The Alchemist by Ben Jonson

The book in question is a comedic play set in early 17th-century London, where a clever trio of con artists—Subtle, Face, and Dol—takes advantage of urban fear and superstition during a plague outbreak to swindle a series of gullible victims. Using the guise of an alchemist capable of performing miraculous transformations, the group promises wealth and power to their targets, spinning a web of deceit and exploiting human greed and folly. The play unfolds as a series of farcical episodes, culminating in the inevitable unraveling of their schemes, offering a satirical critique of human credulity and the pretensions of pseudo-science.

The 9620th greatest book of all time

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Total Points: 24

Since this book was first published in 1610, there is a penalty of 0%. The age adjusted score is 24.0.

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.