The Canterbury Tales by Geoffrey Chaucer
The Canterbury Tales is a collection of 24 stories that follows a group of pilgrims traveling from London to Canterbury to visit the shrine of Saint Thomas Becket. Told in Middle English, the tales are narrated by a diverse group of pilgrims, including a knight, a miller, a reeve, and a pardoner, who share their stories to pass the time during their journey. The tales, which range from chivalrous romances to bawdy fabliaux, provide a colorful, satirical, and critical portrayal of 14th century English society.
The 101st 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: 2165
Since this book was first published in 1400, there is a penalty of 0%. The age adjusted score is 2165.0.
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: 153 -- The Top 10: The Greatest Books of All Time (Weight: 150)
- score: 150 -- Top 100 Works in World Literature (Weight: 150)
- score: 126 -- A Hundred Novels to Change Your Life (Weight: 126)
- score: 126 -- 100 Life-Changing Books (Weight: 126)
- score: 108 -- The Great Books Reader (Weight: 108)
- score: 99 -- The New Lifetime Reading Plan (Weight: 99)
- score: 96 -- Best Books Listed for High School Students (Weight: 96)
- score: 90 -- Our Users' Favorite Books of All Time (Weight: 90)
- score: 85 -- 100 Best Books (Weight: 84)
- score: 84 -- Inteliquest's World's 100 Greatest Books of All-Time (Weight: 84)
- score: 75 -- Masterpieces of World Literature (Weight: 75)
- score: 69 -- The 50 Most Influential Books of All Time (Weight: 69)
- score: 63 -- The Best Classics (Weight: 63)
- score: 63 -- The Graphic Canon (Weight: 63)
- score: 63 -- From Zero to Well-Read in 100 Books (Weight: 63)
- score: 63 -- Books That Changed the World: The 50 Most Influential Books in Human History (Weight: 63)
- score: 63 -- 110 Best Books: The Perfect Library (Weight: 63)
- score: 57 -- John Lubbock, The Choice of Books (1896) (Weight: 57)
- score: 57 -- Great Books (Weight: 57)
- score: 57 -- How to Read Literature Like a Professor: A Reading List (Weight: 57)
- score: 57 -- The Book of Great Books: A Guide to 100 World Classics (Weight: 57)
- 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 -- 50 Books to Read Before You Die (Weight: 45)
- score: 45 -- Great Books of the Western World (Weight: 45)
- score: 45 -- The Well-Educated Mind (Weight: 45)
- score: 44 -- 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)