The Roots of Heaven by Romain Gary

The novel is set in post-World War II French Equatorial Africa and follows Morel, a French environmental activist who is fighting to protect elephants from extinction. Morel's crusade against elephant poaching not only draws the attention of other Europeans living in Africa, but also inspires a range of African characters to join his cause. The narrative explores themes of freedom, nature, and the struggle against colonialism and commercial exploitation.

The 2394th greatest book of all time


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Total Points: 144

Since this book was first published in 1956, there is a penalty of 0%. The age adjusted score is 144.0.

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.