Discover new books on Goodreads
Meet your next favorite book
The book you know will go into the canon of literature, on par with Tolkien, Shakespeare, Austen and other greats. The books that will one day be part of a school curriculum, or are beginning to be accepted as such. These are the books in the last hundred years or so that have really touched many by their literary genius.
Score
A book’s total score is based on multiple factors, including the number of people who have voted for it and how highly those voters ranked the book.
1 |
To Kill a Mockingbird
by
4.26 avg rating — 6,753,941 ratings
|
Error rating book. Refresh and try again.
Rate this book
Clear rating
|
|
2 |
The Handmaid’s Tale (The Handmaid's Tale, #1)
by
Margaret Atwood (Goodreads Author)
4.15 avg rating — 2,358,629 ratings
|
Error rating book. Refresh and try again.
Rate this book
Clear rating
|
|
3 |
One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest
by
4.20 avg rating — 772,284 ratings
|
Error rating book. Refresh and try again.
Rate this book
Clear rating
|
|
4 |
The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy (Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, #1)
by
4.22 avg rating — 1,985,986 ratings
|
Error rating book. Refresh and try again.
Rate this book
Clear rating
|
|
5 |
The Outsiders
by
S.E. Hinton (Goodreads Author)
4.14 avg rating — 1,559,423 ratings
|
Error rating book. Refresh and try again.
Rate this book
Clear rating
|
|
6 |
The Kite Runner
by
Khaled Hosseini (Goodreads Author)
4.35 avg rating — 3,433,967 ratings
|
Error rating book. Refresh and try again.
Rate this book
Clear rating
|
|
7 |
The Hunger Games (The Hunger Games, #1)
by
4.35 avg rating — 9,701,241 ratings
|
Error rating book. Refresh and try again.
Rate this book
Clear rating
|
|
8 |
The Book Thief
by
Markus Zusak (Goodreads Author)
4.39 avg rating — 2,828,108 ratings
|
Error rating book. Refresh and try again.
Rate this book
Clear rating
|
|
9 |
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (Harry Potter, #3)
by
4.58 avg rating — 4,733,084 ratings
|
Error rating book. Refresh and try again.
Rate this book
Clear rating
|
|
10 |
The Color Purple
by
4.28 avg rating — 742,889 ratings
|
Error rating book. Refresh and try again.
Rate this book
Clear rating
|
|
11 |
In Cold Blood
by
4.09 avg rating — 716,805 ratings
|
Error rating book. Refresh and try again.
Rate this book
Clear rating
|
|
12 |
Atonement
by
Ian McEwan (Goodreads Author)
3.95 avg rating — 556,554 ratings
|
Error rating book. Refresh and try again.
Rate this book
Clear rating
|
|
13 |
The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time
by
3.89 avg rating — 1,579,406 ratings
|
Error rating book. Refresh and try again.
Rate this book
Clear rating
|
|
14 |
Catch-22
by
3.99 avg rating — 878,328 ratings
|
Error rating book. Refresh and try again.
Rate this book
Clear rating
|
|
15 |
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (Harry Potter, #2)
by
4.43 avg rating — 4,397,212 ratings
|
Error rating book. Refresh and try again.
Rate this book
Clear rating
|
|
16 |
The Giver (The Giver, #1)
by
Lois Lowry (Goodreads Author)
4.12 avg rating — 2,758,061 ratings
|
Error rating book. Refresh and try again.
Rate this book
Clear rating
|
|
17 |
The Princess Bride
by
4.27 avg rating — 940,868 ratings
|
Error rating book. Refresh and try again.
Rate this book
Clear rating
|
|
18 |
The Bell Jar
by
4.05 avg rating — 1,179,159 ratings
|
Error rating book. Refresh and try again.
Rate this book
Clear rating
|
|
19 |
Watership Down (Watership Down, #1)
by
4.09 avg rating — 501,614 ratings
|
Error rating book. Refresh and try again.
Rate this book
Clear rating
|
|
20 |
The Hobbit, or There and Back Again
by
4.30 avg rating — 4,384,534 ratings
|
Error rating book. Refresh and try again.
Rate this book
Clear rating
|
|
21 |
The Master and Margarita
by
4.28 avg rating — 408,303 ratings
|
Error rating book. Refresh and try again.
Rate this book
Clear rating
|
|
22 |
Dune (Dune #1)
by
4.29 avg rating — 1,591,140 ratings
|
Error rating book. Refresh and try again.
Rate this book
Clear rating
|
|
23 |
The Name of the Rose
by
4.14 avg rating — 390,475 ratings
|
Error rating book. Refresh and try again.
Rate this book
Clear rating
|
|
24 |
Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe
by
4.28 avg rating — 323,560 ratings
|
Error rating book. Refresh and try again.
Rate this book
Clear rating
|
|
25 |
Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?
by
4.09 avg rating — 502,627 ratings
|
Error rating book. Refresh and try again.
Rate this book
Clear rating
|
|
26 |
I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings (Maya Angelou's Autobiography, #1)
by
4.30 avg rating — 573,463 ratings
|
Error rating book. Refresh and try again.
Rate this book
Clear rating
|
|
27 |
A Clockwork Orange
by
really liked it 4.00 avg rating — 759,018 ratings
|
Error rating book. Refresh and try again.
Rate this book
Clear rating
|
|
28 |
Fight Club
by
Chuck Palahniuk (Goodreads Author)
4.18 avg rating — 633,853 ratings
|
Error rating book. Refresh and try again.
Rate this book
Clear rating
|
|
29 |
The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (Chronicles of Narnia, #1)
by
4.24 avg rating — 3,091,366 ratings
|
Error rating book. Refresh and try again.
Rate this book
Clear rating
|
|
30 |
Water for Elephants
by
Sara Gruen (Goodreads Author)
4.11 avg rating — 1,687,885 ratings
|
Error rating book. Refresh and try again.
Rate this book
Clear rating
|
|
31 |
The Joy Luck Club
by
Amy Tan (Goodreads Author)
3.97 avg rating — 705,775 ratings
|
Error rating book. Refresh and try again.
Rate this book
Clear rating
|
|
32 |
The Fault in Our Stars
by
John Green (Goodreads Author)
4.12 avg rating — 5,628,810 ratings
|
Error rating book. Refresh and try again.
Rate this book
Clear rating
|
|
33 |
Ender’s Game (Ender's Saga, #1)
by
4.31 avg rating — 1,458,533 ratings
|
Error rating book. Refresh and try again.
Rate this book
Clear rating
|
|
34 |
The Perks of Being a Wallflower
by
4.24 avg rating — 1,966,645 ratings
|
Error rating book. Refresh and try again.
Rate this book
Clear rating
|
|
35 |
The Man Without Qualities
by
4.19 avg rating — 7,258 ratings
|
Error rating book. Refresh and try again.
Rate this book
Clear rating
|
|
36 |
The Remains of the Day
by
Kazuo Ishiguro (Goodreads Author)
4.14 avg rating — 349,809 ratings
|
Error rating book. Refresh and try again.
Rate this book
Clear rating
|
|
37 |
The Help
by
Kathryn Stockett (Goodreads Author)
4.47 avg rating — 2,981,877 ratings
|
Error rating book. Refresh and try again.
Rate this book
Clear rating
|
|
38 |
The Golden Compass (His Dark Materials, #1)
by
4.03 avg rating — 1,602,045 ratings
|
Error rating book. Refresh and try again.
Rate this book
Clear rating
|
|
39 |
Jurassic Park (Jurassic Park, #1)
by
4.13 avg rating — 1,043,846 ratings
|
Error rating book. Refresh and try again.
Rate this book
Clear rating
|
|
40 |
Midnight’s Children
by
3.98 avg rating — 131,542 ratings
|
Error rating book. Refresh and try again.
Rate this book
Clear rating
|
|
41 |
The Alchemist
by
Paulo Coelho (Goodreads Author)
3.92 avg rating — 3,479,120 ratings
|
Error rating book. Refresh and try again.
Rate this book
Clear rating
|
|
42 |
Memoirs of a Geisha
by
4.16 avg rating — 2,092,587 ratings
|
Error rating book. Refresh and try again.
Rate this book
Clear rating
|
|
43 |
The Pillars of the Earth (Kingsbridge, #1)
by
Ken Follett (Goodreads Author)
4.35 avg rating — 816,913 ratings
|
Error rating book. Refresh and try again.
Rate this book
Clear rating
|
|
44 |
A Game of Thrones (A Song of Ice and Fire, #1)
by
4.45 avg rating — 2,694,576 ratings
|
Error rating book. Refresh and try again.
Rate this book
Clear rating
|
|
45 |
Interview with the Vampire (The Vampire Chronicles, #1)
by
4.02 avg rating — 638,987 ratings
|
Error rating book. Refresh and try again.
Rate this book
Clear rating
|
|
46 |
The Notebooks of Malte Laurids Brigge
by
3.93 avg rating — 9,761 ratings
score: 890,
and
9 people voted
![]() |
Error rating book. Refresh and try again.
Rate this book
Clear rating
|
|
47 |
The Secret Life of Bees
by
Sue Monk Kidd (Goodreads Author)
4.10 avg rating — 1,343,260 ratings
|
Error rating book. Refresh and try again.
Rate this book
Clear rating
|
|
48 |
A Wrinkle in Time
by
3.97 avg rating — 1,269,554 ratings
|
Error rating book. Refresh and try again.
Rate this book
Clear rating
|
|
49 |
The Things They Carried
by
4.14 avg rating — 340,003 ratings
score: 834,
and
9 people voted
![]() |
Error rating book. Refresh and try again.
Rate this book
Clear rating
|
|
50 |
Jaws (Jaws, #1)
by
3.95 avg rating — 176,859 ratings
|
Error rating book. Refresh and try again.
Rate this book
Clear rating
|
|
51 |
As I Lay Dying
by
3.72 avg rating — 184,120 ratings
score: 824,
and
9 people voted
![]() |
Error rating book. Refresh and try again.
Rate this book
Clear rating
|
|
52 |
Love in the Time of Cholera
by
3.94 avg rating — 540,049 ratings
score: 823,
and
9 people voted
![]() |
Error rating book. Refresh and try again.
Rate this book
Clear rating
|
|
53 |
The Cider House Rules
by
John Irving (Goodreads Author)
4.17 avg rating — 193,782 ratings
score: 802,
and
9 people voted
![]() |
Error rating book. Refresh and try again.
Rate this book
Clear rating
|
|
54 |
The Godfather (The Godfather, #1)
by
4.40 avg rating — 456,987 ratings
|
Error rating book. Refresh and try again.
Rate this book
Clear rating
|
|
55 |
Lonesome Dove (Lonesome Dove, #1)
by
4.57 avg rating — 228,374 ratings
score: 779,
and
9 people voted
![]() |
Error rating book. Refresh and try again.
Rate this book
Clear rating
|
|
56 |
Holes (Holes, #1)
by
Louis Sachar (Goodreads Author)
4.01 avg rating — 1,344,929 ratings
|
Error rating book. Refresh and try again.
Rate this book
Clear rating
|
|
57 |
Night
by
4.38 avg rating — 1,344,014 ratings
score: 720,
and
8 people voted
![]() |
Error rating book. Refresh and try again.
Rate this book
Clear rating
|
|
58 |
Valley of the Dolls
by
3.86 avg rating — 76,169 ratings
score: 696,
and
8 people voted
![]() |
Error rating book. Refresh and try again.
Rate this book
Clear rating
|
|
59 |
Matilda
by
4.33 avg rating — 1,087,591 ratings
score: 679,
and
8 people voted
![]() |
Error rating book. Refresh and try again.
Rate this book
Clear rating
|
|
60 |
The Incredible Journey
by
4.16 avg rating — 52,592 ratings
score: 675,
and
8 people voted
![]() |
Error rating book. Refresh and try again.
Rate this book
Clear rating
|
|
61 |
The Hunt for Red October (Jack Ryan, #3)
by
4.12 avg rating — 386,474 ratings
score: 669,
and
8 people voted
![]() |
Error rating book. Refresh and try again.
Rate this book
Clear rating
|
|
62 |
The Neverending Story
by
4.18 avg rating — 217,873 ratings
score: 651,
and
8 people voted
![]() |
Error rating book. Refresh and try again.
Rate this book
Clear rating
|
|
63 |
The World According to Garp
by
John Irving (Goodreads Author)
4.11 avg rating — 237,050 ratings
score: 629,
and
7 people voted
![]() |
Error rating book. Refresh and try again.
Rate this book
Clear rating
|
|
64 |
Rosemary’s Baby (Rosemary's Baby, #1)
by
4.05 avg rating — 155,352 ratings
score: 618,
and
8 people voted
![]() |
Error rating book. Refresh and try again.
Rate this book
Clear rating
|
|
65 |
Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead
by
4.04 avg rating — 92,394 ratings
score: 615,
and
7 people voted
![]() |
Error rating book. Refresh and try again.
Rate this book
Clear rating
|
|
66 |
The Killer Angels (The Civil War Trilogy, #2)
by
4.33 avg rating — 90,986 ratings
score: 602,
and
7 people voted
![]() |
Error rating book. Refresh and try again.
Rate this book
Clear rating
|
|
67 |
The Shadow of the Wind (The Cemetery of Forgotten Books, #1)
by
4.31 avg rating — 705,547 ratings
score: 599,
and
7 people voted
![]() |
Error rating book. Refresh and try again.
Rate this book
Clear rating
|
|
68 |
The Poisonwood Bible
by
4.11 avg rating — 785,211 ratings
score: 593,
and
7 people voted
![]() |
Error rating book. Refresh and try again.
Rate this book
Clear rating
|
|
69 |
The Thorn Birds
by
4.25 avg rating — 362,546 ratings
score: 590,
and
7 people voted
![]() |
Error rating book. Refresh and try again.
Rate this book
Clear rating
|
|
70 |
Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell
by
3.87 avg rating — 251,866 ratings
score: 578,
and
7 people voted
![]() |
Error rating book. Refresh and try again.
Rate this book
Clear rating
|
|
71 |
Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil
by
3.92 avg rating — 291,574 ratings
score: 573,
and
7 people voted
![]() |
Error rating book. Refresh and try again.
Rate this book
Clear rating
|
|
72 |
The Shipping News
by
3.88 avg rating — 151,492 ratings
score: 568,
and
7 people voted
![]() |
Error rating book. Refresh and try again.
Rate this book
Clear rating
|
|
73 |
Starship Troopers
by
4.01 avg rating — 243,467 ratings
score: 562,
and
7 people voted
![]() |
Error rating book. Refresh and try again.
Rate this book
Clear rating
|
|
74 |
Contact
by
4.15 avg rating — 150,942 ratings
score: 559,
and
7 people voted
![]() |
Error rating book. Refresh and try again.
Rate this book
Clear rating
|
|
75 |
Empire of the Sun
by
3.98 avg rating — 22,275 ratings
score: 550,
and
6 people voted
![]() |
Error rating book. Refresh and try again.
Rate this book
Clear rating
|
|
76 |
The Shell Seekers
by
4.20 avg rating — 119,317 ratings
score: 538,
and
7 people voted
![]() |
Error rating book. Refresh and try again.
Rate this book
Clear rating
|
|
77 |
The Bluest Eye
by
4.13 avg rating — 292,649 ratings
score: 536,
and
6 people voted
![]() |
Error rating book. Refresh and try again.
Rate this book
Clear rating
|
|
77 |
American Gods (American Gods, #1)
by
Neil Gaiman (Goodreads Author)
4.10 avg rating — 983,350 ratings
score: 536,
and
6 people voted
![]() |
Error rating book. Refresh and try again.
Rate this book
Clear rating
|
|
79 |
A Scanner Darkly
by
4.03 avg rating — 108,951 ratings
score: 530,
and
6 people voted
![]() |
Error rating book. Refresh and try again.
Rate this book
Clear rating
|
|
80 |
Presumed Innocent (Kindle County Legal Thriller, #1)
by
Scott Turow (Goodreads Author)
4.09 avg rating — 125,017 ratings
score: 514,
and
6 people voted
![]() |
Error rating book. Refresh and try again.
Rate this book
Clear rating
|
|
81 |
The Diary of a Young Girl
by
4.20 avg rating — 4,114,513 ratings
score: 510,
and
6 people voted
![]() |
Error rating book. Refresh and try again.
Rate this book
Clear rating
|
|
82 |
Gilead (Gilead, #1)
by
3.85 avg rating — 122,326 ratings
score: 482,
and
5 people voted
![]() |
Error rating book. Refresh and try again.
Rate this book
Clear rating
|
|
83 |
Rebecca
by
4.25 avg rating — 707,859 ratings
score: 470,
and
5 people voted
![]() |
Error rating book. Refresh and try again.
Rate this book
Clear rating
|
|
84 |
Cold Mountain
by
3.89 avg rating — 248,832 ratings
score: 469,
and
6 people voted
![]() |
Error rating book. Refresh and try again.
Rate this book
Clear rating
|
|
85 |
A Canticle for Leibowitz (St. Leibowitz, #1)
by
3.99 avg rating — 117,637 ratings
score: 467,
and
6 people voted
![]() |
Error rating book. Refresh and try again.
Rate this book
Clear rating
|
|
86 |
Good Omens: The Nice and Accurate Prophecies of Agnes Nutter, Witch
by
4.25 avg rating — 815,453 ratings
score: 465,
and
6 people voted
![]() |
Error rating book. Refresh and try again.
Rate this book
Clear rating
|
|
87 |
Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close
by
Jonathan Safran Foer (Goodreads Author)
3.97 avg rating — 433,079 ratings
score: 464,
and
5 people voted
![]() |
Error rating book. Refresh and try again.
Rate this book
Clear rating
|
|
88 |
A Fine Balance
by
4.38 avg rating — 158,073 ratings
score: 434,
and
5 people voted
![]() |
Error rating book. Refresh and try again.
Rate this book
Clear rating
|
|
89 |
A Tree Grows in Brooklyn
by
4.30 avg rating — 504,297 ratings
score: 427,
and
6 people voted
![]() |
Error rating book. Refresh and try again.
Rate this book
Clear rating
|
|
90 |
All the Pretty Horses (The Border Trilogy, #1)
by
4.06 avg rating — 142,554 ratings
score: 425,
and
5 people voted
![]() |
Error rating book. Refresh and try again.
Rate this book
Clear rating
|
|
91 |
The Client
by
John Grisham (Goodreads Author)
4.06 avg rating — 460,148 ratings
score: 414,
and
5 people voted
![]() |
Error rating book. Refresh and try again.
Rate this book
Clear rating
|
|
91 |
The Selfish Gene
by
Richard Dawkins (Goodreads Author)
4.16 avg rating — 190,347 ratings
score: 414,
and
5 people voted
![]() |
Error rating book. Refresh and try again.
Rate this book
Clear rating
|
|
93 |
Coma
by
Robin Cook (Goodreads Author)
3.88 avg rating — 53,065 ratings
score: 393,
and
5 people voted
![]() |
Error rating book. Refresh and try again.
Rate this book
Clear rating
|
|
94 |
Centennial
by
4.26 avg rating — 44,739 ratings
score: 375,
and
5 people voted
![]() |
Error rating book. Refresh and try again.
Rate this book
Clear rating
|
|
94 |
The Blind Assassin
by
Margaret Atwood (Goodreads Author)
3.96 avg rating — 162,154 ratings
score: 375,
and
4 people voted
![]() |
Error rating book. Refresh and try again.
Rate this book
Clear rating
|
|
96 |
The Pelican Brief
by
John Grisham (Goodreads Author)
4.06 avg rating — 444,642 ratings
score: 368,
and
5 people voted
![]() |
Error rating book. Refresh and try again.
Rate this book
Clear rating
|
|
97 |
Howl’s Moving Castle (Howl’s Moving Castle, #1)
by
4.29 avg rating — 433,687 ratings
score: 339,
and
4 people voted
![]() |
Error rating book. Refresh and try again.
Rate this book
Clear rating
|
|
97 |
Red Storm Rising
by
4.21 avg rating — 84,100 ratings
score: 339,
and
4 people voted
![]() |
Error rating book. Refresh and try again.
Rate this book
Clear rating
|
|
99 |
The Andromeda Strain (Andromeda, #1)
by
3.91 avg rating — 268,942 ratings
score: 336,
and
5 people voted
![]() |
Error rating book. Refresh and try again.
Rate this book
Clear rating
|
|
100 |
The Prince of Tides
by
4.26 avg rating — 214,821 ratings
score: 327,
and
4 people voted
![]() |
Error rating book. Refresh and try again.
Rate this book
Clear rating
|
363 books ·
188 voters ·
list created March 30th, 2012
by Sam Sigelakis-Minski (votes) .
Sam
4184 books
192 friends
192 friends
Susanna - Censored by GoodReads
3384 books
853 friends
853 friends
Soumya
1374 books
38 friends
38 friends
JanBreesmom
2425 books
235 friends
235 friends
Joe
1336 books
45 friends
45 friends
Harry
43 books
13 friends
13 friends
Winnie
699 books
25 friends
25 friends
Michaela
502 books
62 friends
62 friends
More voters…
Comments Showing 1-18 of 18 (18 new)
date
newest »

message 1:
by
Ayesha
(last edited Mar 23, 2013 06:13AM)
(new)
Mar 23, 2013 06:14AM

reply
|
flag


Just cleaned it up a bit; please let me know if there are any other books you find should be removed.

Just cleaned it up a bit; please let me know if there are any other books you find should be removed.

The list does say "fifty years OR SO" for a reason; so that people can loosely interpret that and put books on here that they find are classics that have not entered the standard literary canon yet. That being said, I removed the books you think do not belong there so that there is no more problems.


It's easy to add books to lists; at the top of the list, at the tab next to "all votes."

I just ran the Goodreads "duplicate checker;" it has found and removed five duplicates from the list.

To Kill a Mockingbird (#1)
The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe (#32)
Native Son (#105)
Rebecca (#121)
A Town Like Alice (#129)
On the Beach (#134)
1984 (#246)
Jamaica Inn (#269)
Frenchman's Creek (#271)
A Tree Grows in Brooklyn (#302)

To Kill a Mockingbird (#1)
The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe (#32)
Native Son (#105)
Rebecca (#121)
A Town Like Alice (#129)
On the Beach (#134)
1984 (#246)
Jamaica I..."
What part of "or so" did you not understand?

That is a highly subjective opinion. This list is for the people to decide. You, as a person, can add books thst you feel are more fitting.

The Time Machine 1890s - over 100 years. More than twice 50 years.
If the list criteria had a firm date, it would make the list easier to maintain.

The Time Machine 1890s - over 100 years. More than twice 50 years.
If the list criteria had a firm date, it would make the li..."
Make your own list with firm criteria, then. This list was created literally seven years ago, and to be frank, I do not have time to maintain and edit it. People have the ability to add and subtract books at their own will. If you feel that strongly about this, I will change the description to 100 years.

From the Goodreads page:
"Important: if you're on this page you have been granted a special "librarian" status, and can edit list data. Don't take this responsibility lightly—if you can help correct any inaccuracies or add any missing data, please do so! But only make changes if you're sure they're correct."
Related News
Hollywood has been mining the world of books for a long time—since 1899, according to some reckonings. The practice has been ramping up in recent...
Anyone can add books to this list.
How to Vote
To vote on existing books from the list, beside each book there is a link vote for this book clicking it will add that book to your votes.
To vote on books not in the list or books you couldn't find in the list, you can click on the tab add books to this list and then choose from your books, or simply search.