The Greatest Authors of All Time
Ever wondered who the greatest authors of all time are? We've analyzed 743 diverse book lists to create this comprehensive ranking of literary masters. Our algorithm considers several key factors to determine each author's position:
- Book Rankings: Each author's score starts with the sum of their books' rankings from our master list.
- Number of Great Books: Authors are rewarded for having multiple highly-ranked books. The more great books an author has, the higher their overall score.
- Age of Books: Older books receive a small bonus to their score, with the maximum bonus going to books over 100 years old.
This system ensures that authors with multiple enduring works are recognized, while still giving weight to the quality of individual books. The rankings are automatically calculated and updated as new lists are added to our database.
5701. Procopius
6th-century Byzantine Greek historian and secretary to General Belisarius, author of The Wars (Histories), The Buildings, and the Secret History (Anecdota).
5702. Barbara Rae-Venter
American genetic genealogist and consultant known for applying consumer DNA databases and genetic genealogy to solve cold cases, notably contributing to the identification of the Golden State Killer and other criminal investigations.
5703. Wesley L. Fox
United States Marine Corps officer and Medal of Honor recipient for actions in the Vietnam War; retired as a colonel and author of memoirs about his military service.
5704. Richard Rhodes
American historian, journalist, and author best known for The Making of the Atomic Bomb; winner of major awards including the Pulitzer Prize for his work on the history of nuclear weapons and science.
5705. Mike Tyson
American former professional boxer, the youngest heavyweight champion in history (won the title at age 20). He held undisputed heavyweight titles in the late 1980s, had a high-profile career and legal troubles including a 1992 rape conviction, and later worked as a public figure, actor and author.
5706. Ioan Grillo
Journalist and non-fiction author specializing in Latin American organized crime and drug trafficking. Based in Mexico City; author of El Narco and Gangster Warlords, and a contributor to international media outlets.
5707. Durjoy Datta
Indian novelist and screenwriter known for contemporary romance and young-adult fiction; author of several bestselling novels and contributor to television and web-series writing.
5708. James Brabazon
5709. Charles B. Dew
American historian known for work on the antebellum South and the causes of the Civil War; author of Apostles of Disunion.
5710. Max Cutler
5711. Joe Coscarelli
American music journalist and critic, known for coverage of popular music and culture; a reporter for The New York Times.
5712. Patrick Winn
5713. Justin Farrell
5714. Lena Andrews
5715. Mahatma Gandhi
Indian lawyer, anti-colonial nationalist and political leader who led the movement for India's independence using nonviolent civil disobedience (known as Mahatma Gandhi).
5716. Despina Stratigakos
Architectural historian and professor whose research addresses gender, architecture, and visual culture; author of books and essays on women in architecture and on architectural culture under National Socialism.
5718. Alex Rutherford
Pen name used by British husband-and-wife authors Diana and Michael Preston, best known for the historical novel series 'Empire of the Moghul'.
5719. Tilly Bagshawe
British author and journalist of popular commercial fiction, known for novels and for writing the authorized continuation 'Sidney Sheldon's Mistress of the Game'.
5720. D.K. Publishing
Dorling Kindersley (DK) is a British multinational publishing company, founded in London in 1974 by Christopher Dorling and Peter Kindersley. It is known for highly illustrated reference books for adults and children and is now part of the Penguin Random House group.
5721. Osho
Indian spiritual teacher and mystic, commonly known as Osho (formerly Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh), founder of the Rajneesh movement and of ashrams in India and the United States; prolific speaker and author on meditation and spirituality, and a figure associated with significant controversy and legal conflicts in the 1970s–1980s.
5722. Osho
Indian spiritual teacher, mystic, and founder of the Rajneesh movement, widely known as Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh and later Osho; prolific author and speaker whose teachings combined Eastern mysticism and Western psychotherapy and who was a controversial figure due to communal experiments, legal conflicts, and a large international following.
5723. Osho
Indian spiritual teacher and mystic, founder of the Rajneesh (Osho) movement, known for extensive talks and writings on meditation and spirituality and for the controversial Rajneeshpuram community in Oregon.
5724. Pearl Buck
American novelist and short-story writer, best known for The Good Earth; awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature (1938) and noted for writings about China and humanitarian work.
5725. Marquez
Colombian novelist, short-story writer, screenwriter and journalist; leading exponent of magical realism; awarded the 1982 Nobel Prize in Literature; best known for One Hundred Years of Solitude.
5726. Hermann Broch
Austrian modernist novelist and essayist, best known for the trilogy The Sleepwalkers (Die Schlafwandler) and the novel The Death of Virgil; noted for experimental narrative techniques and cultural criticism.
5727. Osho
Indian spiritual teacher and mystic (born Chandra Mohan Jain), widely known as Osho and formerly Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh; founder of the Rajneesh movement, prolific speaker and author on meditation and Eastern philosophy, and a controversial figure due to the Rajneeshpuram commune and related legal issues.
5728. D.A. Carson
Canadian-born evangelical New Testament scholar and author, longtime professor at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School, known for work in New Testament studies, biblical theology, and hermeneutics.
5729. Osho
Indian spiritual teacher and mystic, widely known as Osho (also Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh). Founder of the Rajneesh movement, noted for his talks on meditation, spirituality, sexuality, and social issues; established ashrams in Pune, India and Rajneeshpuram in Oregon, and was a controversial public figure.
5730. Amrita Pritam
Indian poet, novelist and essayist who wrote primarily in Punjabi and Hindi; a leading 20th-century Punjabi literary figure best known for works addressing Partition, gender and social issues.
5731. Romila Thapar
Indian historian specializing in ancient Indian history; Emeritus Professor at Jawaharlal Nehru University and author of influential works on early India.
5732. Osho
Indian spiritual teacher and mystic, born Chandra Mohan Jain and known as Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh and later Osho; founder of the Rajneesh movement, author of numerous books on meditation and spirituality, and a controversial figure involved in legal and communal disputes, notably in the United States.
5733. Noam Wasserman
Academic and author specializing in entrepreneurship and startups; known for the book "The Founder's Dilemmas" and research on founding teams, equity splits, and startup dynamics.
5734. A.C. Grayling
British philosopher, academic and author known for works on philosophy, ethics, humanism and secularism; founder and former Master of the New College of the Humanities and author of several popular books on philosophy.
5735. Clifford Odets
American playwright, screenwriter, and actor; a leading figure of the Group Theatre in the 1930s, best known for plays such as Waiting for Lefty, Awake and Sing!, and Golden Boy, and later for work in Hollywood.
5736. Paul Dini
American writer, producer, and comic-book creator best known for his work on Batman: The Animated Series and co-creating the character Harley Quinn; has written for animation, comics, and video games.
5737. Kevin Smith
American filmmaker, actor, comedian, comic-book writer and podcaster, best known for writing and directing Clerks and creating the View Askewniverse.
5738. Dennis O'Neil
American comic book writer and editor best known for influential work at DC Comics and Marvel Comics; revitalized Batman in the 1970s, collaborated on Green Lantern/Green Arrow stories, and co-created notable characters such as Ra's al Ghul.
5740. Louis Fischer
American journalist and author (1896–1970), noted for his reporting on the Soviet Union and for biographies and writings on political figures such as Mahatma Gandhi.
5741. Osho
Indian mystic and spiritual teacher, also known as Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh and later Osho; founder of the Rajneesh movement, known for teaching meditation, mindfulness, and controversial communal experiments including a large commune in Oregon.
5742. Roger L. Martin
Canadian management consultant, author, and educator; former Dean of the Rotman School of Management (University of Toronto), known for work on integrative thinking, business strategy, and design-led management education.
5743. Richard J. Maybury
American author and publisher known for the 'Uncle Eric' series and libertarian-leaning writings on economics, law, and history; founder and editor of the Early Warning Report newsletter.
5744. Jaishankar Prasad
Indian Hindi poet, playwright and novelist, a leading figure of the Chhayavaad (romantic) movement in modern Hindi literature; best known for works such as the epic poem Kamayani and historical plays.
5745. J.D. Robb
American novelist Nora Roberts, who writes futuristic crime/romantic suspense novels under the pen name J.D. Robb, best known for the long-running 'In Death' series.
5746. Rabindranath Tagore
Bengali Indian poet, writer, playwright, composer, philosopher and polymath; awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1913 (first non-European laureate); author of Gitanjali and composer of the Indian national anthem.
5747. D.K. Publishing
Dorling Kindersley (DK Publishing) is a British multinational publishing company founded in 1974 by Christopher Dorling and Peter Kindersley, known for illustrated reference books, visual guides, and branded consumer titles; it is now an imprint of Penguin Random House.
5748. Osho
Indian spiritual teacher and mystic, born Chandra Mohan Jain and later known as Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh and Osho. Founder of the Rajneesh movement and author of numerous books based on his talks; known for developing dynamic meditation techniques and for leading the Rajneeshpuram community in Oregon. A controversial figure involved in legal disputes and deportation from the United States.
5749. Osho
Indian mystic and spiritual teacher (known as Rajneesh and Osho), founder of the Rajneesh movement, known for teachings on meditation and for establishing ashrams in Pune and the Rajneeshpuram commune in Oregon.
5750. Rujuta Diwekar
Indian celebrity nutritionist, author and public speaker known for bestselling books on diet and fitness; advocates traditional Indian foods, sustainable eating and practical lifestyle changes, and has worked with high-profile clients.