The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde
The novel follows the life of a handsome young man who, after having his portrait painted, is upset to realize that the painting will remain beautiful while he ages. After expressing a wish that the painting would age instead of him, he is shocked to find that his wish comes true. As he indulges in a life of hedonism and immoral acts, his portrait becomes increasingly grotesque, reflecting the damage his actions have on his soul. The story serves as a cautionary tale about the dangers of vanity, selfishness, and the pursuit of pleasure without regard for consequences.
The 91st greatest book of all time
Ranking Details:
Our ranking system awards points to books based on their appearance and position on curated lists. Here's how it works:
Unranked Lists: For lists without specific rankings, each book receives points equivalent to the list's weight. This approach recognizes the book's inclusion on prestigious lists.
Ranked Lists: Books on ranked lists receive points in two ways:
- Base Points: Initially, every book is awarded points equal to the list's weight, acknowledging its significance.
- Bonus Points: Additionally, books earn bonus points based on their ranking. The total bonus pool, equal to 100% of the list's weight, is distributed among the books, with higher-ranked books receiving more points.
Exponential Distribution: The distribution of bonus points follows an exponential model. This means the top-ranked book (#1) receives significantly more bonus points than those further down the list (e.g., #100). Our algorithm ensures that higher placements are rewarded more generously, reflecting the achievement of a top rank on any given list.
This scoring system ensures that each book's ranking reflects both its presence on multiple lists and its positions within those lists, providing a comprehensive measure of its acclaim and popularity.
Total Points: 2226
Since this book was first published in 1890, there is a penalty of 0%. The age adjusted score is 2226.0.
This is to prevent newer books from reaching super high on the ranked list of the greatest books of all time. The greatest books should also stand the test of time.
- score: 144 -- 1001 Books You Must Read Before You Die (Weight: 144)
- score: 126 -- 200 Books That Shaped 200 Years of Literature (Weight: 126)
- score: 126 -- Best Foreign Work of Fiction Chosen by Francophone Writers (Weight: 126)
- score: 117 -- 100 Books of Classical and Modern Foreign Literature (Weight: 114)
- score: 114 -- Big Read (Bulgarian) (Weight: 111)
- score: 102 -- ZEIT-Bibliothek der 100 Bücher (Weight: 102)
- score: 99 -- The Great American Read (Weight: 99)
- score: 96 -- 1000 Novels Everyone Must Read (Weight: 96)
- score: 90 -- Our Users' Favorite Books of All Time (Weight: 90)
- score: 90 -- 100 Books to Read in a Lifetime (Weight: 90)
- score: 90 -- Best Books Ever (Weight: 90)
- score: 84 -- The Big Read (Weight: 84)
- score: 84 -- Inteliquest's World's 100 Greatest Books of All-Time (Weight: 84)
- score: 82 -- 100 Essential Books (Weight: 81)
- score: 81 -- Top 50 Irish Novels (Weight: 75)
- score: 78 -- The 500 best books of all time from Culture Café users (Weight: 78)
- score: 66 -- The Complete 500: OCLC (Weight: 66)
- score: 63 -- The Best Classics (Weight: 63)
- score: 63 -- The Graphic Canon (Weight: 63)
- score: 57 -- 100 Best Novels Written in English (Weight: 57)
- score: 52 -- The 100 Greatest Novels of All Time: The List (Weight: 51)
- score: 51 -- 101 of the World's Greatest Books (1950) (Weight: 51)
- score: 51 -- The College Board: 101 Great Books Recommended for College-Bound Readers (Weight: 51)
- score: 45 -- Harold Bloom's The Western Canon (Weight: 45)
- score: 45 -- 50 Books to Read Before You Die (Weight: 45)
- score: 45 -- The 100 Best Books in the World (Weight: 45)
- score: 42 -- The Ultimate Book Bucket List: The 75 Best Books Of All Time (Weight: 42)
- score: 39 -- The 100 Greatest Books Ever Written (Weight: 39)