TheBestseller
Observatory

Best Sellers

Hardcover Fiction

January 1990

FictionNonfiction
← December 1989
WeekMonth
February 1990 →

When you purchase a book through our links, we may earn an affiliate commission.

Week of January 7, 1990

Full list →
THE DARK HALF
Stephen King
Cover of THE DARK HALF
1

THE DARK HALF

DADDY
Danielle Steel
Cover of DADDY
2

DADDY

CLEAR AND PRESENT DANGER
Tom Clancy
Cover of CLEAR AND PRESENT DANGER
3

CLEAR AND PRESENT DANGER

CARIBBEAN
James A. Michener
Cover of CARIBBEAN
4

CARIBBEAN

FOUCAULT'S PENDULUM
Umberto Eco
5

FOUCAULT'S PENDULUM

TALES FROM MARGARITAVILLE
Jimmy Buffett
Cover of TALES FROM MARGARITAVILLE
6

TALES FROM MARGARITAVILLE

THE POLAR EXPRESS
Chris Van Allsburg
Cover of THE POLAR EXPRESS
7

THE POLAR EXPRESS

JIMMY STEWART AND HIS POEMS
Jimmy Stewart
Cover of JIMMY STEWART AND HIS POEMS
8

JIMMY STEWART AND HIS POEMS

STRAIGHT
Dick Francis
Cover of STRAIGHT
9

STRAIGHT

THE ELEVENTH HOUR
Graeme Base
Cover of THE ELEVENTH HOUR
10

THE ELEVENTH HOUR

CALIFORNIA GOLD
John Jakes
Cover of CALIFORNIA GOLD
11

CALIFORNIA GOLD

THE PILLARS OF THE EARTH
Ken Follett
Cover of THE PILLARS OF THE EARTH
12

THE PILLARS OF THE EARTH

SWAN LAKE
Mark Helprin
Cover of SWAN LAKE
13

SWAN LAKE

THE JOY LUCK CLUB
Amy Tan
Cover of THE JOY LUCK CLUB
14

THE JOY LUCK CLUB

SPY LINE
Len Deighton
Cover of SPY LINE
15

SPY LINE

Week of January 14, 1990

Full list →
THE DARK HALF
Stephen King
Cover of THE DARK HALF
1

THE DARK HALF

DADDY
Danielle Steel
Cover of DADDY
2

DADDY

CLEAR AND PRESENT DANGER
Tom Clancy
Cover of CLEAR AND PRESENT DANGER
3

CLEAR AND PRESENT DANGER

CARIBBEAN
James A. Michener
Cover of CARIBBEAN
4

CARIBBEAN

FOUCAULT'S PENDULUM
Umberto Eco
5

FOUCAULT'S PENDULUM

THE POLAR EXPRESS
Chris Van Allsburg
Cover of THE POLAR EXPRESS
6

THE POLAR EXPRESS

STRAIGHT
Dick Francis
Cover of STRAIGHT
7

STRAIGHT

TALES FROM MARGARITAVILLE
Jimmy Buffett
Cover of TALES FROM MARGARITAVILLE
8

TALES FROM MARGARITAVILLE

THE ELEVENTH HOUR
Graeme Base
Cover of THE ELEVENTH HOUR
9

THE ELEVENTH HOUR

JIMMY STEWART AND HIS POEMS
Jimmy Stewart
Cover of JIMMY STEWART AND HIS POEMS
10

JIMMY STEWART AND HIS POEMS

THE PILLARS OF THE EARTH
Ken Follett
Cover of THE PILLARS OF THE EARTH
11

THE PILLARS OF THE EARTH

SPY LINE
Len Deighton
Cover of SPY LINE
12

SPY LINE

SWAN LAKE
Mark Helprin
Cover of SWAN LAKE
13

SWAN LAKE

OLDEST LIVING CONFEDERATE WIDOW TELLS ALL
Allan Gurganus
Cover of OLDEST LIVING CONFEDERATE WIDOW TELLS ALL
14

OLDEST LIVING CONFEDERATE WIDOW TELLS ALL

HARMFUL INTENT
Robin Cook
Cover of HARMFUL INTENT
15

HARMFUL INTENT

Week of January 21, 1990

Full list →
DADDY
Danielle Steel
Cover of DADDY
1

DADDY

CLEAR AND PRESENT DANGER
Tom Clancy
Cover of CLEAR AND PRESENT DANGER
2

CLEAR AND PRESENT DANGER

CARIBBEAN
James A. Michener
Cover of CARIBBEAN
3

CARIBBEAN

THE DARK HALF
Stephen King
Cover of THE DARK HALF
4

THE DARK HALF

VINELAND
Thomas Pynchon
Cover of VINELAND
5

VINELAND

FOUCAULT'S PENDULUM
Umberto Eco
6

FOUCAULT'S PENDULUM

HARMFUL INTENT
Robin Cook
Cover of HARMFUL INTENT
7

HARMFUL INTENT

A RULING PASSION
Judith Michael
Cover of A RULING PASSION
8

A RULING PASSION

TALES FROM MARGARITAVILLE
Jimmy Buffett
Cover of TALES FROM MARGARITAVILLE
9

TALES FROM MARGARITAVILLE

MYSTERY
Peter Straub
Cover of MYSTERY
10

MYSTERY

STRAIGHT
Dick Francis
Cover of STRAIGHT
11

STRAIGHT

SPY LINE
Len Deighton
Cover of SPY LINE
12

SPY LINE

THE ELEVENTH HOUR
Graeme Base
Cover of THE ELEVENTH HOUR
13

THE ELEVENTH HOUR

OLDEST LIVING CONFEDERATE WIDOW TELLS ALL
Allan Gurganus
Cover of OLDEST LIVING CONFEDERATE WIDOW TELLS ALL
14

OLDEST LIVING CONFEDERATE WIDOW TELLS ALL

COLD HARBOUR
Jack Higgins
Cover of COLD HARBOUR
15

COLD HARBOUR

Week of January 28, 1990

Full list →
DADDY
Danielle Steel
Cover of DADDY
1

DADDY

CARIBBEAN
James A. Michener
Cover of CARIBBEAN
2

CARIBBEAN

THE DARK HALF
Stephen King
Cover of THE DARK HALF
3

THE DARK HALF

HARMFUL INTENT
Robin Cook
Cover of HARMFUL INTENT
4

HARMFUL INTENT

CLEAR AND PRESENT DANGER
Tom Clancy
Cover of CLEAR AND PRESENT DANGER
5

CLEAR AND PRESENT DANGER

VINELAND
Thomas Pynchon
Cover of VINELAND
6

VINELAND

THE BAD PLACE
Dean R. Koontz
Cover of THE BAD PLACE
7

THE BAD PLACE

FOUCAULT'S PENDULUM
Umberto Eco
8

FOUCAULT'S PENDULUM

A RULING PASSION
Judith Michael
Cover of A RULING PASSION
9

A RULING PASSION

TALES FROM MARGARITAVILLE
Jimmy Buffett
Cover of TALES FROM MARGARITAVILLE
10

TALES FROM MARGARITAVILLE

COLD HARBOUR
Jack Higgins
Cover of COLD HARBOUR
11

COLD HARBOUR

DEVICES AND DESIRES
P. D. James
12

DEVICES AND DESIRES

MYSTERY
Peter Straub
Cover of MYSTERY
13

MYSTERY

STRAIGHT
Dick Francis
Cover of STRAIGHT
14

STRAIGHT

SPY LINE
Len Deighton
Cover of SPY LINE
15

SPY LINE

Historical bestseller data sourced from the New York Times Book Review, archived by Hawes Publications.