The Lists

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  • The Top 10: The Greatest Books of All Time

    The Top 10 (Book), 103 Books

    The Top 10 book chosen by 125 top writers from the book "The Top 10" edited by J. Peder Zane.

    Weight: 100%, Added 20 days ago.
  • Top 100 Works in World Literature

    Norwegian Book Clubs, with the Norwegian Nobel Institute, 102 Books

    The editors of the Norwegian Book Clubs, with the Norwegian Nobel Institute, polled a panel of 100 authors from 54 countries on what they considered the “best and most central works in world literature.” Among the authors polled were Milan Kundera, Doris Lessing, Seamus Heaney, Salman Rushdie, Wole Soyinka, John Irving, Nadine Gordimer, and Carlos Fuentes. The list of 100 works appears alphabetically by author. Although the books were not ranked, the editors revealed that Don Quixote received 50% more votes than any other book.

    Weight: 100%, Added 20 days ago.
  • For The Love of Books

    For The Love of Books, 95 Books

    Ronald Schwartz polled 115 major writers about their favorite books, and published each of their ballots in the book “For the Love of Books”.

    Weight: 100%, Added 20 days ago.
  • 1001 Books You Must Read Before You Die

    The Book, 998 Books

    A book edited by Peter Boxall, and written by over 100 hundred international critics.

    Weight: 100%, Added 20 days ago.
  • El Pais Favorite Books of 100 Spanish Authors

    El Pais, 135 Books

    El Pais ran A Poll of 100 Spanish Authors and Their Favorite Books. This is summary of all the books

    Weight: 87%, Added 20 days ago.
  • The 25 Favorite Books of 100 Francophone Writers

    Telerama, 26 Books

    Télérama, a weekly French magazine, asked 100s of french authors to list their top 10 favorite books of all time.

    Weight: 87%, Added 20 days ago.
  • The 100 Best Books of World Literature

    ABC.es, 100 Books

    A Spanish based list made by Fifty writers, critics and personalities from the world of culture have chosen their literary preferences to compile this list.

    Weight: 87%, Added 20 days ago.
  • Biblioteca

    Argentina, 41 Books

    38 Argentinean Authors were polled by the Argentinean government for their favorite books. This is a tally of all books with more than 1 vote.

    Weight: 87%, Added 20 days ago.
  • Världsbiblioteket (The World Library)

    Tidningen Boken, 99 Books

    Världsbiblioteket (The World Library) was a Swedish list of the 100 best books in the world, made in 1991 by the Swedish literary magazine Tidningen Boken. The list was compiled through votes from members of the Svenska Akademien, Swedish Crime Writers' Academy, librarian, authors and others. Approximately 30 of the books were Swedish.

    Weight: 87%, Added 20 days ago.
  • Top 100 World Literature Titles

    Perfection Learning, 100 Books

    The top 100 titles for the world literature classroom, ranked in order of popularity, chosen by literature teachers from across the country.

    Weight: 87%, Added 20 days ago.
  • Daily Telegraph's 100 Books of the Century, 1900-1999

    Daily Telegraph, 95 Books

    The Daily Telegraph asked 100 contributors/authors/experts to choose 1 book as their favorite or most notable book of the last 100 years (1900-1999). This list was originally published in the newspaper

    Weight: 80%, Added 16 days ago.
  • "Our Readable Century", The Best Books of the 20th Century

    January Magazine, 17 Books

    Literary publication January Magazine polled writers for their favorite works of 2oth century fiction. These were the most mentioned books.

    Weight: 80%, Added 20 days ago.
  • The Greatest 20th Century Novels

    Waterstone, 23 Books

    Waterstone’s 1999 poll of the greatest 20th century novels, according to British writers. This appeared to be the result of muddle in the way questions were put to and answered by the 47 authors, critics and media personalities who voted in the poll.

    Weight: 80%, Added 20 days ago.
  • The Ideal Library

    Book, 121 Books

    100 prominent cultural figures, mostly writers, were polled for their choice of an "ideal library". The following list is a tally of every book that received at least 2 votes.

    Weight: 77%, Added 20 days ago.
  • The 75 Best Books of the Past 75 Years

    Parade Magazine, 88 Books

    A list of voted on by 17 employees(book sellers) at Parnassus Books in Nashville, TN for Parade Magazine.

    Weight: 74%, Added 20 days ago.
  • Best Foreign Work of Fiction Chosen by Francophone Writers

    French literary magazine Transfuge, 135 Books

    The French literary magazine Transfuge asked a group of francophone writers to pick their best foreign work of fiction.

    The authors polled are: Pierre Assouline, Frédéric Beigbeder, Nina Bouraoui, Michel Butor, Eric Chevillard, Claro, Charles Dantzig, Jacques Darras, Florence Delay, Jean-Paul Dubois, Eric Faye, Alain Finkielkraut, Eric Fottorino, Jérôme Garcin, Régis Jauffret, Jacques Julliard, Philippe Labro, Linda Lê, Gilles Lipovetsky, Richard Morgiève, Marie Ndiaye, Claude Pirotte, Lydie Salvayre, Jean-François Sirinelli, Alain-Gérard Slama, Phillipe Sollers, Tzvetan Todorov, Michel Tournier

    Weight: 74%, Added 20 days ago.
  • A Hundred Novels to Change Your Life

    The Daily Mail, 95 Books

    The Daily Mail's response to the BBC's list of 100 novels that 'shaped our world' is sharply critical, pointing out significant omissions and questioning the selection's focus on political correctness over literary merit. The critique highlights the absence of literary giants such as Rudyard Kipling, Thomas Hardy, and Salman Rushdie's "The Satanic Verses," suggesting the list leans towards appealing to younger audiences at the expense of timeless classics. It also criticizes the BBC's thematic categories, like 'Identity' and 'Politics, Power and Protest,' for potentially diluting the complex essence of literature.

    The article calls out specific inclusions and exclusions as misjudgments, arguing for a list that better represents enduring works that have truly impacted generations of readers. In an alternative approach, the Daily Mail invites its writers to share their personal, impactful reads, emphasizing the subjective nature of literary value and the lasting significance of books that resonate on a deeply personal level. This serves as a reminder of the power of literature to influence individually and collectively, beyond contemporary trends.

    Weight: 74%, Added 20 days ago.
  • Pour une Bibliothèque Idéale

    Raymond Queneau, 111 Books

    "In the early 1950s Raymond Queneau asked several dozen French authors and critics to list the hundred books they would choose if they had to limit themselves to that number. He reproduced all their responses in the book Pour une Bibliothèque Idéale (Gallimard, 1956), along with the overall top 100 list reproduced above."

    Weight: 74%, Added 20 days ago.
  • 100 Novels That Shaped Our World

    BBC, 100 Books

    Stories have the power to change us. We asked a panel of leading writers, curators and critics to choose 100 genre-busting novels that have had an impact on their lives, and this is the result. These English language novels, written over the last 300 years, range from children’s classics to popular page turners. Organised into themes, they reflect the ways books help shape and influence our thinking.

    Weight: 74%, Added 20 days ago.
  • 100 Life-Changing Books

    National Book Award, 97 Books

    National Book Award-winning authors got together to select what was, in their opinions, 100 life-changing books.

    Weight: 74%, Added 20 days ago.
  • Best German Novels of the Twentieth Century

    Wikipedia, 10 Books

    The Best German Novels of the Twentieth Century is a list of books compiled in 1999 by Literaturhaus München and Bertelsmann, in which 99 prominent German authors, literary critics, and scholars of German ranked the most significant German-language novels of the twentieth century.

    The group brought together 33 experts from each of the three categories. Each was allowed to name three books as having been the most important of the century.

    Weight: 67%, Added 20 days ago.
  • Books of the Century

    The Age (Newspaper), 26 Books

    The Age, a major newspaper Melbourne, Victoria asked around 30 authors/critics/experts what their favorite book of the century was. Note, some authors did not understand the question and picked books written in the 1700s

    Weight: 67%, Added 13 days ago.
  • 50 Greatest Books of All Time

    Globe and Mail, 53 Books

    A list of the 50 greatest books of all time as determined by a panel of secret judges for Globe and Mail. The books are not ranked.

    Weight: 67%, Added 20 days ago.
  • 30 Books Every Adult Should Read Before They Die

    The British Museums, Libraries, and Archives Society, 30 Books

    The list of books recommended by Britain's librarians as must-reads before one dies was compiled through a World Book Day poll by the Museum, Libraries and Archives Council (MLA). Librarians across the country were asked to select books they believe every adult should read, culminating in a diverse selection that highlights both classic literature and contemporary favorites. The initiative reflects the insights of librarians who, through their professional experience and personal tastes, guide readers towards works that are not only culturally significant but also enriching on a personal level. This endeavor underscores the value of librarian recommendations in navigating the vast world of literature, offering a blend of historical importance, narrative excellence, and thematic depth across various genres and eras.

    Weight: 67%, Added 20 days ago.
  • Ten brilliant authors reveal their all-time classic reads

    Women & Home, 10 Books

    Woman & Home got 10 authors to pick their favorite book of all time. Their description says:

    Your favorite writers, including Bernardine Evaristo and Richard Osman, share their all-time classic reads and why they love them

    the writers include: Isabel Allende, Linwood Barclay, Erin Kelly, Lucinda Riley, Deborah Moggach, Paula Hawkins, Celia Imrie, Sebastian Faulks, Richard Osman, Bernardine Evaristo

    Weight: 67%, Added 20 days ago.
  • The Guardian's Essential Library

    The Guardian, 97 Books

    The Guardian asked eminent writers to choose 10 books from their respective fields to make up a capsule library of indispensable volumes. The only rules were that the books had to be in print and readily available in the UK.

    From art to science via fiction and memoir, these are their selections for the Guardian's Essential Library of 100 vital books.

    Art and music chosen by Susan Sontag
    Biography chosen by Michael Holroyd
    Fiction chosen by Julian Barnes
    Fiction in translation chosen by Julian Barnes
    History chosen by Simon Schama
    Memoir and autobiography chosen by Linda Grant
    Poetry chosen by Andrew Motion
    Politics chosen by Timothy Garton Ash
    Science chosen by Steve Jones
    Travel chosen by Jan Morris

    Weight: 67%, Added 16 days ago.
  • 50 Memorable Books from 50 Years of Books to Remember

    The New York Public Library, 49 Books

    A representative selection from over 1500 titles on annual lists of Books to Remember from 1956 to 2005.

    Chosen by a group of librarians who are specialists in their genres, these outstanding works of fiction, non-fiction and poetry provide an informative or transformative reading experience, and are chosen for their literary excellence, uniqueness of concept and command of subject matter.

    Weight: 67%, Added 20 days ago.
  • The 100 Greatest British Novels

    BBC, 104 Books

    BBC Culture polled book critics outside the UK, to give an outsider’s perspective on the best in British literature.

    Weight: 60%, Added 20 days ago.
  • The Great Books Reader

    Book, 29 Books

    "In this volume you will be guided by esteemed professors and writers who have selected excerpts from the most important books in Western Civilization. A brief essay illuminates each excerpt and puts the work in context. Take your education to the next level by letting some of the best thinkers of today walk you through the most influential books in history."

    Weight: 60%, Added 20 days ago.
  • The Booklist Century: 100 Books, 100 Years

    BookList, 100 Books

    The Booklist Century: 100 Books, 100 Years" is a curated list of 100 books created by Booklist to commemorate its 100th anniversary. The list celebrates a century of literature, selecting one book from each year that has had a significant impact over time. The impact considered is broad, encompassing literary, economic, sociological, and behavioral effects, showcasing the diversity in the criteria for selection. The process of choosing books highlighted the challenges of comparing different kinds of impacts and dealing with years that offered either an abundance of influential works or a scarcity of notable publications.

    The compilation was undertaken by the Booklist staff, who also faced the task of acquiring a copy of each book, relying on their own collections and the resources of several Chicago-area libraries. This effort underscores the commitment and collaborative effort behind the project. The list includes a wide range of genres and types of books, from literature and cookbooks to children's books and sociological reports, indicating a comprehensive approach to recognizing books' varied impacts on society.

    Weight: 60%, Added 16 days ago.
  • The New York Public Library's Books of the Century

    New York Public Library, 173 Books

    The following is a complete list of the titles included in the exhibition Books of the Century at The New York Public Library's Center for the Humanities, May 20, 1995-July 13, 1996, and in The New York Public Library's Books of the Century, published by Oxford University Press.

    A celebration of the NYPL's centenary. The books were selected by public service and research librarians

    Weight: 60%, Added 20 days ago.
  • The Hundred Most Influential Books Since The War (WW2)

    Central and East European Publishing Project, 100 Books

    In 1986, a diverse group of writers and scholars came together to try to assist independent East European writers and publishers both at home and in exile. The Chairman was Lord Dahrendorf, Warden of St.Antony's College, Oxford. Other members were the French historian Francois Furet; Raymond Georis, Director of the European Cultural Foundation, Amsterdam; Laurens van Krevelen of the Dutch publishing house Meulenhoff; the Swedish writer Per Wastberg, at the time President of International PEN; the European correspondent of the New Yorker, Jane Kramer; and the historian and commentator Timothy Garton Ash. It was
    envisaged that support would take two forms: first, to ensure publication in the original languages, and second, to encourage more translations.

    One of the basic tenets of this initiative, which came to be known as the Central and East European Publishing Project (CEEPP), was that the geopolitical division of Europe - the Iron Curtain was then still very much a reality - had interrupted the normal and healthy flow not just of people but also of books and ideas. Its aim, in the words of Ralf Dahrendorf, was to foster a "common market of the mind" throughout the whole of Europe. After 1989, CEEPP was able to expand its activities and organize workshops and in-house training for those involved in publishing, but its main concern remained to facilitate the publication of worthwhile books and journals.

    At Trustees' meetings, titles submitted by publishers for consideration were scrutinized for their quality and relevance. Not surprisingly, there were, among the Orwells, Poppers, and Hannah Arendts, some very odd works, and also some strange omissions. Inspired and provoked by the perusal of these lists over the years, the Trustees decided that in their final year of activity (the Project disbanded at the end of 1994) they would respond to the challenge of producing, as a jeu d'esprit, a consciously arbitrary list of the 100 books which have been most influential in the West since 1945.

    An initial list was put together by a small panel consisting of Robert Cassen, Dahrendorf, Garton Ash, Michael Ignatieff, Leszek Kolakowski, and Bryan Magee. It was then revised, following an extensive discussion at the last meeting of CEEPP Trustees. Works of fiction were included only when they had a wider impact.

    Weight: 60%, Added 20 days ago.
  • The 100 Best Novels of the 20th Century

    Folha de São Paulo, 98 Books

    Folha de São Paulo, also known as simply Folha, is a Brazilian daily newspaper founded in 1921 under the name Folha da Noite and published in São Paulo by the Folha da Manhã company. Folha got ten critics and writers to choose the one hundred best novels published since 1900.

    Weight: 60%, Added 4 days ago.
  • 100 Books to Read from Eastern Europe and Central Asia

    New East Digital Archive, 100 Books

    Experimental fiction, literary classics, searing historical accounts, and forgotten memoirs: the breadth of literature from across the post-communist world — much of it still untranslated — stands as testament to centuries of human experience in a region marked by political turmoil and extraordinary resilience. We asked writers, poets, translators, and academics to help us pick 100 of the best books from Central and Eastern Europe, Russia, and Central Asia available in English. From Belgrade to Bishkek, these remarkable works of literature span across cultures, borders, and time.

    Weight: 60%, Added 20 days ago.
  • Big Read (Bulgarian)

    Bulgaria, 100 Books

    This list is the Bulgarian version of the BBC Big Read.

    Big Reading is a campaign broadcast on Bulgarian National Television , with the aim of polling Bulgarians about their favorite novels. The show is based on the BBC 's Great Reading English format . It started in Bulgaria on October 5 , 2008 and ended on March 22, 2009 . Voting is done by e-mail, via the Internet , by telephone or by letter . Initially, 100 novels were selected ( December 21 , 2008), of which the first 12 were subsequently ranked.

    Weight: 60%, Added 20 days ago.
  • The 100 Best Mystery and Thriller Books of All Time

    Time, 100 Books

    With a panel of celebrated authors—Megan Abbott, Harlan Coben, S.A. Cosby, Gillian Flynn, Tana French, Rachel Howzell Hall, and Sujata Massey—TIME presents the most gripping, twist-filled, satisfying, and influential mystery and thriller books, in chronological order beginning in the 1800s.

    Weight: 54%, Added 20 days ago.
  • The Greatest Stories Ever Told

    The Sydney Morning Herald, 10 Books

    The Sydney Morning Herald published this list in their newspaper on Saturday 13th, 1994. They asked a "panel of experts" what the greatest story ever told was. The voters were: Donald Horne, Rosemary Dobson, Gwen Harwood, David Ireland, Barry Jones, and Marian Halligan

    Weight: 54%, Added 15 days ago.
  • The 21st Century's 12 Greatest Novels

    BBC, 20 Books

    What are the greatest novels of the opening years of this tumultuous century? In search of a collective critical assessment, BBC Culture contributor Jane Ciabattari polled several dozen book critics, including The New York Times Book Review’s Parul Sehgal, Time magazine's book editor Lev Grossman, Newsday book editor Tom Beer, Bookslut founder Jessa Crispin, C Max Magee, founder of The Millions, Booklist's Donna Seaman, Kirkus Reviews' Laurie Muchnick and many more. We asked each to name the best novels published in English since 1 January 2000. The critics named 156 novels in all, and based on the votes these are the top 12.

    *Note
    Although it says 12, they list more

    Weight: 54%, Added 20 days ago.
  • ZEIT-Bibliothek der 100 Bücher

    Die Zeit, 94 Books

    The Time Library of 100 Books was an educationally ambitious series of articles by the features editorial team of the weekly newspaper Die Zeit . Starting in 1978, over the next two years a review of a work of world literature was published week after week.

    The works were selected by a six-member jury ( Rudolf Walter Leonhardt , Hans Mayer , Rolf Michaelis , Fritz J. Raddatz , Peter Wapnewski and Dieter E. Zimmer ), who also invited the reviewers. Some of the works were presented by the jury members themselves, but most of the reviewers were not professional literary critics , but rather well-known writers themselves. Their subjective perspective on the works based on their own reading experience and enthusiasm is part of the appeal of the collection for many readers.

    Weight: 54%, Added 20 days ago.
  • The Modern Library | 100 Best Nonfiction

    The Modern Library, 100 Books

    Weight: 54%, Added 20 days ago.
  • Best Books Listed for High School Students

    William J. Bennett, 35 Books

    In 1984, William J. Bennett, then chairman of the National Endowment for the Humanities, conducted an informal and unscientific survey among scholars, journalists, teachers, and leaders in government and culture to identify essential readings for high school students. Prompted by a query during a press meeting, Bennett sought to determine a core list of literary works deemed vital for every student to study before graduation. The survey garnered responses from 325 individuals, including feedback through a syndicated column by George F. Will and input from high school teachers participating in seminars sponsored by the National Endowment for the Humanities and the Mellon Foundation. The resulting list of thirty most frequently mentioned works, highlighted by Shakespeare's oeuvre, the Declaration of Independence, Mark Twain's "Huckleberry Finn," and the Bible, aimed to elevate the standard of reading material in high schools, suggesting that a selection of any ten from the list would offer significant educational value.

    *NOTE*
    I did not include any of the documents of United States history since they are not books. I also only included the top 3 highest rated William Faulkner novels, since including every one of his novels seems excessive.

    Weight: 54%, Added 20 days ago.
  • Le Monde's 100 Books of the Century

    Le Monde, 101 Books

    The 100 Books of the Century (French: Les cent livres du siècle) is a list of the one hundred best books of the 20th century, according to a poll conducted in the spring of 1999 by the French retailer Fnac and the Paris newspaper Le Monde.

    Starting from a preliminary list of 200 titles created by bookshops and journalists, 17,000 French voted by responding to the question, "Which books have stayed in your memory?" (« Quels livres sont restés dans votre mémoire ? »).

    The list of acclaimed titles mixes great novels with poetry and theatre, as well as the comic strip. The first fifty works on the list were the subject of an essay by Frédéric Beigbeder, The Last Inventory Before Liquidation, in which he notably drew attention to its French-centred character.

    Weight: 54%, Added 20 days ago.
  • Finding Comfort in the Classics

    NY Times, 21 Books

    Editors and writers on the Books desk — along with colleagues from the newsroom — recommend some time-tested books that offer escape from the present moment. This list came out during COVID

    Weight: 54%, Added 20 days ago.
  • 100 Books to Read in a Lifetime

    Amazon.com (UK), 100 Books

    Amazon UK editors select 100 books that they deem "essential".

    Weight: 54%, Added 20 days ago.
  • Finest Works of Fiction

    Martin Seymour-Smith and Editors, 55 Books

    In Novels and Novelists, A Guide to the World of Fiction (1980) Seymour-Smith and the other contributors selected about 55 works of fiction as receiving full marks on the four criteria used for evaluation: Readability, Characterization, Plot, and Literary Merit. These represent, for the contributors, the finest works of fiction that have been written.

    Weight: 54%, Added 20 days ago.
  • The Celebrity Reading List

    Gardiner Public Library, 72 Books

    The Gardiner Public Library, from 1988 to 2007, polled various famous figures from all around the world (writers, artists, filmmakers, politicians, actors, etc.) to ask for their book recommendations. This list is based on the books that received at least two mentions.

    Weight: 54%, Added 20 days ago.
  • 48 Good Books

    University of Buffalo, 49 Books

    Recommended literature by the Undergraduate Academies and Libraries of the University of Buffalo.

    description from their old website:
    In cooperation with the UB Libraries, the UB Undergraduate Academies announce the Good Books project, a list of 48 good books which embody the mission and spirit of the five Undergraduate Academies: Civic Engagement, Entrepreneurship, Global Perspectives, Research Exploration and Sustainability The Academies Council members, an advisory board of faculty and staff, nominated books that have been personally important to them. You could read one book from this eclectic list, which ranges from biography to politics to poetry, each month over the course of your college career. Some of these books may be familiar, others quite unknown, but Council Members put their heads together to devise a list of “unrequired reading” that have inspired inquiry, pleasure, and a renewed engagement with civic life.

    Weight: 54%, Added 20 days ago.
  • 25 acclaimed international writers choose 25 of the best books from the last 25 years

    Wasafiri Magazine, 23 Books

    The 25 books were chosen by 25 respected names in international writing, many of whom have contributed over the years to Wasafiri magazine, including Indra Sinha, Blake Morrison and Fred D’Aguiar.

    Note: I don't think the voters understood "the last 25 years" bit. There are many books that are much much older.

    Weight: 54%, Added 20 days ago.
  • The Bigger Read List

    English PEN, 160 Books

    The English PEN staff compiled a list of the best works not written in the English language. This list combines their list with the suggestions made by Fred Armentrout, President of Hong Kong (English-Speaking) PEN.

    Weight: 54%, Added 20 days ago.
  • 500 Great Books by Women

    Book, 506 Books

    The editors of this work-one is a teacher, one a writer, and one a women's bookstore owner-clearly love to read, are committed to promoting women's writing, and want to provide a useful guide for readers of similar inclination. The editors, along with some 30 contributors, have written brief descriptions (about 200 words) of 500 selected books. To be included, books had to be written by a woman and be in prose, in print, and in English (or in translation). The editors selected books they personally loved that represent multicultural and international perspectives. The entries are arranged thematically, including sections for art, family, identity, work, and 15 additional themes. The selections are somewhat unexpected, but they do include at least one sampling of the most acclaimed women writers (e.g., Angelou, Morrison, Weldon, and Oates).

    Weight: 54%, Added 20 days ago.
The Lists

These are all the lists used to generate the book rankings. There are currently 246 Lists. Each list has a weight associated with it, that is calculated based on a variety of criteria. The higher the weight the more important the list is.

We are always looking for new lists to add to the site. If you know of any that are not on the site please visit this page. Thanks!