100 Of The Best-Selling Books Of All Time

The Hobbit, or There And Back Again, is a children’s fantasy novel by J.R.R. Tolkien - a predecessor to his much more extensive work, The Lord Of The Rings. In The Hobbit, we meet our beloved crusader Bilbo Baggins who’s aimed at a treasure guarded by Smaug, the dragon. Although the story starts lightheartedly, it later demands significant personal growth from the hobbit as he nears the end of his quest. Interestingly enough, the warfare motifs in the book are based on J.R.R. Tolkien’s experiences during World War I. At the same time, the fantasy aspects are heavily influenced by Germanic folklore and mythology.

The Lion, The Witch And The Wardrobe is a children’s fantasy novel written by C.S. Lewis and published in 1950. It is the first book in the series called The Chronicles Of Narnia and the most known work of C.S. Lewis. Here we get to follow the adventures of four kids as they discover a secret portal to Narnia - a land of talking animals and mythical creatures - and find themselves in a position to save the land from the evil White Witch. It’s thrilling, and it’s gripping, and that has secured The Lion, The Witch And The Wardrobe plenty of films, audio, and theater adaptations. Also, undying popularity.

And Then There Were None is a novel written by the queen of mystery herself, Agatha Christie, first published in 1939 (though with a bit different name that has since changed). There’s no way we are willing to spoil the fun of reading it by mentioning the book’s plot, but since it’s Christie’s work, you know it will be a challenging and very entertaining mystery to unravel. Besides being a masterfully written book, And Then There Were None is the world’s best-selling mystery, with over 100 million copies sold. Do you have one of them on your bookshelf?

Harry Potter And The Philosopher’s Stone is a fantasy novel written by J.K. Rowling and first published in 1997. The book was the debut of Rowling as a writer, but due to its tremendous success, the Harry Potter series expanded to seven books over time. This first book introduces us to the series’ main characters - Harry, Ron, and Hermione - and lends a thorough explanation of the Wizarding World we’re about to get completely immersed in. However, a massive horde of fans wasn’t the only thing that Harry Potter And The Philosopher’s Stone garnered as some religious groups condemned it to be witchcraft propaganda, with few countries abolishing the books completely.

The Little Prince is a novella by French aristocrat, writer, and military aviator Antoine de Saint-Exupery. It follows the story of a little prince who visits planets in space and meets various exciting strangers. Although it is perceived as a children’s book, the topics it discusses are more than relatable to adults - loneliness, friendship, love, and loss. The Little Prince also makes in-depth observations about life and human nature. Although it is entirely graspable for kids, it has an even more significant impact on older readers. This book also records the most translated books ever published - you can find it in 301 languages and dialects.

Harry Potter And The Half-Blood Prince is the sixth and penultimate book in the Harry Potter saga. Here the readers learn the prehistory of the dark wizard Lord Voldemort which gives a more profound view of Harry's preparations for the ultimate battle alongside his peers and his mentor Albus Dumbledore. 

Ben-Hur: A Tale Of Christ is an 1880's novel by Lew Wallace. The story in the book recounts the adventures of Judah Ben-Hur, a Jewish prince from Jerusalem, who the Romans enslave. Alongside Ben-Hur's narrative, there's the unfolding story of Jesus. The novel reflects on various profound topics, such as betrayal, conviction, and redemption, and is often called the most influential Christian book of the nineteenth century. 

The story of Don Quixote goes about a middle-aged man from the La Mancha region in Spain who decides to use his lance and sword to protect the defenseless and fight evil because he is obsessed with the chivalrous values extolled in the novels he has read. While traveling, he encounters kings, members of the clergy, the wealthy, and the working class. Sancho Panza, the inseparable companion of Don Quixote, is his complete opposite and a realist who sees reality as it is but is too kind-hearted to impose his opinions on others. You've probably heard of the narrative even if you haven't read the book. Still, this incredible literary work is more than just an old man battling windmills. An indisputable must-read for all.

A Tale Of Two Cities is a historical novel by Charles Dickens in 1859 set in London and Paris before and during the French Revolution. It tells the story of a French Doctor, Manette, who, after being imprisoned in the Bastille for 18 years is released to live in London with his daughter Lucie, whom he had never met before. Besides being one of the best-selling novels of all time, A Tale Of Two Cities is also thrilling. Here, the protagonists are constantly risking their lives or are a step away from imprisonment, making it a great adventure story and a great example of literary genius.

The Catcher In The Rye is a novel written by J. D. Sallinger and published as a full book in 1951. Although The Catcher In The Rye was intended for adults, it proved to be massively successful among adolescent readers. The younger audiences resonated with the main topics of the book deeply - it talks about angst, alienation, and critiques social superficiality. The topics are forever in the minds of teenagers, no matter the decade or the generation. The novel’s protagonist, Holden Caulfield, has even become a literary and real-life icon of teenage rebellion. About one million copies of The Catcher In The Rye are still sold as of today, making it one of the best-selling books ever.

Harry Potter And The Chamber Of Secrets is the second novel in the Potter saga. Yup, it's the one where Harry and Ron fly to Hogwarts in a levitating car! Besides this epic adventure, there's also a threat of the 'heir of Slytherin' jeopardizing everyone's lives in the school, with Harry and his peers set to solve the mystery.  

Harry Potter And The Prisoner Of Azkaban is the third novel in the Harry Potter series. Here we get to meet everyone's beloved Sirius Black for the first time, only to lose him soon after. as with any other Harry Potter book, expect this one to be full of action and profound topics like friendship and loyalty. 

Harry Potter And The Goblet Of Fire is the fourth novel in the Harry Potter saga. Here the story is all about the Triwizard Tournament - a tournament that's full of deadly challenges, unexpected adventures, and tons of ominous plot twists. A real edge-sitter, this one!

Harry Potter And The Order Of Phoenix is the fifth novel in the Harry Potter series. Here, the story circles around Harry's struggles with the fifth year at the Hogwarts School Of Witchcraft And Wizardry, the O.W.L. exams, interferences from the Ministry of Magic, and the return of Lord Voldemort. Really, it's just brimming with action and adventure!

The Alchemist is a novel written by Brazilian author Paulo Coelho that was first published in 1988. It’s an allegorical story following a young Andalusian shepherd’s journey to the Egyptian pyramids after having a recurring dream of treasures hidden there. Ultimately, it is a story about the road to yourself, and all the adventures and misfortunes that he endures reflects on the human condition. It also has been cited as one of the most noteworthy self-help books, which is rather unusual for a novel. Written in Portuguese, this book soon got translations into plenty of languages, thus spurring its fate to become a worldwide bestseller.

She: A History Of Adventure is a novel by H. Rider Haggard, published in 1887. The story follows Horace Holly and his ward Leo Vincey’s journey to a lost African kingdom. There, the duo encounters a primitive nation and their all-ruling queen Ayesha. The author’s vivid imagination, first-hand experience of living in Africa, and thrilling adventures of the protagonists made this book an instant hit among Victorian reader audiences. This book was so trendy that it has never gone out of print. Besides being a vital part of romance style revival, She: A History Of Adventure is also a historical piece showing us the worldview of the Victorians and demonstrating an excellent example of Imperialist literature.

One Hundred Years of Solitude is a 1967 novel by Columbian author Gabriel García Márquez. The story here spans through several generations of the Buendia family, whose patriarch was the founder of a fictitious town called Macondo. It's a wondrous story elevated by magical realism and peppered with symbols and metaphors on history repeating itself. No wonder that it is considered Márquez's magnum opus and remains one of the most significant works of literature. 

Dream Of The Red Chamber or The Story Of The Stone is a classical Chinese novel by Cao Xueqin sometime in the middle of the 18th century. And there’s nothing simple about this book - neither the story of its conception, nor the plot, the topics, nor the characters. Nevertheless, it is such a complex and in-depth view into 18th-century lifestyles, aesthetics, world view, and social relations that it has spawned a branch of literary studies dedicated to the novel ‘Redology.’ Although it shows the lives of two aristocratic and wealthy branches of the Jia clan in a very realistic and naturalistic way, it also talks about much more profound things, such as religious and philosophical questions.

The Da Vinci Code is a 2003 mystery-thriller novel written by Dan Brown. This worldwide bestseller tells the story of a ‘symbologist’ Robert Langdon and cryptologist Sophie Neveau, as they get increasingly involved in a battle between the Priory of Sion and Opus Dei. The leading cause for their disagreement is whether there’s a possibility that Mary Magdalene and Jesus Christ had a baby together. Though the book, despite having derived ideas from previous works of other authors, is a work of fiction, it nonetheless was denounced by several Catholic denominations as an attack on the Church. Interested? Give this thriller a chance; it is one heck of an entertaining read.