The 100 Most Influential Books Ever Written

This is one of the 286 lists we use to generate our main The Greatest Books list.

  • The Bible by Unknown

    Cover of 'The Bible' by

    The Bible is the central religious text of Christianity, comprising the Old and New Testaments. It features a diverse collection of writings including historical narratives, poetry, prophecies, and teachings. These texts chronicle the relationship between God and humanity, detail the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ, and follow the early Christian church. Considered divinely inspired by believers, it serves as a foundational guide for faith and practice, influencing countless aspects of culture and society worldwide.

About this list

Martin Seymour-Smith, 101 Books

The 100 Most Influential Books Ever Written: The History of Thought from Ancient Times to Today (1998) is a book of intellectual history written by Martin Seymour-Smith (1928–1998), a British poet, critic, and biographer.

Added about 10 years ago.

How Good is this List?

This list has a weight of 30%. To learn more about what this means please visit the Rankings page.

Here is a list of what is decreasing the importance of this list:

  • Voters: 1 person voted
  • List: only covers mostly "Western Canon" books
  • List: criteria is not just "best/favorite"

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