Sales figures for books, especially those published decades or even centuries ago, are only approximate and hard to determine with 100% accuracy. Therefore, even though the best-selling books of all time below are sourced from IGN, Wikipedia, and other sites, the exact order remains unknown and varies slightly depending on the source. Nevertheless, the list below includes the top ten books widely acknowledged as the best-selling of all time.
It’s important to note that the list provided doesn’t include religious or political texts (certain works, such as The Bible, Quran, and Quotations from Chairman Mao, are believed to have more than a billion copies each in existence).
Enjoy!
#1 – Don Quixote (500 million copies sold)
By Miguel de Cervantes
Publish Date — 1605
Top Quote — “Finally, from so little sleeping and so much reading, his brain dried up and he went completely out of his mind.”
Blurb — After reading numerous 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.
Themes — Love, Adventure, Humor, Philosophy
More — Widely considered the first modern novel
#2 – A Tale of Two Cities (200 million copies sold)
By Charles Dickens
Publish Date — 1859
Top Quote — “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…”
Blurb — Amidst the tumultuous backdrop of the French Revolution, Dickens condenses the event of immense complexity into the scope of a family’s history, shedding light on the turbulent era by intertwining the lives of characters within the cities of London and Paris.
Themes — Imprisonment, Social Injustice, Resurrection, Sacrifice
More — Was initially published in 31 weekly installments, each leaving readers eagerly awaiting the next
#3 – The Little Prince (140 million copies sold)
By Antoine de Saint-Exupery
Publish Date — 1943
Top Quote — “It is only with the heart that one can see clearly. What is essential is invisible to the eye.”
Blurb — Stranded in the Sahara Desert, an aviator encounters a young extraterrestrial prince, and 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.
Themes — Imagination, Relationships, Innocence & Wisdom, Critique of Adult Society
More — Has been translated into over 300 languages and dialects (one of the most ever)
Read my review of The Little Prince here!
#4 – Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone (110-120 million copies sold)
By J.K. Rowling
Publish Date — 1997
Top Quote — “It does not do to dwell on dreams and forget to live.”
Blurb — 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, navigating the challenges of the magical realm, including evil Lord Voldemort.
Themes — Friendship, Self-Discovery, Good vs Evil, Courage
More — All the other books in the series are just outside of the top 10, making Harry Potter the #1-sold series of all time
#5 – And Then There Were None (100 million copies sold)
By Agatha Christie
Publish Date — 1939
Top Quote — “Ten little Soldier Boys went out to dine; One choked his little self, and then there were Nine.”
Blurb — 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.
Themes — Justice, Retribution, Guilt & Conscience, Isolation
More — Agatha Christie is the best-selling author of all time (besides the Bible & Shakespeare)
Read about more Agatha Christie books here!
#6 – The Dream of the Red Chamber (100 million copies sold)
By Cao Xueqin
Publish Date — mid-18th century
Top Quote — “Truth becomes fiction when the fiction’s true; Real becomes not-real when the unreal’s real.”
Blurb — 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.
Themes — Illusion & Reality, Love, Social Structure, Mortality
More — Contains an extraordinarily large band of characters: nearly 40 are considered major characters, and there are over 400 additional ones
#7 – The Hobbit (100 million copies sold)
By J.R.R. Tolkien
Publish Date — 1937
Top Quote — “All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given us.”
Blurb — Reluctantly joining a quest led by the wizard Gandalf and a group of dwarves, Bilbo Baggins, a humble hobbit, embarks on a perilous journey to reclaim treasure guarded by the dragon Smaug. Along the way, Bilbo encounters trolls, goblins, elves, and the mysterious Gollum, discovering untapped courage and resourcefulness within himself.
Themes — Heroism, Transformation, Companionship, Greed, Courage
More — Tolkien’s close friend, Narnia author CS Lewis (also on this list), was an early test-audience, listening to chapters as they were finished
#8 – The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (85 million copies sold)
By C.S. Lewis
Publish Date — 1950
Top Quote — “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.”
Blurb — The Pevensie siblings – Peter, Susan, Edmund, and Lucy – stumble into the enchanting land of Narnia through a wardrobe, only to find it gripped by the icy rule of the White Witch. Guided by Aslan, the noble lion and rightful king, they embark on a heroic quest to vanquish the White Witch and bring back warmth and peace to Narnia.
Themes — Good vs Evil, Sacrifice, Courage, Power of Belief
More — Narnia represents Christianity through the use of symbolism and allegory – Aslan as Christ, White Witch as Satan, etc
#9 – She: A History of Adventure (83 million copies sold)
By H. Rider Haggard
Publish Date — 1886
Top Quote — “All things live forever, though at times they sleep and are forgotten.”
Blurb — Horace Holly and his ward, Leo Vincey, undertake a perilous 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, treacherous landscapes, and encounters with the supernatural.
Themes — Colonialism, Power & Femininity, Love, Mortality
More — Haggard was inspired by a seven-year stunt in South Africa during the late 1800s
#10 – The Da Vinci Code (80 million copies sold)
By Dan Brown
Publish Date — 2003
Top Quote — “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?’”
Blurb — Harvard symbologist Robert Langdon is thrust into a complex mystery surrounding a gruesome murder at the Louvre Museum in Paris. As he deciphers hidden messages, Langdon unveils a conspiracy entwining secret societies, ancient symbols, and the pursuit of the Holy Grail.
Themes — Religious Symbolism, Conspiracies, Puzzles, Secret Societies
More — The novel causes some controversy due to the fictional portrayal of religious figures and the intricate blend of fact and fiction
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