Moderately Underrated Books (1,000 to 10,000 ratings) (1981 books)

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An alternative to the popular "Best Books Ever" list, focusing on the less popular. You can vote for any book, in any genre so long as it has between 1,000 and 10,000 ratings on GRs. Before you add a book, please take a moment to look up its ratings on GRs to ensure it meets the parameters for this list.

There are lists for even more obscure books at:
Underrated Books (1,001 - 5,000 GR ratings)
Really Underrated Books (fewer than 1,000 GR ratings)
Really Seriously Underrated Books (fewer than 500 GR ratings)
REALLY Really Underrated Books (fewer than 100 GR ratings)
Super Underrated Books (fewer than 50 GR ratings)
Ridiculously Underrated Books (fewer than 20 GR ratings)
Really Underrated Children's Books (children's books with fewer than 100 GR ratings)
Just One Rating

Alternatively, see lists of books with the most ratings.
You might also want to check out obscure books worth considering: https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/1...

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1	The Jewel in the Crown (The Raj Quartet, #1) by Paul Scott 4.14 avg rating — 6,276 ratings score: 1,559, and 18 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
2	English Passengers by Matthew Kneale 4.07 avg rating — 7,720 ratings score: 1,271, and 14 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
3	Copenhagen by Michael Frayn 3.91 avg rating — 7,066 ratings score: 1,005, and 11 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
4	Touch Not the Cat by Mary Stewart 3.95 avg rating — 9,106 ratings score: 888, and 10 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
5	The American by Henry James 3.68 avg rating — 7,288 ratings score: 805, and 9 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
6	Open Secrets by Alice Munro 4.02 avg rating — 6,750 ratings score: 794, and 9 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
7	The Gift of Asher Lev by Chaim Potok 4.19 avg rating — 8,705 ratings score: 764, and 8 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
8	The Master of Ballantrae by Robert Louis Stevenson 3.70 avg rating — 6,638 ratings score: 688, and 9 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
9	Sacred Hunger (Sacred Hunger #1) by Barry Unsworth 4.13 avg rating — 7,641 ratings score: 659, and 8 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
10	Lad: A Dog (Lad, #1) by Albert Payson Terhune 4.27 avg rating — 9,169 ratings score: 607, and 7 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
10	The Sot-Weed Factor by John Barth 4.12 avg rating — 7,847 ratings score: 607, and 7 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
12	The Sound of the Mountain by Yasunari Kawabata 3.84 avg rating — 9,906 ratings score: 606, and 7 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
13	The Death of the Heart by Elizabeth Bowen 3.63 avg rating — 9,557 ratings score: 601, and 7 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
14	Dogsbody by Diana Wynne Jones 4.10 avg rating — 7,443 ratings score: 592, and 7 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
15	The Light Princess by George MacDonald 4.03 avg rating — 9,376 ratings score: 589, and 8 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
16	The Highest Tide by Jim Lynch (Goodreads Author) 3.85 avg rating — 7,935 ratings score: 570, and 6 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
17	Her Smoke Rose Up Forever by James Tiptree Jr. 4.18 avg rating — 4,859 ratings score: 569, and 6 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
18	A Knot in the Grain and Other Stories by Robin McKinley 3.80 avg rating — 5,494 ratings score: 554, and 7 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
19	The Snapper (The Barrytown Trilogy, #2) by Roddy Doyle 3.94 avg rating — 8,924 ratings score: 553, and 7 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
20	A Time of Gifts (Trilogy, #1) by Patrick Leigh Fermor 4.03 avg rating — 10,096 ratings score: 547, and 7 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
21	A Child's Christmas in Wales by Dylan Thomas 4.11 avg rating — 8,571 ratings score: 529, and 6 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
22	Hidden Warrior (The Tamír Triad, #2) by Lynn Flewelling (Goodreads Author) 4.14 avg rating — 8,357 ratings score: 528, and 6 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
23	I Heard the Owl Call My Name by Margaret Craven 4.06 avg rating — 9,251 ratings score: 522, and 6 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
24	The Blithedale Romance by Nathaniel Hawthorne 3.36 avg rating — 6,363 ratings score: 516, and 6 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
25	Farthing (Small Change, #1) by Jo Walton (Goodreads Author) 3.81 avg rating — 5,728 ratings score: 505, and 6 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
26	What Maisie Knew by Henry James 3.41 avg rating — 7,233 ratings score: 500, and 6 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
27	The Aspern Papers by Henry James 3.70 avg rating — 7,212 ratings score: 468, and 6 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
28	The Infernal Desire Machines of Doctor Hoffman by Angela Carter 3.72 avg rating — 4,202 ratings score: 464, and 6 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
29	The Riddle of the Sands: A Record of Secret Service by Erskine Childers 3.63 avg rating — 7,857 ratings score: 461, and 6 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
30	Doctor Thorne (Chronicles of Barsetshire #3) by Anthony Trollope 4.15 avg rating — 8,674 ratings score: 448, and 5 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
31	A Severed Head by Iris Murdoch 3.75 avg rating — 7,110 ratings score: 440, and 7 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
32	Moonheart by Charles de Lint (Goodreads Author) 4.05 avg rating — 6,829 ratings score: 439, and 5 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
33	The Colour by Rose Tremain 3.86 avg rating — 6,657 ratings score: 414, and 5 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
34	The Tale of the Flopsy Bunnies by Beatrix Potter 4.14 avg rating — 7,447 ratings score: 390, and 5 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
35	The Gift of the Magi and Other Short Stories by O. Henry 4.12 avg rating — 6,360 ratings score: 387, and 5 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
36	The History of Rasselas, Prince of Abissinia by Samuel Johnson 3.46 avg rating — 6,962 ratings score: 381, and 5 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
37	The Wapshot Chronicle by John Cheever 3.75 avg rating — 7,668 ratings score: 376, and 5 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
37	The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus by L. Frank Baum 3.93 avg rating — 7,955 ratings score: 376, and 5 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
39	The Winthrop Woman by Anya Seton 4.12 avg rating — 6,926 ratings score: 375, and 5 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
40	Parade's End by Ford Madox Ford 3.87 avg rating — 6,917 ratings score: 372, and 4 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
41	The Book of Salt by Monique Truong (Goodreads Author) 3.52 avg rating — 6,780 ratings score: 369, and 4 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
42	The Caucasian Chalk Circle by Bertolt Brecht 3.74 avg rating — 9,316 ratings score: 368, and 5 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
43	As Meat Loves Salt by Maria McCann 3.94 avg rating — 6,431 ratings score: 366, and 4 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
44	Glenn Beck's Common Sense: The Case Against an Out-of-Control Government, Inspired by Thomas Paine by Glenn Beck 3.80 avg rating — 7,258 ratings score: 364, and 4 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
45	Drinking Coffee Elsewhere by Z.Z. Packer 3.88 avg rating — 7,998 ratings score: 358, and 4 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
46	Under the Frog by Tibor Fischer 3.95 avg rating — 2,160 ratings score: 351, and 4 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
47	Imperial Woman by Pearl S. Buck 4.09 avg rating — 9,397 ratings score: 344, and 5 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
48	The Van (The Barrytown Trilogy, #3) by Roddy Doyle 3.93 avg rating — 8,286 ratings score: 340, and 4 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
49	Lake Wobegon Days by Garrison Keillor 3.64 avg rating — 8,609 ratings score: 336, and 4 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
50	The Enchanted Castle by E. Nesbit 3.81 avg rating — 9,485 ratings score: 332, and 5 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
50	Consumed (Dark Protectors, #4) by Rebecca Zanetti (Goodreads Author) 4.32 avg rating — 8,557 ratings score: 332, and 4 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
52	Summer Lightning (Blandings Castle, #4) by P.G. Wodehouse 4.24 avg rating — 7,180 ratings score: 331, and 5 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
53	The Oracle's Queen (The Tamír Triad, #3) by Lynn Flewelling (Goodreads Author) 4.19 avg rating — 8,295 ratings score: 328, and 4 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
53	Liza by Ivan Turgenev 3.92 avg rating — 5,856 ratings score: 328, and 4 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
55	Howards End Is on the Landing: A Year of Reading from Home by Susan Hill 3.66 avg rating — 4,091 ratings score: 327, and 4 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
56	Pat of Silver Bush (Pat of Silver Bush, #1) by L.M. Montgomery 3.93 avg rating — 7,892 ratings score: 326, and 4 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
57	The Closing of the American Mind by Allan Bloom 3.76 avg rating — 6,055 ratings score: 324, and 4 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
57	Приключения Чиполлино by Gianni Rodari 4.14 avg rating — 6,891 ratings score: 324, and 4 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
57	Thus Was Adonis Murdered (Hilary Tamar, #1) by Sarah Caudwell 3.85 avg rating — 6,397 ratings score: 324, and 4 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
60	Peer Gynt by Henrik Ibsen 3.71 avg rating — 9,727 ratings score: 323, and 5 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
60	A Free Man of Color (Benjamin January, #1) by Barbara Hambly (Goodreads Author) 3.98 avg rating — 3,623 ratings score: 323, and 5 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
62	The Kingdom of This World by Alejo Carpentier 3.78 avg rating — 8,754 ratings score: 320, and 4 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
63	Miss Pym Disposes by Josephine Tey 3.95 avg rating — 9,470 ratings score: 319, and 4 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
64	Guests of the Sheik: An Ethnography of an Iraqi Village by Elizabeth Warnock Fernea 4.12 avg rating — 3,291 ratings score: 318, and 4 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
65	Provoked (Dark Protectors, #5) by Rebecca Zanetti (Goodreads Author) 4.32 avg rating — 8,336 ratings score: 314, and 4 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
66	Hawkmistress! by Marion Zimmer Bradley really liked it 4.00 avg rating — 4,523 ratings score: 310, and 4 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
67	Red Sorghum by Mo Yan 3.81 avg rating — 9,233 ratings score: 306, and 4 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
68	The Book of Imaginary Beings by Jorge Luis Borges 4.04 avg rating — 10,033 ratings score: 305, and 4 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
69	Zuleika Dobson by Max Beerbohm 3.51 avg rating — 4,982 ratings score: 302, and 4 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
70	The Young Unicorns (Austin Family Chronicles, #3) by Madeleine L'Engle 3.77 avg rating — 6,508 ratings score: 300, and 3 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
71	Rosebush by Michele Jaffe (Goodreads Author) 3.71 avg rating — 4,142 ratings score: 299, and 3 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
72	The Complete Peanuts, 1950-1952 (The Complete Peanuts, #1) by Charles M. Schulz 4.41 avg rating — 9,144 ratings score: 298, and 3 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
72	Much Obliged, Jeeves (Jeeves, #14) by P.G. Wodehouse 4.20 avg rating — 6,699 ratings score: 298, and 4 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
74	The Seamstress by Frances de Pontes Peebles (Goodreads Author) 4.02 avg rating — 3,265 ratings score: 296, and 3 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
75	The Transit of Venus by Shirley Hazzard 4.02 avg rating — 5,520 ratings score: 295, and 3 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
76	The Story of an African Farm by Olive Schreiner 3.52 avg rating — 3,177 ratings score: 294, and 3 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
77	A Voyage to Arcturus by David Lindsay 3.53 avg rating — 4,137 ratings score: 293, and 4 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
77	Does This Beach Make Me Look Fat?: True Stories and Confessions (The Amazing Adventures of an Ordinary Woman, 6) by Lisa Scottoline (Goodreads Author) 3.61 avg rating — 2,888 ratings score: 293, and 3 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
79	The Proud Tower: A Portrait of the World Before the War, 1890-1914 by Barbara W. Tuchman 4.12 avg rating — 9,921 ratings score: 292, and 4 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
80	Clockwork, or All Wound Up by Philip Pullman 3.87 avg rating — 8,575 ratings score: 291, and 3 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
80	The Collected Stories by Eudora Welty 4.20 avg rating — 8,405 ratings score: 291, and 3 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
82	The Metaphysical Club : A Story of Ideas in America by Louis Menand 4.07 avg rating — 5,463 ratings score: 290, and 3 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
83	Callahan's Secret (Callahan's, #3) by Spider Robinson 4.20 avg rating — 2,421 ratings score: 289, and 3 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
84	The Ash Family by Molly Dektar (Goodreads Author) 3.22 avg rating — 2,889 ratings score: 288, and 3 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
85	The Complete Saki by Saki 4.37 avg rating — 2,620 ratings score: 287, and 3 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
85	Memento Mori by Muriel Spark 3.60 avg rating — 7,758 ratings score: 287, and 3 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
87	Aurian (Artefacts of Power, #1) by Maggie Furey 3.93 avg rating — 3,428 ratings score: 286, and 3 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
87	The Painter from Shanghai by Jennifer Cody Epstein (Goodreads Author) 3.79 avg rating — 4,291 ratings score: 286, and 3 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
89	New Life by Dante Alighieri 3.89 avg rating — 9,210 ratings score: 285, and 3 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
90	At Swim, Two Boys by Jamie O'Neill 4.10 avg rating — 9,928 ratings score: 284, and 3 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
90	A Civil Contract by Georgette Heyer 3.88 avg rating — 9,953 ratings score: 284, and 3 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
92	The All-True Travels and Adventures of Lidie Newton (Lidie Newton, #1) by Jane Smiley (Goodreads Author) 3.59 avg rating — 2,933 ratings score: 283, and 3 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
92	Pontoon: A Novel of Lake Wobegon by Garrison Keillor 3.56 avg rating — 3,907 ratings score: 283, and 3 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
92	Daring to Drive: A Saudi Woman's Awakening by Manal Al-Sharif (Goodreads Author) 4.33 avg rating — 8,448 ratings score: 283, and 3 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
95	The Captain's Verses by Pablo Neruda 4.17 avg rating — 9,389 ratings score: 282, and 5 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
95	The Control of Nature by John McPhee 4.25 avg rating — 5,085 ratings score: 282, and 3 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
95	IN SEARCH OF CAPTAIN ZERO: A Surfer's Road Trip Beyond the End of the Road by Allan C. Weisbecker 4.14 avg rating — 3,118 ratings score: 282, and 3 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
98	The Big Rock Candy Mountain by Wallace Stegner 4.20 avg rating — 9,180 ratings score: 281, and 4 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
98	Lanark: A Life in Four Books by Alasdair Gray 4.10 avg rating — 8,144 ratings score: 281, and 3 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
98	The Woman's Encyclopedia of Myths and Secrets by Barbara G. Walker 4.32 avg rating — 1,397 ratings score: 281, and 3 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

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1,981 books · 276 voters · list created July 8th, 2009 by John Burns (votes) .

Tags: best, fiction, great, least-ratings, literature, obscure, rare, ratings, too-few-ratings, underrated, unsung

128 likes · Like

Lists are re-scored approximately every 5 minutes.

People Who Voted On This List (276)

John 876 books
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Susanna - Censored by GoodReads 3388 books
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Bettie 15687 books
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Lynda 22349 books
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Karen 4633 books
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Gwyn 1449 books
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Morgan 1419 books
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message 1: by John (new)

Jul 10, 2009 07:39AM

War and peace will soon cross the 10,000 mark but i think it should be left on here. Many of these books would eventually cross the 10,000 mark anyway. As long as the book had few enough votes to be eligible when it was first added, it can stay here indefinitely. A book doesnt suddenly become widely read just because the number of people who've read it slowly passes a certain point.

As goodreads becomes more popular the number of ratings for every book on this site will increase anyway, so this rule makes sense.

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message 2: by Eli (new)

Nov 16, 2009 07:56PM

OK, but what about a book like Catch-22, which is at more than 4 times the max number of ratings for this list (40,000+ratings)? We need to cull books like that, or the list doesn't really mean anything at all.

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message 3: by Susanna - Censored by GoodReads (new)

Nov 17, 2009 10:52AM

Catch-22 removed.

Anything else with grossly too many reviews?

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message 4: by Themis-Athena (Lioness at Large) (new)

Jan 06, 2010 08:35AM

Not necessarily GROSSLY too many, but decidedly in excess of 10,000 ratings:

Stevenson, "Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde"
Wells, "The Time Machine"
Tolstoy, "War and Peace"
Dick, "Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?"
King, "Cujo"

Also, the "main" (interlinked) edition of Kafka's "Trial" -- http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17... -- has over 10,000 ratings. Does it make sense to nevertheless list a separate (as-yet unlinked) edition here?

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message 5: by Lobstergirl (new)

Jan 06, 2010 04:36PM

Themis-Athena wrote: "Not necessarily GROSSLY too many, but decidedly in excess of 10,000 ratings:

Stevenson, "Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde"
Wells, "The Time Machine"
Tolstoy, "War and Peace"
Dick, "Do Androids Dream of ..."

Deleted.

As for the edition of The Trial on the list, it's a modern stage adaptation with its own playwright and thus on GR is separate from the original book. I left it because it has 14 ratings and there's no legitimate reason to delete it.

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message 6: by Themis-Athena (Lioness at Large) (new)

Jan 07, 2010 03:54AM

I see -- wasn't aware that it's an adaptation. If it only has 14 ratings, shouldn't it be on the list for SERIOUSLY underrated books, though?

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message 7: by Lobstergirl (new)

Jan 08, 2010 02:05PM

Themis-Athena wrote: "I see -- wasn't aware that it's an adaptation. If it only has 14 ratings, shouldn't it be on the list for SERIOUSLY underrated books, though?"

Good point. It needs to be deleted from here, and I don't know if there is such a list.

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message 8: by Lobstergirl (new)

Jan 08, 2010 02:08PM

Or is that the other list I've been visiting? I'm so confused. At any rate, I deleted the Trial adaptation.

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message 9: by Lobstergirl (new)

Jan 08, 2010 02:09PM

Deleted: The Goats. Insufficient ratings.

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message 10: by Lobstergirl (new)

Jan 08, 2010 02:12PM

Deleted: Chaucer's Poetry and Vampire Academy Box Set.

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message 11: by Susanna - Censored by GoodReads (new)

Jan 10, 2010 07:28AM

There's another list for books with less than 1,000 rankings, yes.

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message 12: by Lobstergirl (new)

Jan 16, 2010 06:38PM

Removed: The Martian Chronicles.

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message 13: by Lobstergirl (new)

Feb 28, 2010 09:43PM

Removed: I Am Legend.

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message 14: by Lobstergirl (new)

Feb 28, 2010 09:46PM

Removed: Vampire Academy (#1).

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message 15: by Lobstergirl (new)

Feb 28, 2010 09:48PM

Removed for excessive ratings: Oryx and Crake.

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message 16: by Themis-Athena (Lioness at Large) (last edited Jan 11, 2012 09:03AM) (new)

Mar 02, 2010 01:08PM

Removed, but added to the list of REALLY underrated books (fewer than 1,000 ratings): The Golden Ass and The Celestial Omnibus.

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message 17: by Themis-Athena (Lioness at Large) (last edited Jan 11, 2012 09:00AM) (new)

Mar 02, 2010 01:11PM

Removed for excessive ratings:
The Last Olympian
The Hotel New Hampshire
Cujo
Ramona Quimby, Age 8
The Talisman

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message 18: by Themis-Athena (Lioness at Large) (new)

Mar 02, 2010 01:32PM

Removed for having less than 1,000 ratings: Song of Lawino & Song of Ocol. Based on the very small number of ratings, this book would certainly qualify for inclusion in the list of REALLY underrated books, though. (Won't add it there myself as I haven't read it.)

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message 19: by Themis-Athena (Lioness at Large) (new)

Mar 02, 2010 01:38PM

Removed for having less than 1,000 ratings: Alexandria: City of Memory. See previous comment on inclusion in the list of REALLY underrated books.

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message 20: by Themis-Athena (Lioness at Large) (last edited Jan 11, 2012 09:05AM) (new)

Mar 02, 2010 01:40PM

Removed for having less than 1,000 ratings:
Spirit Bound
Popular Music from Vittula

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message 21: by Lobstergirl (new)

Apr 28, 2010 11:26AM

Removed for excessive ratings: Winnie the Pooh.

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message 22: by Lobstergirl (new)

Apr 28, 2010 11:37AM

Removed for excessive ratings: Notes From Underground.

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message 23: by Lobstergirl (new)

Apr 28, 2010 11:41AM

Removed for excessive ratings: Frostbite (Vampire Academy, #2).

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message 24: by Lobstergirl (new)

Apr 28, 2010 11:41AM

Removed for excessive ratings: White Fang.

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message 25: by Lobstergirl (new)

Apr 28, 2010 11:47AM

Removed for excessive ratings: The Remains of the Day.

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message 26: by Lobstergirl (new)

Apr 28, 2010 11:51AM

Removed for excessive ratings: The Dharma Bums.

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message 27: by Lobstergirl (new)

Apr 28, 2010 11:53AM

And Starship Troopers is banished.

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message 28: by Lobstergirl (new)

Apr 28, 2010 11:55AM

And A Moveable Feast.

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message 29: by Lobstergirl (new)

Apr 28, 2010 12:04PM

And The Princess Diaries.

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message 30: by Themis-Athena (Lioness at Large) (last edited Jan 11, 2012 09:01AM) (new)

May 17, 2010 02:39AM

And I Capture the Castle, Shadow Kiss and Blue Bloods.

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message 31: by Deedee (new)

May 17, 2010 02:09PM

I don't know how much longer A Wizard of Earthsea will qualify for this list .... I just checked it and there are 9,975 ratings! 25 more and it hits 10,000!

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message 32: by Deedee (new)

May 27, 2010 10:03AM

As of today, A Wizard of Earthsea has 10,063 ratings.

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message 33: by Themis-Athena (Lioness at Large) (new)

May 27, 2010 10:33AM

Wow. That was fast!

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message 34: by Antoine (new)

May 30, 2010 06:00AM

Deedee wrote: "I don't know how much longer A Wizard of Earthsea will qualify for this list .... I just checked it and there are 9,975 ratings! 25 more and it hits 10,000!"

I am very surprised to read that it only just crossed over. I would have expected it to be over that line quite a while ago...

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message 35: by Antoine (new)

May 30, 2010 06:03AM

Lobstergirl wrote: "Removed for excessive ratings: Winnie the Pooh."

Funny how few ratings The House at Pooh Corner has, considering how well known the material in it is. I wonder if many people forget that it is a separate book.

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message 36: by Themis-Athena (Lioness at Large) (last edited Jun 18, 2010 03:37AM) (new)

Jun 18, 2010 03:27AM

Removed for excessive ratings: Beauty: A Retelling of the Story of Beauty and the Beast, Blood Promise and Redwall.

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message 37: by Lobstergirl (new)

Jun 29, 2010 02:57PM

Removed for excessive ratings: This Lullaby.

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message 38: by Lobstergirl (new)

Jul 14, 2010 11:02PM

Removed for excessive ratings: A Brief History of Time.

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message 39: by Lobstergirl (new)

Jul 14, 2010 11:08PM

Removed for excessive ratings: Looking for Alaska.

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message 40: by Themis-Athena (Lioness at Large) (last edited Jul 30, 2010 02:25PM) (new)

Jul 30, 2010 01:22PM

Love the fact that the lists now display the number of a book's ratings, which is making it much less time-consuming to track what should and what shouldn't be on this particular list and the list for seriously underrated books. It would be even nicer if the number of ratings were updated in real time, as is the case on the individual book pages ... (E.g., Henry James' "The American" is still showing only 980 ratings here, whereas when you go to the actual book page, you find that the book has in fact over 1,000 ratings and is, therefore, quite rightly placed on this list. The same is true with regard to a number of other books, where the discrepancies are sometimes even considerably greater.)

That said, removed for really NOT having enough ratings: Alone in Berlin and If This Is a Man / The Truce. (Needless to say, these may always be added to the list for seriously underrated books.)

Removed for having excessive ratings: School's Out - Forever.

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message 41: by Lobstergirl (new)

Jul 30, 2010 05:00PM

Removed for excessive ratings: Complete Stories and Poems of Edgar Allan Poe.

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message 42: by Lobstergirl (new)

Jul 30, 2010 05:03PM

Themis-Athena wrote: "Love the fact that the lists now display the number of a book's ratings, which is making it much less time-consuming to track what should and what shouldn't be on this particular list and the list ..."

T-A, I posted the question in one of the Feedback (I think) threads of why a book would have a different number of ratings in two different places. The answer was that the lower number is actual ratings, the higher number is shelvings. I guess that means people have shelved it as to-read, or currently-reading or whatever, but have not actually rated it.

So these Listopias that depend on # of ratings may not exactly be totally accurate, depending on what number people are using.

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message 43: by Antoine (new)

Jul 30, 2010 05:55PM

Looking at this list is really interesting, especially in reference to other lists. Some books (Bleak House, with 5000+ ratings at present, for example) are VERY popular on Listopia—appearing in almost every list that they could conceivably qualify for—and yet do not, in fact, have very many readers. It makes me wonder: how far down the the Goodreads popularity list do you have to go—assuming there are rankings—before you hit the 10,000 mark? How much further below that is the 1,000 mark? What kind of curve do we see? And what does it mean if a book with only 5000 readers can mobilize so much enthusiasm, relative to a book with, say, 30,000?

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message 44: by Lobstergirl (new)

Aug 19, 2010 11:46PM

Removed for excessive ratings: Howl's Moving Castle.

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message 45: by Lobstergirl (new)

Aug 19, 2010 11:47PM

Removed for excessive ratings: The Idiot.

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message 46: by Lobstergirl (new)

Sep 02, 2010 12:55AM

Deleted for excessive ratings: Fairest.