Are the New York Times Bestsellers Books Worth the Hype? by The New School

Within the book industry, the New York Times bestseller list is is widely considered to be the most prestigious, and becoming a New York Times best-seller has a measurable effect on a book’s sales, especially for books by debut authors. However, the methodology of how this list is produced remains vague and sources of data is unclear. There have been a few instances of books that ranked #1 on the New York Times list was suspected to have manipulated its way into the list. I am investigating the legitimacy of this bestsellers list, because I want to find out whether it deserves the popularity and influence on the book market, so that readers can become more critical consumers and make more informed decisions.