Best Books of the 17th Century (326 books)

The best books published during the 17th century (January 1st, 1601 through December 31st 1700).

Most Rated Books by Year By Century
21st, 20th, 19th, 18th, BEFORE 18th

Best Books By Century:
21st, 20th,
19th, 18th, 17th, 16th, 15th,14th, 13th, 12th, 11th, 10th,
9th, 8th, 7th, 6th, 5th, 4th

Lists for all books by Number of Ratings:
10,000 to 15,000, 15,000 to 20,000, 20,000 to 25,000, 25,000 to 30,000,
30,000 to 40,000, 40,000 to 50,000, 50,000 to 60,000, 60,000 to 70,000,
70,000 to 80,000, 80,000 to 89,999, 90,000 to 99,999, 100,000 to 149,999,
150,000 to 199,999, 200,000 to 499,999, 500,000 to 999,999, 1,000,000 and more

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All Votes Add Books To This List

1	Hamlet by William Shakespeare 4.03 avg rating — 1,043,261 ratings score: 32,081, and 324 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	Macbeth by William Shakespeare 3.89 avg rating — 1,013,482 ratings score: 26,663, and 271 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	Don Quixote by Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra 3.91 avg rating — 303,606 ratings score: 23,002, and 234 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	Paradise Lost by John Milton 3.85 avg rating — 181,542 ratings score: 15,115, and 155 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	King Lear by William Shakespeare 3.91 avg rating — 236,533 ratings score: 13,356, and 138 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	Othello by William Shakespeare 3.89 avg rating — 434,854 ratings score: 13,133, and 137 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 Tempest by William Shakespeare 3.78 avg rating — 226,369 ratings score: 9,785, and 102 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	Julius Caesar by William Shakespeare 3.71 avg rating — 218,507 ratings score: 9,016, and 95 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	Twelfth Night by William Shakespeare 3.96 avg rating — 193,825 ratings score: 8,190, and 87 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 Pilgrim's Progress by John Bunyan 4.07 avg rating — 157,828 ratings score: 6,725, and 71 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
11	The Holy Bible: King James Version by Anonymous 4.45 avg rating — 315,320 ratings score: 6,572, and 69 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	Shakespeare's Sonnets by William Shakespeare 4.25 avg rating — 112,078 ratings score: 6,200, and 67 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	Tartuffe by Molière 3.66 avg rating — 43,044 ratings score: 5,149, and 55 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	Dr. Faustus by Christopher Marlowe 3.80 avg rating — 72,153 ratings score: 5,022, and 54 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	As You Like It by William Shakespeare 3.81 avg rating — 88,666 ratings score: 5,004, and 54 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 Misanthrope by Molière 3.76 avg rating — 25,421 ratings score: 4,456, and 49 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	Le Malade imaginaire by Molière 3.62 avg rating — 19,281 ratings score: 3,815, and 42 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	Discourse on Method and Meditations on First Philosophy by René Descartes 3.77 avg rating — 36,626 ratings score: 3,734, and 41 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	Phèdre by Jean Racine 3.69 avg rating — 24,522 ratings score: 3,586, and 39 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	Perrault's Fairy Tales by Charles Perrault 4.10 avg rating — 15,107 ratings score: 3,368, and 36 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	Fables by Jean de la Fontaine 4.02 avg rating — 15,386 ratings score: 3,308, and 35 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	The Winter's Tale by William Shakespeare 3.71 avg rating — 36,441 ratings score: 3,238, and 36 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	Pensées by Blaise Pascal 3.94 avg rating — 14,347 ratings score: 3,190, and 35 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	L'avare by Molière 3.56 avg rating — 37,347 ratings score: 3,021, and 33 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	Don Juan by Molière 3.55 avg rating — 17,616 ratings score: 2,928, and 33 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	Leviathan by Thomas Hobbes 3.70 avg rating — 52,627 ratings score: 2,894, and 32 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	La vida es sueño by Pedro Calderón de la Barca 3.93 avg rating — 27,664 ratings score: 2,737, and 29 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	Ethics by Baruch Spinoza 4.10 avg rating — 21,098 ratings score: 2,628, and 29 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	Antony and Cleopatra by William Shakespeare 3.71 avg rating — 43,604 ratings score: 2,468, and 28 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	The Princesse de Clèves by Madame de La Fayette 3.35 avg rating — 18,742 ratings score: 2,422, and 27 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	John Donne's Poetry by Donald R. Dickson 4.11 avg rating — 8,414 ratings score: 2,367, and 26 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	Le Bourgeois Gentilhomme by Molière 3.71 avg rating — 13,239 ratings score: 2,271, and 26 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	Henry VIII by William Shakespeare 3.49 avg rating — 9,747 ratings score: 2,214, and 25 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	Coriolanus by William Shakespeare 3.72 avg rating — 19,379 ratings score: 1,925, and 22 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	An Essay Concerning Human Understanding by John Locke 3.86 avg rating — 17,174 ratings score: 1,905, and 22 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 Principia : Mathematical Principles of Natural Philosophy by Isaac Newton 4.24 avg rating — 4,813 ratings score: 1,892, and 22 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	Fuenteovejuna by Lope de Vega 3.55 avg rating — 11,773 ratings score: 1,891, and 21 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
38	Second Treatise of Government by John Locke 3.78 avg rating — 24,024 ratings score: 1,854, and 21 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	Andromaque by Jean Racine 3.70 avg rating — 10,089 ratings score: 1,609, and 19 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	Maxims by François de La Rochefoucauld 4.03 avg rating — 4,389 ratings score: 1,535, 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
41	The Anatomy of Melancholy by Robert Burton 4.10 avg rating — 1,899 ratings score: 1,490, and 17 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	Le Cid by Pierre Corneille 3.59 avg rating — 16,929 ratings score: 1,401, and 16 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	L'École des Femmes by Molière 3.62 avg rating — 10,158 ratings score: 1,384, and 17 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	Dialogue Concerning the Two Chief World Systems: Ptolemaic and Copernican by Galileo Galilei 4.07 avg rating — 1,297 ratings score: 1,366, and 16 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	Measure for Measure by William Shakespeare 3.67 avg rating — 31,157 ratings score: 1,284, and 15 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	The Duchess of Malfi by John Webster 3.63 avg rating — 18,696 ratings score: 1,252, and 15 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	The Practice of the Presence of God by Brother Lawrence 4.33 avg rating — 57,760 ratings score: 1,236, and 13 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	Comedies, Histories, and Tragedies: A Facsimile of the First Folio, 1623 by Doug Moston 4.46 avg rating — 74 ratings score: 1,233, and 13 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	The Narrow Road to the Deep North and Other Travel Sketches by Matsuo Bashō 4.02 avg rating — 6,409 ratings score: 1,110, and 12 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	Cymbeline by William Shakespeare 3.60 avg rating — 11,847 ratings score: 1,099, and 13 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
51	All's Well That Ends Well by William Shakespeare 3.60 avg rating — 19,972 ratings score: 1,094, and 13 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	Two Treatises of Government by John Locke 3.87 avg rating — 19,592 ratings score: 1,066, and 12 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	Troilus and Cressida by William Shakespeare 3.41 avg rating — 12,516 ratings score: 1,066, and 13 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
54	Oroonoko by Aphra Behn 3.01 avg rating — 16,841 ratings score: 1,044, and 12 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	Simplicissimus by Hans Jakob Christoffel von Grimmelshausen 3.72 avg rating — 2,774 ratings score: 1,011, 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
56	'Tis Pity She's a Whore by John Ford 3.69 avg rating — 5,236 ratings score: 1,007, 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
57	Areopagitica by John Milton 3.85 avg rating — 2,593 ratings score: 999, and 12 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
58	El burlador de Sevilla by Tirso de Molina 3.60 avg rating — 5,256 ratings score: 968, 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
59	The Way of the World by William Congreve 3.32 avg rating — 4,431 ratings score: 962, and 12 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	Historia de la vida del Buscón by Francisco de Quevedo 3.60 avg rating — 3,761 ratings score: 932, 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
61	The Changeling by Thomas Middleton 3.63 avg rating — 3,331 ratings score: 811, 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
62	The Temple: The Poetry of George Herbert by George Herbert 4.16 avg rating — 662 ratings score: 799, 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
63	Discourse on Metaphysics and the Monadology by Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz 3.61 avg rating — 472 ratings score: 788, 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
64	Volpone by Ben Jonson 3.50 avg rating — 10,331 ratings score: 775, 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
65	Pericles by William Shakespeare 3.45 avg rating — 8,995 ratings score: 767, 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
66	The Conquest of New Spain by Bernal Díaz del Castillo 4.14 avg rating — 3,633 ratings score: 760, 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
67	Horace by Pierre Corneille 3.50 avg rating — 1,599 ratings score: 751, 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
68	Los sueños by Francisco de Quevedo 3.73 avg rating — 519 ratings score: 749, 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
69	Timon of Athens by William Shakespeare 3.45 avg rating — 7,808 ratings score: 704, 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
70	Samson Agonistes by John Milton 3.75 avg rating — 2,956 ratings score: 663, 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
71	Country Wife by William Wycherley 3.34 avg rating — 4,790 ratings score: 661, 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
72	Le Médecin Malgré Lui by Molière 3.71 avg rating — 6,893 ratings score: 653, 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
73	The White Devil by John Webster 3.60 avg rating — 2,288 ratings score: 648, 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
74	A Book of Five Rings: The Classic Guide to Strategy by Miyamoto Musashi 3.95 avg rating — 61,332 ratings score: 629, 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
75	The Dog in The Manger by Lope de Vega 3.60 avg rating — 2,505 ratings score: 610, 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
76	Lucifer by Joost van den Vondel 3.32 avg rating — 787 ratings score: 609, 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
77	The New Atlantis by Francis Bacon 3.08 avg rating — 4,499 ratings score: 599, 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
78	The Plum in the Golden Vase or, Chin P'ing Mei: Vol. One: The Gathering by Lanling Xiaoxiao Sheng 4.05 avg rating — 400 ratings score: 544, 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
79	The Letters of a Portuguese Nun by Mariana Alcoforado 3.58 avg rating — 1,641 ratings score: 543, 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
80	The New Organon by Francis Bacon 3.68 avg rating — 1,770 ratings score: 530, 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
81	El caballero de Olmedo by Lope de Vega 3.47 avg rating — 2,813 ratings score: 503, 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
82	Bartholomew Fair by Suzanne Gossett 3.27 avg rating — 834 ratings score: 498, 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
82	Les Femmes Savantes by Molière 3.64 avg rating — 3,812 ratings score: 498, 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
84	Kuunmong: The Cloud Dream of the Nine by Kim Manjung 3.71 avg rating — 1,061 ratings score: 472, 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
85	A Theologico-Political Treatise: A Political Treatise by Baruch Spinoza 4.08 avg rating — 5,054 ratings score: 460, 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
86	The Revenger's Tragedy by Thomas Middleton 3.61 avg rating — 3,356 ratings score: 445, 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
87	The Compleat Angler, or the Contemplative Man's Recreation by Izaak Walton 3.74 avg rating — 976 ratings score: 444, 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
88	Every Man in His Humour by Ben Jonson 3.15 avg rating — 293 ratings score: 404, 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
89	A Letter Concerning Toleration by John Locke 3.80 avg rating — 3,648 ratings score: 402, 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
90	Urne Burial by Thomas Browne 4.09 avg rating — 517 ratings score: 401, 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
91	The Alchemist by Ben Jonson 3.55 avg rating — 3,907 ratings score: 400, 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
92	Religio Medici by Thomas Browne 3.83 avg rating — 378 ratings score: 398, 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
93	Novelas ejemplares (Volumen 1) by Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra 3.68 avg rating — 1,771 ratings score: 377, 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
94	The Plum in the Golden Vase Or, Chin P'Ing Mei: Volume Two: The Rivals by Lanling Xiaoxiao Sheng 4.03 avg rating — 118 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
95	The Plum in the Golden Vase or, Chin P'ing Mei, Volume Three: The Aphrodisiac by Lanling Xiaoxiao Sheng 4.19 avg rating — 80 ratings score: 360, 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
96	Cinna by Pierre Corneille 3.47 avg rating — 1,262 ratings score: 357, 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
97	The Witch of Edmonton by Thomas Dekker 3.37 avg rating — 974 ratings score: 354, 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	The Holy Bible, Douay-Rheims Version by Douay-Rheims 4.64 avg rating — 1,747 ratings score: 349, 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
99	The Poems of John Donne by John Donne 4.04 avg rating — 141 ratings score: 343, 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
100	L'Astrée by Honoré d'Urfé 3.30 avg rating — 83 ratings score: 339, 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

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326 books · 701 voters · list created June 23rd, 2008 by deleted user.

Tags: 17th-century, best, best-by-century, by-century, literature

245 likes · Like

Lists are re-scored approximately every 5 minutes.

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Comments Showing 1-50 of 53 (53 new)

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newest »

message 1: by Antoine (new)

Aug 24, 2008 10:57AM

moliere is excluded!

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message 2: by Themis-Athena (Lioness at Large) (new)

Sep 20, 2009 10:28AM

Not anymore -- but plenty of books still are (Ben Jonson's plays, for one). Whenever a given book page says that the book was "first published" in a year other than that of its REAL initial publication (e.g., because the text edition in question was first published in the year stated), you can't put that book on the list. And it gets worse the further back you go in history ...

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

Sep 28, 2009 03:07PM

I think most of Ben Jonson is now kosher.

Anyone else?

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

Sep 28, 2009 04:32PM

Just about every Jacobean playwright of note. Middleton, Fletcher, Beaumont, Webster, Ford ... the lot. (Same goes for the Restoration poets and dramatists: Davenant, Wycherly, and most of Congreve; to name just some of them.)

Don't rush to do this, though -- I'm sure there are plenty of better things to keep you busy. Not that those who care about this aren't profoundly grateful for your labors! (Well, I am, anyway ...)

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message 5: by Susanna - Censored by GoodReads (new)

Sep 29, 2009 11:02AM

John Webster, check.

(And there seem to be about 5 authors named "John Webster" all lumped together! This one, a theologian, a guy who writes about fungi and dairy cows, etc.)

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

Sep 29, 2009 01:49PM

Ugh -- what a mess. All the more: ThankYouThankYouThankYou!!

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message 7: by Susanna - Censored by GoodReads (last edited Sep 30, 2009 11:39AM) (new)

Sep 30, 2009 11:39AM

Beaumont and Fletcher, check.

Half of Fletcher's listing is a guy who's an expert on Samuel Beckett. And a novelist, and a guy who reviews cars.

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message 8: by Laurel (new)

Sep 30, 2009 12:48PM

Isn't 1633 the seventeenth century? I've been trying to add The Temple by George Herbert and am told it was not published during the seventeenth century.

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message 9: by Themis-Athena (Lioness at Large) (new)

Sep 30, 2009 02:07PM

Susanna wrote: "Beaumont and Fletcher, check.

Half of Fletcher's listing is a guy who's an expert on Samuel Beckett. And a novelist, and a guy who reviews cars."

Susanna, you deserve a medal for this ...

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message 10: by Susanna - Censored by GoodReads (new)

Sep 30, 2009 02:44PM

Yeah, somehow it thought The Temple was first published in 1927.

Fixed.

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message 11: by Thom (new)

Sep 30, 2009 04:02PM

Shakespeare's First Folio, 1623, 2nd 1632, 3rd 1664, 4th 1687 all published during 17th (obviously) and all available for viewing (look but don't touch) in the States especially at he Widener in Harvard and he Folger in Wash, D.C. I'm steamed and frustrated.....If Goodreads can't sell it, seems they don't want to acknowledge its existence

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message 12: by Thom (new)

Sep 30, 2009 04:04PM

LONG OVERDUE THANKS TO LOBSTERGIRL and UNKNOWN. Thanks for fighting the good fight. "Goodreads doesn't care about Antiquarians" (bumper sticker).

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message 13: by Susanna - Censored by GoodReads (new)

Sep 30, 2009 04:58PM

Uh, the individual plays of Shakespeare should be eligible. A number of them are on this list, in fact. (Others are on the 16th Century List.)

Also, I changed the original publication date of The Anatomy of Melancholy to 1621.

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message 14: by Thom (new)

Oct 01, 2009 12:44AM

If Goodreads is an example of "viral marketting", maybe what we have in this thread of comments is ......a "retrovirus" ?

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message 15: by Stuart (new)

Oct 01, 2009 04:16AM

Thom wrote: "If Goodreads is an example of "viral marketting", maybe what we have in this thread of comments is ......a "retrovirus" ?"

Oh, now that was just terrible...

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message 16: by Thom (new)

Oct 01, 2009 05:21AM

Stuart wrote: "Thom wrote: "If Goodreads is an example of "viral marketting", maybe what we have in this thread of comments is ......a "retrovirus" ?"

Oh, now that was just terrible..."

Many have told me my humor is something less than....infectious.

(Sorry all around, and God bless are there, Thom)

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message 17: by [deleted user] (new)

Oct 01, 2009 06:27AM

Thom wrote: "If Goodreads is an example of "viral marketting", maybe what we have in this thread of comments is ......a "retrovirus" ?"

LOL! I like it. ;-)

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message 18: by Susanna - Censored by GoodReads (new)

Oct 01, 2009 10:42AM

John Ford, check.

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

Oct 01, 2009 11:44AM

Susanna wrote: "John Ford, check."

Did I already mention that you deserve a medal for this?

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message 20: by Lobstergirl (new)

Oct 01, 2009 12:19PM

In defense of the people who first entered data on GR, it was probably unclear that the "first published" field actually meant first ever publication of the work, rather than first publication of a particular edition. I think the fields are now clearer, but many incorrect dates remain.

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message 21: by Susanna - Censored by GoodReads (new)

Oct 02, 2009 09:38AM

And a lot of it's Amazons' fault, I think, on the ones brought over by ISBN.

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message 22: by Susanna - Censored by GoodReads (new)

Oct 02, 2009 10:04AM

Thomas Middleton, check.

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message 23: by Themis-Athena (Lioness at Large) (new)

Oct 02, 2009 12:10PM

Susanna, you're a star.

(And both you and Lobstergirl are probably right on how this mess came about in the first place.)

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message 24: by Alessandra (new)

Jan 25, 2012 12:28PM

Glad to see some favorite restoration dramas here. I've added a 1637 Chinese book on technology, if nonfiction is okay. I, too, had to deal with the "originally published" field, which had the date of Dover's first printing of it. But I figure unless it had to have been translated into English in the 17th century, it should be okay. Besides, it's just neat.

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message 25: by Themis-Athena (Lioness at Large) (new)

Jan 26, 2012 12:13AM

Alessandra wrote: "Glad to see some favorite restoration dramas here. I've added a 1637 Chinese book on technology, if nonfiction is okay. I, too, had to deal with the "originally published" field, which had the da..."

Chinese technology in the 17th century -- now THAT sounds intriguing indeed!!

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message 26: by Ricardo (new)

Feb 28, 2012 03:33AM

I honestly believe that this is seriously biassed list. But I also think that it is only natural. Should such a list have been proposen in Germany, France, Italy or my country, Spain, the result would have been correspondingly different, with a biass of their own. But, thank you nonetheless. It is very useful to me. I'll try adding some Spanish ones, which in my opinion are worthy of being in this list.

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message 27: by Lobstergirl (new)

Feb 28, 2012 04:38PM

Ricardo, you should add whatever works you want. There's no intended bias; people add the works they're familiar with.

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message 28: by Ricardo (new)

Feb 28, 2012 10:47PM

I apologize if it did sound a bit bitter. Of course the bias was not intended. I just wrote that comment because when I read the list (which, I admit, I found because I was looking for something similar) I wondered if such a thing as the title proposes, a ranking of the best books written in the 17th century, is possible. I will add my own favourites (and there will be a bias in that list too), but I struggle with the concept of ranking for books. Their sales can be measured, but that is no measure for quality. And, how is quality measured once we go beyond good and bad? Where is the line thrown for a 100% good, or just 99% good? How do we do or do not take into account our own cultural influences? I apologize again if my previous comment sounded as negative, because that was not my intention. It was more than anything a simple thought about the matter, and briefly expressed. Once again, thank you for the list, because it did in fact help me.

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message 29: by Bu (new)

Jun 10, 2012 04:05PM

Where is Don Quixote by Cervantes?????

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message 30: by Susanna - Censored by GoodReads (new)

Jun 10, 2012 04:30PM

At #2, currently. Right behind Hamlet.

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message 31: by Rachel (new)

Jun 07, 2014 05:48AM

Doctor Faustus and Richard III are on both this list and the best books of the 16th century... Hmmmm... Something's gone wrong there.

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message 32: by Lobstergirl (new)

Jun 07, 2014 04:21PM

Marlowe's Doctor Faustus was first published in 1604, according to wiki, although first performed c. 1592. I think it should be left on the list, definitely.

I removed Richard III.

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message 33: by Mel (new)

Jul 07, 2014 11:12PM

William Bradford's On Plymouth Plantation(includes Mayflower Compact & First Thanksgiving), anything by John Winthrop, Anne Bradstreet, almost anything by Roger Williams is unavailable because of mislisting of first publication dates. Thanks!

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message 34: by Mel (new)

Jul 07, 2014 11:19PM

Also the Reina-Valera was published in 1602. Significant translation of the Bible

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message 35: by Lobstergirl (new)

Jul 07, 2014 11:19PM

Mel wrote: "William Bradford's On Plymouth Plantation(includes Mayflower Compact & First Thanksgiving), anything by John Winthrop, Anne Bradstreet, almost anything by Roger Williams is unavailable because of m..."

If you go over to the Librarians Group and link to each book in question, they can correct that for you.

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message 36: by Lobstergirl (new)

Jul 07, 2014 11:26PM

I got "Of Plymouth Plantation."

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message 37: by Mel (new)

Jul 07, 2014 11:30PM

Thanks Lobstergirl! I added an edition to John Woolman's Journal, but I don't know if that will do it.

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message 38: by Lobstergirl (new)

Jul 07, 2014 11:39PM

I see that one was published posthumously in 1774, so it wouldn't be eligible for this list.

Best thing to do is post in Librarians Group. You don't have to be a GR librarian to post there but you do have to be a group member.

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message 39: by Sheryl (new)

Sep 24, 2016 12:29PM

The King James Version of the Bible was based on William Tyndale's English translation in the 1500's from [what he knew of] ancient Hebrew and Greek (not all the copies were burned!). Much of Tyndale's beautiful language is retained. The King James' committee massaged it, making it (primarily) politically correct for its time. I don't think "Anonymous" is the appropriate author.

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message 40: by Sheryl (new)

Sep 24, 2016 01:22PM

I don't understand why Shakespeare is in this century. His plays were reproduced and produced for public consumption during his lifetime. One of the things I love about these lists "per century" is being able to absorb the flavor of discourse and leisure from century to century. Shakespeare just doesn't belong here.

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message 41: by Lobstergirl (new)

Sep 24, 2016 05:31PM

Lyn wrote: "I don't understand why Shakespeare is in this century. His plays were reproduced and produced for public consumption during his lifetime. One of the things I love about these lists "per century" is..."

Some of his works are on this list, some of them are on Best Books of the 16th century.

https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/52

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message 42: by Lobstergirl (new)

Sep 24, 2016 05:38PM

Lyn wrote: "The King James Version of the Bible was based on William Tyndale's English translation in the 1500's from [what he knew of] ancient Hebrew and Greek (not all the copies were burned!). Much of Tynda..."

Undoubtedly you are right, but it is a Goodreads convention for sacred texts like the Bible to have Anonymous as author. There were long discussions about this in the Librarian Group, beginning years ago. You can go there and search for them and read them.

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message 43: by Sheryl (new)

Sep 24, 2016 07:20PM

Ah. Thank you for clarifying that. It sounds like a good compromise.

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message 44: by Erin (new)

Dec 10, 2018 09:55PM

I would like to add Palace of Eternal Youth by Hong Sheng. It was originally written in 1688 but Goodreads does not have an originally published date for this work to reflect this and so I cannot add it to this list. Might a librarian be able to update the entry?

Thank you!

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message 45: by Lobstergirl (new)

Dec 11, 2018 03:49PM

Erin wrote: "I would like to add Palace of Eternal Youth by Hong Sheng. It was originally written in 1688 but Goodreads does not have an originally published date for this work..."

Done.

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message 46: by Erin (new)

Dec 11, 2018 04:35PM

Lobstergirl wrote: "Erin wrote: "I would like to add Palace of Eternal Youth by Hong Sheng. It was originally written in 1688 but Goodreads does not have an originally published date ..."

Thank you! 😊

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message 47: by Emrys (new)

Sep 24, 2019 12:06PM

Johannes Kepler's Harmonies Of The World & Epitome of Copernican Astronomy and Harmonies of the World could be added to this list when their original publication years are changed to something more appropriate.

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message 48: by Susanna - Censored by GoodReads (new)

Sep 24, 2019 03:15PM

Changed the publication date on Harmonies of the World to 1619. The second volume is more complicated because it's a double book, and I'm not sure on which date is the correct one in that case.

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message 49: by Emrys (new)

Sep 25, 2019 12:48PM

Susanna - Censored by GoodReads wrote: "Changed the publication date on Harmonies of the World to 1619. The second volume is more complicated because it's a double book, and I'm not sure on which date is the correct one in that case."

Thanks! (I started a thread in the Book Issues subforum the other day about them, so it's possible someone will consider whether to re-date the second book).

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message 50: by Erin (last edited Aug 17, 2021 07:34PM) (new)

Aug 17, 2021 07:31PM

I would like to add the following to the list:

1) Plum Shadows and Plank Bridge: Two Memoirs about Courtesans by Mao Xiang (1611-93) and Yu Huai (1616-96)

2) The Diary of 1636: The Second Manchu Invasion of Korea by Man-Gap Na (1592-1642)

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