The World's 10 Greatest Books Ever Written

 

You may be surprised to learn that there are only ten books on the planet worth reading, and everyone should know about them. The books are so great that once you read them, you’ll remember them forever and you’ll probably want to read them again. In this list of the best books ever written, we give you brief synopses of each one so you can decide which ones you’ll check out next. Remember, every book on this list comes highly recommended! After all, they are the world’s best books!

1.

War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy

Tolstoy isn’t as well known in America as he is in Russia, and that’s a shame: His epic tale of war and friendship (and every other emotion) is a literary masterpiece. War and Peace were written at an unbelievable pace, as Tolstoy had to support his family financially. But despite its size—it has more characters than there are people on Earth—this book is a powerful study of humanity that still resonates with readers today. If you haven’t read it yet, get ready for a life-changing experience. It won’t be easy to get through, but you will never forget it.

2. Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen

Pride and Prejudice is a novel by Jane Austen, first published in 1813. The story follows protagonist Elizabeth Bennet as she deals with issues of manners, upbringing, morality, education, and marriage in the society of the landed gentry of early 19th-century England. Elizabeth is depicted as having five suitors during events: Mr Bingley, Mr Darcy, Charles Bingley (Bingley’s brother), George Wickham and Mr Collins.

3. Nineteen Eighty-Four by George Orwell

Whether you love or hate its politics, it’s hard to argue that Orwell’s classic tale of a totalitarian state is not one of history’s greatest books. A thought-provoking, cautionary dystopian tale that deserves to be read and re-read. You may disagree with his philosophy (and we do), but his words are powerful. This novel remains as relevant today as when it was first published over sixty years ago. 1984 has sold more than 50 million copies worldwide since its publication in 1949, making it one of the best-selling novels ever written.

4. Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll

While we may think of Alice in Wonderland as a children’s book, it’s a very dark story. The novel follows 19-year-old, Alice, after she takes an accidental tumble down a rabbit hole and ends up in Wonderland where she must take part in many adventures, including fights with Dodos, teacup rides with caterpillars and so much more.

5. Don Quixote by Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra

Also known as El Ingenioso Hidalgo Don Quixote de la Mancha, written by Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra in 1605 is often considered to be a founding work of modern Western literature. This must-read classic follows a delusional nobleman who mistakes windmills for evil giants and sets out on an epic quest to vanquish them.

6. Candide by Voltaire

Candide is a novel by French philosopher Voltaire, written in 1759. It starts with a character called Candide and his teacher Pangloss. They are living in the best of all possible worlds and everything is for good, so they don't worry about anything. Then things change radically: they lose their money, and their friends and Candide get tortured by soldiers while Pangloss has an affair with his maid.

7. To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee

Part coming-of-age, part courtroom drama, and part social commentary, Harper Lee’s Pulitzer Prize-winning novel explore race relations in a small Southern town through a child’s eyes. The story centres on 6-year-old Scout Finch, her brother Jem and their father Atticus Finch. As a new lawyer in Maycomb County, Alabama, Atticus defends an innocent black man against an unjustified rape charge.

8. The Great Gatsby by F Scott Fitzgerald

This classic American novel set in 1920s Long Island is a thinly veiled criticism of America’s post-war obsession with wealth. The story follows Nick Carraway as he moves to New York, befriends millionaire Jay Gatsby and falls in love with his enigmatic neighbour Daisy Buchanan. Throughout, Fitzgerald examines themes of decadence and excess, loss of identity and personal morality. This book is widely regarded as one of the best pieces of American fiction ever written.

9. Madame Bovary by Gustave Flaubert

A classic French novel by Gustave Flaubert, Madame Bovary is often called the first truly modern novel because of its realism and unsentimental treatment of adultery. Published in 1856, it caused a scandal, which helped make it a bestseller throughout Europe and America. The book gives us a vivid portrayal of provincial life in France during the early 19th century, including detailed descriptions of farm life and local superstitions.

10.

Heart of Darkness (Conrad)

The first rule of Heart of Darkness is that you can’t discuss Heart of Darkness. The second rule is that there aren’t any rules, but if there were a third rule it would be that even knowing about Heart of Darkness is dangerous business. Heart of Darkness (novel) by Joseph Conrad was published in 1902.