The Greatest Authors of All Time

Ever wondered who the greatest authors of all time are? We've analyzed 759 diverse book lists to create this comprehensive ranking of literary masters. Our algorithm considers several key factors to determine each author's position:

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.

6051. Richard Beck

Richard Beck's highest rated books

6052. S.J. Perelman

American humorist, satirist, and screenwriter best known for his comic essays and parodies published in The New Yorker and for his humorous books and film writing.

S.J. Perelman's highest rated books

6053. Maitena Inés Burundarena

Argentine cartoonist and illustrator, best known by the pen name Maitena, creator of the comic strip 'Mujeres Alteradas' and other humor comics about women's lives; her work has been published in newspapers and collected in books across Latin America and Spain.

Maitena Inés Burundarena's highest rated books

6054. Mikita Brottman

British writer and scholar known for work on psychoanalysis, true crime, horror, and cultural criticism.

Mikita Brottman's highest rated books

6055. Jordi Canal

Historian specializing in Carlism and contemporary Spanish (particularly Catalan) political and social history.

Jordi Canal's highest rated books

6056. Frederick D. Wilhelmsen

American Catholic philosopher and Thomist known for work on political philosophy, natural law, and critiques of modern ideologies.

Frederick D. Wilhelmsen's highest rated books

6057. Anne Catherine Emmerich

German Roman Catholic Augustinian nun, mystic and stigmatist (1774–1824), known for her reported visions which were recorded by Clemens Brentano and published (e.g., The Dolorous Passion of Our Lord Jesus Christ). She was beatified in 2004.

Anne Catherine Emmerich's highest rated books

6058. Niall Ferguson

British (Scottish) historian and author specializing in economic, financial and global history, empire, and international relations; broadcaster and public intellectual, known for books such as The Ascent of Money and Empire.

Niall Ferguson's highest rated books

6059. Stefan Zweig

Austrian writer, novelist, playwright, journalist and biographer, best known for his novellas and psychological portraits (e.g., 'Letter from an Unknown Woman', 'Amok', 'Beware of Pity') and his memoir 'The World of Yesterday'. He fled Nazi-occupied Europe and died in exile in 1942.

Stefan Zweig's highest rated books

6060. Gustave Thibon

French philosopher and essayist known for his Christian existential and conservative thought, writing on rural life, metaphysics, and the human condition.

Gustave Thibon's highest rated books

6061. Enrique García Maíquez

Spanish poet, essayist and editor, active as a critic and literary columnist.

Enrique García Maíquez's highest rated books

6062. Harry Beckwith

American marketing consultant and author best known for books on marketing and services, including Selling the Invisible and other works on client-focused business strategies.

Harry Beckwith's highest rated books

6063. Ana María Schlüter Rodés

Ana María Schlüter Rodés's highest rated books

6064. Winshluss

French comic artist and filmmaker, known by the pen name Winshluss; co-directed the animated film Persepolis and is known for satirical, graphic novels and comics.

Winshluss's highest rated books

6065. Eugeni d'Ors

Catalan essayist, philosopher and art critic (often signed Xènius), a leading figure of the Noucentisme cultural movement.

Eugeni d'Ors's highest rated books

6066. Jean Baptiste Marie Vianney

French Catholic priest (the Curé d'Ars), renowned for his pastoral care and confessional ministry; canonized saint and patron of parish priests.

Jean Baptiste Marie Vianney's highest rated books

6067. Raniero Cantalamessa

Italian Capuchin friar, Catholic priest and theologian, longtime Preacher to the Papal Household (appointed 1980), known for preaching Lenten retreats to popes and Roman Curia and involvement in the Catholic charismatic renewal.

Raniero Cantalamessa's highest rated books

6068. Un requeté. (Federico Wilhemsen)

Author attributed as 'Un requeté'; works signed under this byline are associated with Federico Wilhemsen.

Un requeté. (Federico Wilhemsen)'s highest rated books

6069. Ruy Castro

Brazilian writer, journalist and biographer known for books on Brazilian music and culture, including histories of bossa nova and biographies of figures such as Carmen Miranda and Garrincha.

Ruy Castro's highest rated books

6070. Dorothy Day

American journalist, social activist, and Catholic convert who co-founded the Catholic Worker Movement and its newspaper; noted for advocacy of the poor, pacifism, and social justice.

Dorothy Day's highest rated books

6071. Mabel Lozano

Spanish filmmaker, producer, former actress and writer known for documentary work and activism on prostitution, human trafficking and sexual exploitation.

Mabel Lozano's highest rated books

6072. Joël Dicker

Swiss novelist from Geneva, born in 1985, best known for the international bestseller "The Truth About the Harry Quebert Affair" (2012) and other contemporary works.

Joël Dicker's highest rated books

6073. Robert Sarah

Guinean cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church; served as Archbishop of Conakry and in senior Vatican roles including prefect of the Congregation for Divine Worship and Discipline of the Sacraments; author and conservative theological commentator.

Robert Sarah's highest rated books

6074. Philip J. Davis

American mathematician and numerical analyst, author of influential books (including The Mathematical Experience, coauthored with Reuben Hersh, and Methods of Numerical Integration). Known for contributions to numerical analysis, approximation theory, and writings on the history and philosophy of mathematics.

Philip J. Davis's highest rated books

6075. Fernando Pessoa

Portuguese poet, writer, literary critic and translator (1888–1935), a central figure of literary modernism best known for creating numerous heteronyms—distinct authorial personas such as Alberto Caeiro, Ricardo Reis and Álvaro de Campos—and for major works including The Book of Disquiet.

Fernando Pessoa's highest rated books

6076. Dietrich Bonhoeffer

German Lutheran pastor, theologian, and anti-Nazi dissident; known for works such as The Cost of Discipleship and Letters and Papers from Prison, and executed in 1945 for his involvement in resistance against Hitler.

Dietrich Bonhoeffer's highest rated books

6077. Jorge Guillén

Spanish poet of the Generation of '27, author of the lyric collections Cántico, Clamor and Homenaje, and a literary critic and academic.

Jorge Guillén's highest rated books

6078. Daniel Tammet

British writer, essayist and autistic savant known for extraordinary mental calculation, synesthesia and language-learning abilities; author of memoirs including "Born on a Blue Day."

Daniel Tammet's highest rated books

6079. Edith Stein

German-Jewish philosopher and phenomenologist who converted to Catholicism, became a Discalced Carmelite nun (Teresa Benedicta of the Cross), was deported to Auschwitz and killed in 1942, and was later recognized as a Catholic saint.

Edith Stein's highest rated books

6080. Luis Landero

Spanish novelist and short‑story writer, author of the acclaimed debut novel 'Juegos de la edad tardía' (1989) and several subsequent works; noted for his inventive language, humor, and contribution to contemporary Spanish fiction.

Luis Landero's highest rated books

6081. Gabriel Magalhães

Brazilian professional footballer who plays as a central defender, known for playing for Arsenal FC and the Brazil national team.

Gabriel Magalhães's highest rated books

6082. B.D. Hoyos

B.D. Hoyos's highest rated books

6083. Álvaro Mutis

Colombian poet, novelist and essayist, best known for the recurring character Maqroll el Gaviero and the novel cycle often grouped as La novela de Maqroll; awarded the Miguel de Cervantes Prize in 2001.

Álvaro Mutis's highest rated books

6084. Juan Carlos Onetti

Uruguayan novelist and short story writer, a major figure in 20th-century Latin American literature; author of La vida breve, El pozo and El astillero, and recipient of the Premio Cervantes (1980).

Juan Carlos Onetti's highest rated books

6085. David I. Rudel

David I. Rudel's highest rated books

6086. Léon Bloy

French novelist, essayist and polemicist known for fervent Catholicism and a passionate, often vitriolic style; author of works such as Le Désespéré and numerous essays and pamphlets.

Léon Bloy's highest rated books

6087. Francisco Umbral

Spanish novelist, essayist and journalist known for his prolific output, flamboyant literary style and influential newspaper columns; a prominent figure in late 20th-century Spanish letters.

Francisco Umbral's highest rated books

6088. Titus Burckhardt

Swiss author and scholar associated with the Traditionalist School (Perennialism), known for works on sacred art, symbolism, Islamic art, and traditional metaphysics.

Titus Burckhardt's highest rated books

6089. Anthony de Mello

Anthony de Mello was an Indian Jesuit priest, psychotherapist and spiritual teacher, author of popular books on spirituality and meditation such as Awareness, The Way to Love and Sadhana, known for integrating Christian spirituality with Eastern contemplative traditions.

Anthony de Mello's highest rated books

6090. Richard Courant

German-American mathematician known for contributions to analysis and partial differential equations, co-author of Methods of Mathematical Physics (with David Hilbert) and What Is Mathematics?, and founder of the Courant Institute of Mathematical Sciences at New York University.

Richard Courant's highest rated books

6091. P.G. Wodehouse

English-born comic novelist, short story writer and playwright best known for the Jeeves and Wooster stories and the Blandings Castle series.

P.G. Wodehouse's highest rated books

6092. César Vallejo

Peruvian poet, writer and journalist, one of the most important Latin American poets of the 20th century; author of Los heraldos negros, Trilce and the posthumous Poemas humanos, known for innovative language, social engagement and avant‑garde influence.

César Vallejo's highest rated books

6093. Pierre Klossowski

French writer, translator, painter, and philosopher noted for novels and essays exploring eroticism, theology, and interpretations of Nietzsche and the Marquis de Sade; brother of the painter Balthus.

Pierre Klossowski's highest rated books

6094. Paul Evdokimov

Russian émigré Orthodox Christian theologian, writer, and educator based in Paris; professor at the St. Sergius Orthodox Theological Institute, known for his works on spirituality, marriage, women in the Church, and the theology of the icon.

Paul Evdokimov's highest rated books

6095. William Novak

American author, editor, and ghostwriter; co-editor of The Big Book of Jewish Humor and co-author/ghostwriter on several memoirs and nonfiction works.

William Novak's highest rated books

6096. Ring Lardner

American sports columnist, short story writer and satirist known for his vernacular dialogue and comic portrayals of Midwestern small-town life; author of works such as the 'You Know Me, Al' letters and stories like 'Haircut.'

Ring Lardner's highest rated books

6097. B.J. Knight

B.J. Knight's highest rated books

6098. Sigrid Undset

Norwegian novelist, awarded the 1928 Nobel Prize in Literature, best known for the medieval trilogy Kristin Lavransdatter; themes include historical realism, faith, family and moral conflict.

Sigrid Undset's highest rated books

6099. William Thomas Walsh

American Catholic historian, biographer, essayist and poet, known for works on Spanish history and Catholic subjects

William Thomas Walsh's highest rated books

6100. Comunión Tradicionalista Carlista

A Spanish political organization associated with the Carlist traditionalist, legitimist, and monarchist movement; represents Carlist political interests rather than an individual.

Comunión Tradicionalista Carlista's highest rated books