Don Quixote by Miguel de Cervantes
This classic novel follows the adventures of a man who, driven mad by reading too many chivalric romances, decides to become a knight-errant and roam the world righting wrongs under the name Don Quixote. Accompanied by his loyal squire, Sancho Panza, he battles windmills he believes to be giants and champions the virtuous lady Dulcinea, who is in reality a simple peasant girl. The book is a richly layered critique of the popular literature of Cervantes' time and a profound exploration of reality and illusion, madness and sanity.
The 12th greatest book of all time
Ranking Details:
Our ranking system awards points to books based on their appearance and position on curated lists. Here's how it works:
Unranked Lists: For lists without specific rankings, each book receives points equivalent to the list's weight. This approach recognizes the book's inclusion on prestigious lists.
Ranked Lists: Books on ranked lists receive points in two ways:
- Base Points: Initially, every book is awarded points equal to the list's weight, acknowledging its significance.
- Bonus Points: Additionally, books earn bonus points based on their ranking. The total bonus pool, equal to 100% of the list's weight, is distributed among the books, with higher-ranked books receiving more points.
Exponential Distribution: The distribution of bonus points follows an exponential model. This means the top-ranked book (#1) receives significantly more bonus points than those further down the list (e.g., #100). Our algorithm ensures that higher placements are rewarded more generously, reflecting the achievement of a top rank on any given list.
This scoring system ensures that each book's ranking reflects both its presence on multiple lists and its positions within those lists, providing a comprehensive measure of its acclaim and popularity.
Total Points: 5505
Since this book was first published in 1605, there is a penalty of 0%. The age adjusted score is 5505.0.
This is to prevent newer books from reaching super high on the ranked list of the greatest books of all time. The greatest books should also stand the test of time.
- score: 159 -- The 25 Favorite Books of 100 Francophone Writers (Weight: 138)
- score: 157 -- Top 100 Works in World Literature (Weight: 150)
- score: 157 -- For The Love of Books (Weight: 150)
- score: 156 -- The Top 10: The Greatest Books of All Time (Weight: 150)
- score: 152 -- Biblioteca (Weight: 138)
- score: 144 -- 1001 Books You Must Read Before You Die (Weight: 144)
- score: 143 -- El Pais Favorite Books of 100 Spanish Authors (Weight: 138)
- score: 142 -- Top 100 World Literature Titles (Weight: 138)
- score: 138 -- The 100 Best Books of World Literature (Weight: 132)
- score: 138 -- Världsbiblioteket (The World Library) (Weight: 138)
- score: 134 -- The Greatest Stories Ever Told (Weight: 102)
- score: 132 -- William H. F. Lamont’s 100 Best Novels (1947) (Weight: 132)
- score: 130 -- Best Foreign Work of Fiction Chosen by Francophone Writers (Weight: 126)
- score: 126 -- A Hundred Novels to Change Your Life (Weight: 126)
- score: 124 -- Pour une Bibliothèque Idéale (Weight: 120)
- score: 119 -- 100 Books of Classical and Modern Foreign Literature (Weight: 114)
- score: 113 -- Big Read (Bulgarian) (Weight: 111)
- score: 108 -- The Great Books Reader (Weight: 108)
- score: 108 -- 50 Greatest Books of All Time (Weight: 108)
- score: 105 -- Six Professors from "Esteemed" Universities Favorite Books (Weight: 96)
- score: 102 -- ZEIT-Bibliothek der 100 Bücher (Weight: 102)
- score: 102 -- The Bigger Read List (Weight: 102)
- score: 99 -- The Great American Read (Weight: 99)
- score: 99 -- The New Lifetime Reading Plan (Weight: 99)
- score: 96 -- 222 Best Books of All Time That Deserve a Spot on Your Bookshelf, With Picks from Bestselling Authors and Indie Booksellers (Weight: 96)
- score: 96 -- 1000 Novels Everyone Must Read (Weight: 96)
- score: 96 -- Finest Works of Fiction (Weight: 96)
- score: 90 -- Our Users' Favorite Books of All Time (Weight: 90)
- score: 90 -- Best Books Ever (Weight: 90)
- score: 87 -- 100 Best Books (Weight: 84)
- score: 84 -- 100 Essential Books (Weight: 81)
- score: 84 -- Select 100 (Weight: 84)
- score: 84 -- Inteliquest's World's 100 Greatest Books of All-Time (Weight: 84)
- score: 81 -- 12 Novels Considered the Greatest Book Ever Written (Weight: 81)
- score: 78 -- The 500 best books of all time from Culture Café users (Weight: 78)
- score: 75 -- Masterpieces of World Literature (Weight: 75)
- score: 69 -- Great Books (Weight: 69)
- score: 69 -- The 50 Most Influential Books of All Time (Weight: 69)
- score: 66 -- The Complete 500: OCLC (Weight: 66)
- score: 63 -- The Graphic Canon (Weight: 63)
- score: 63 -- Books That Changed the World: The 50 Most Influential Books in Human History (Weight: 63)
- score: 63 -- From Zero to Well-Read in 100 Books (Weight: 63)
- score: 59 -- The 100 Greatest Novels of All Time: The List (Weight: 57)
- score: 59 -- The 100 Greatest Novels (Weight: 57)
- score: 59 -- The Novel 100: A Ranking of the Greatest Novels of All Time (Weight: 57)
- score: 57 -- One Hundred Best Books (1916) (Weight: 57)
- score: 57 -- John Lubbock, The Choice of Books (1896) (Weight: 57)
- score: 57 -- The Book of Great Books: A Guide to 100 World Classics (Weight: 57)
- score: 57 -- How to Read and Why (Weight: 57)
- score: 57 -- The Books You've Always Meant to Read (Weight: 57)
- score: 57 -- Great Books (Weight: 57)
- score: 53 -- The Telegraph’s 100 Novels Everyone Should Read (Weight: 51)
- score: 51 -- Harold Bloom's The Western Canon (Weight: 51)
- score: 51 -- The College Board: 101 Great Books Recommended for College-Bound Readers (Weight: 51)
- score: 45 -- The 100 Best Books in the World (Weight: 45)
- score: 45 -- The 100 Most Influential Books Ever Written (Weight: 45)
- score: 45 -- The Well-Educated Mind (Weight: 45)
- score: 45 -- 50 Books to Read Before You Die (Weight: 45)
- score: 42 -- Top 50 Books (Weight: 42)
- score: 39 -- The 100 Greatest Books Ever Written (Weight: 39)
- score: 39 -- 1,000 Books to Read Before You Die: A Life-Changing List (Weight: 39)