Some books are beyond popular; they are cultural references for generations. I can personally vouch for about half of these — I don’t want to spoil the titles but I love #3, #5, and #7. 

Exact sales numbers are difficult to verify, especially for the older works, but every book here has undeniably had a massive influence on global culture and literature.

Here are the ten best-selling books of all time.

Note: This list excludes religious and political works.

Miguel de Cervantes

After reading tales of chivalry, romance, and adventure, the eccentric Don Quixote from central Spain resolves to embark on a noble quest as a knight, driven by a desire to help the defenseless and fight the wicked.

“Finally, from so little sleeping and so much reading, his brain dried up and he went completely out of his mind.”

Published in 1605, the humorous Don Quixote is widely considered the first modern novel.

Charles Dickens

Amidst the backdrop of the French Revolution, Dickens skillfully condenses the event of immense complexity into the scope of a family’s history, shedding light on the era by intertwining the lives of characters within the cities of London and Paris.

“It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity…”
A Tale of Two Cities was initially published in 31 weekly installments in 1859.

Antoine de Saint-Exupery

In the Sahara Desert, a pilot crashes and encounters a young extraterrestrial prince. As the narrator strives to repair his plane, the Little Prince recounts his journey, revealing profound insights into human nature, relationships, and the meaning of life.

“It is only with the heart that one can see clearly. What is essential is invisible to the eye.”

The Little Prince is published into 300+ languages, one of the most translated works ever.

J.K. Rowling

On his eleventh birthday, Harry Potter learns he’s a wizard, escaping his mundane life to attend Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Alongside newfound friends, Harry unravels the mysteries of his past, and navigates the magical realm.

“It does not do to dwell on dreams and forget to live.”

The other books in the series are just outside of the top ten, making Rowling one of the top-selling authors of all time and Harry Potter the #1 series of all time.

Agatha Christie

Ten strangers invited to an isolated island find themselves accused of crimes by an unseen host. As they begin mysteriously dying one-by-one according to a sinister nursery rhyme, the survivors must unveil the assailant’s identity before it’s too late.

“Ten little Soldier Boys went out to dine; One choked his little self, and then there were Nine.”

Agatha Christie is the second best-selling author of all time after Shakespeare (excluding religious and political works).

Cao Xueqin

Against the backdrop of 18th-century China, the novel weaves a complex tapestry of family, love, and societal norms, centering on the Jia family’s decline and the doomed romance between Jia Baoyu and Lin Daiyu.

“Truth becomes fiction when the fiction’s true; Real becomes not-real when the unreal’s real.”

The Dream of the Red Chamber contains an extremely large cast; there are nearly 40 major characters and over 400 additional ones.

J. R. R. Tolkien

With Gandalf the wizard and a group of dwarves, hobbit Bilbo Baggins embarks on a journey to reclaim treasure guarded by the dragon Smaug. Along the way, Bilbo encounters trolls, goblins, elves, and the mysterious Gollum.

“I wish it need not have happened in my time,” said Frodo. “So do I,” said Gandalf, “and so do all who live to see such times. But that is not for them to decide. All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given us.”

Tolkien’s close friend, Narnia author CS Lewis (next on this list), was an early test-audience, listening to chapters as they were finished.

C.S. Lewis

The Pevensie siblings – Peter, Susan, Edmund, and Lucy – stumble into the enchanting land of Narnia through a wardrobe, only to find it under the rule of the White Witch. Guided by Aslan, the noble lion, they embark on a heroic quest to bring back peace to Narnia.

“Wrong will be right, when Aslan comes in sight, At the sound of his roar, sorrows will be no more, When he bares his teeth, winter meets its death, And when he shakes his mane, we shall have spring again.”

Narnia represents Christianity through the use of symbolism and allegory (Aslan as Christ, White Witch as Satan, etc).

H. Rider Haggard

Horace Holly and his ward, Leo Vincey, undertake an expedition to Africa, discovering the hidden kingdom of Kor ruled by the immortal Ayesha. As Ayesha waits for the reincarnation of her lost love, the novel weaves a tale of adventure, landscapes, and the supernatural.

“All things live forever, though at times they sleep and are forgotten.”

Haggard was inspired by a seven-year stunt in South Africa during the late 1800s.

Dan Brown

Harvard symbologist Robert Langdon is thrust into a complex mystery surrounding a murder at the Louvre Museum. As he deciphers hidden messages, Langdon unveils a conspiracy entwining secret societies, ancient symbols, and the pursuit of the Holy Grail.

“History is always written by the winners. When two cultures clash, the loser is obliterated, and the winner writes the history books – books which glorify their own cause and disparage the conquered foe. As Napoleon once said, ‘What is history but fable agreed upon?’”

The Da Vinci Code is controversial because of the intricate blend of fact and fiction, particularly when it comes to matters of religion.