out of MindRachel Field | 133.3 | 0 | 17 | 17 | #2Apr 1935 | Apr 1935 → Aug 1935 |
| 51 | I, ClaudiusRobert Graves | 130.0 | 1 | 12 | 12 | #1Jul 1934 | Jun 1934 → Aug 1934 |
| 52 | As the Earth TurnsGladys Hasty Carroll | 129.1 | 4 | 10 | 10 | #1May 1933 | May 1933 → Jul 1933 |
| 53 | Mary's NeckBooth Tarkington | 127.0 | 7 | 9 | 9 | #1Feb 1932 | Feb 1932 → Apr 1932 |
| 54 | The Web and the RockThomas Wolfe | 126.8 | 0 | 11 | 11 | #2Jul 1939 | Jul 1939 → Sep 1939 |
| 55 | The Good EarthPearl S. Buck | 125.6 | 3 | 10 | 10 | #1May 1932 | Oct 1931 → Jun 1932 |
| 56 | Maid in WaitingJohn Galsworthy | 125.3 | 7 | 9 | 9 | #1Nov 1931 | Nov 1931 → Jan 1932 |
| 57 | Captain Horatio HornblowerC. S. Forester | 123.5 | 0 | 15 | 15 | #4May 1939 | May 1939 → Jan 1940 |
| 58 | Lucy GayheartWilla Cather | 123.1 | 4 | 11 | 11 | #1Aug 1935 | Aug 1935 → Oct 1935 |
| 59 | Of Mice and MenJohn Steinbeck | 121.3 | 0 | 16 | 16 | #4Mar 1937 | Mar 1937 → Aug 1937 |
| 60 | National VelvetEnid Bagnold | 120.3 | 0 | 13 | 13 | #2May 1935 | May 1935 → Aug 1935 |
| 61 | Action at AquilaHervey Allen | 117.6 | 2 | 11 | 11 | #1Mar 1938 | Mar 1938 → May 1938 |
| 62 | Flowering WildernessJohn Galsworthy | 116.2 | 8 | 8 | 8 | #1Nov 1932 | Nov 1932 → Jan 1933 |
| 63 | Little Man, What Now?Hans Fallada | 114.5 | 3 | 9 | 9 | #1Jun 1933 | Jun 1933 → Aug 1933 |
| 64 | Christ in ConcretePietro di Donato | 114.4 | 0 | 11 | 11 | #2Sep 1939 | Sep 1939 → Nov 1939 |
| 65 | Christmas HolidayW. Somerset Maugham | 114.1 | 0 | 11 | 11 | #2Nov 1939 | Oct 1939 → Jan 1940 |
| 66 | Disputed PassageLloyd C. Douglas | 113.8 | 0 | 12 | 12 | #3Jan 1939 | Jan 1939 → Apr 1939 |
| 67 | The Thinking ReedRebecca West | 111.6 | 0 | 11 | 11 | #2Apr 1936 | Mar 1936 → May 1936 |
| 68 | Black NarcissusRumer Godden | 111.4 | 0 | 11 | 11 | #2Aug 1939 | Jul 1939 → Oct 1939 |
| 69 | I Can Get It for You WholesaleJerome Weldman | 109.8 | 0 | 14 | 14 | #3Jun 1937 | May 1937 → Aug 1937 |
| 70 | Enchanter's NightshadeAnn Bridge | 108.0 | 0 | 14 | 14 | #4Jan 1938 | Nov 1937 → Jan 1938 |
| 71 | Next to ValourJohn Jennings | 104.2 | 0 | 10 | 10 | #2Jun 1939 | Jun 1939 → Aug 1939 |
| 72 | SanfeliceVincent Sheean | 103.8 | 1 | 11 | 11 | #1Jul 1936 | Jun 1936 → Sep 1936 |
| 73 | Lust for LifeIrving Stone | 101.2 | 0 | 11 | 11 | #2Oct 1934 | Oct 1934 → Dec 1934 |
| 74 | The Narrow CornerW. Someset Maugham | 99.5 | 0 | 8 | 8 | #2Nov 1932 | Nov 1932 → Jan 1933 |
| 75 | One More RiverJohn Galsworthy | 99.5 | 0 | 8 | 8 | #2Oct 1933 | Oct 1933 → Dec 1933 |
| 76 | The WallMary Roberts Rinehart | 98.5 | 0 | 10 | 10 | #3Jul 1938 | Jul 1938 → Sep 1938 |
| 77 | If I Have Four ApplesJosephine Lawrence | 97.1 | 3 | 9 | 9 | #1Jan 1936 | Jan 1936 → Mar 1936 |
| 78 | Within This PresentMargaret Ayer Barnes | 96.6 | 0 | 10 | 10 | #2Dec 1933 | Nov 1933 → Mar 1934 |
| 79 | The PatriotPearl S. Buck | 96.6 | 0 | 11 | 11 | #2Mar 1939 | Mar 1939 → Jun 1939 |
| 80 | Magnolia StreetLouis Golding | 94.4 | 4 | 7 | 7 | #1Apr 1932 | Mar 1932 → May 1932 |
| 81 | The Sheltered LifeEllen Glasgow | 94.2 | 3 | 7 | 7 | #1Sep 1932 | Sep 1932 → Oct 1932 |
| 82 | The Weather in the StreetsRosamond Lehmann | 93.7 | 1 | 10 | 10 | #1Jun 1936 | May 1936 → Aug 1936 |
| 83 | Honey in the HornH. L. Davis | 92.6 | 0 | 11 | 11 | #3May 1936 | Sep 1935 → Jun 1936 |
| 84 | Edna, His WifeMary Ayer Barnes | 92.1 | 0 | 10 | 10 | #3Nov 1935 | Nov 1935 → Feb 1936 |
| 85 | The OppermannsLion Feuchtwanger | 90.9 | 2 | 8 | 8 | #1Apr 1934 | Mar 1934 → May 1934 |
| 86 | The Last AdamJames G. Cozzens | 90.6 | 2 | 7 | 7 | #1Jan 1933 | Jan 1933 → Feb 1933 |
| 87 | We Are Not AloneJames Hilton | 89.6 | 0 | 9 | 9 | #2Mar 1937 | Mar 1937 → May 1937 |
| 88 | The Turning WheelsStuart Cloethe | 87.6 | 0 | 11 | 11 | #4Nov 1937 | Nov 1937 → Jan 1938 |
| 89 | SonsPearl S. Buck | 87.2 | 6 | 6 | 6 | #1Oct 1932 | Oct 1932 → Nov 1932 |
| 90 | The Stars Look DownA. J. Cronin | 85.4 | 0 | 10 | 10 | #2Oct 1935 | Sep 1935 → Dec 1935 |
| 91 | The Prodigal ParentsSinclair Lewis | 85.3 | 1 | 8 | 8 | #1Feb 1938 | Jan 1938 → Mar 1938 |
| 92 | ParadiseEsther Forbes | 84.6 | 0 | 11 | 11 | #3Apr 1937 | Mar 1937 → Jun 1937 |
| 93 | The Thin ManDashiell Hammett | 84.5 | 3 | 8 | 8 | #1Jan 1934 | Jan 1934 → Mar 1934 |
| 94 | Children of GodVardis Fisher | 83.2 | 0 | 9 | 9 | #2Sep 1939 | Sep 1939 → Nov 1939 |
| 95 | Seven Gothic TalesIsak Dinesen | 83.0 | 1 | 9 | 9 | #1Apr 1934 | Apr 1934 → Jun 1934 |
| 96 | UlyssesJames Joyce | 81.5 | 0 | 9 | 9 | #2Feb 1934 | Feb 1934 → Apr 1934 |
| 97 | And Tell of TimeLaura Krey | 79.9 | 0 | 8 | 8 | #3Sep 1938 | Sep 1938 → Oct 1938 |
| 98 | Jamaica InnDaphne Du Maurier | 79.1 | 0 | 10 | 10 | #3May 1936 | May 1936 → Jul 1936 |
| 99 | Private WorldsPhyllis Boltome | 78.6 | 0 | 9 | 9 | #3Apr 1934 | Apr 1934 → Jun 1934 |
| 100 | The BrandonsAngela Thirkell | 77.0 | 0 | 8 | 8 | #3Jul 1939 | Jul 1939 → Aug 1939 |