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.

8201. Gisèle Berkman

Gisèle Berkman's highest rated books

8202. Gustaf Fröding

Gustaf Fröding was a Swedish poet and writer, known for his lyrical poetry that often explored themes of nature, love, and the human condition. His work is celebrated for its emotional depth and innovative use of language, making him one of Sweden's most beloved literary figures.

Gustaf Fröding's highest rated books

8203. Nicholas of Cusa

Nicholas of Cusa was a German philosopher, theologian, jurist, and astronomer. He is known for his contributions to the development of Renaissance humanism and for his mystical writings on the nature of God and the universe. His work laid the groundwork for later thinkers and he is considered a key figure in the history of Western thought.

Nicholas of Cusa's highest rated books

8204. Dirk Maggs

Dirk Maggs is a renowned British director and producer known for his work in radio and audio drama. He has adapted numerous works for audio, including those of Douglas Adams and Neil Gaiman, and is celebrated for his innovative approach to sound design and storytelling.

Dirk Maggs's highest rated books

8205. Victor Bologan

Victor Bologan is a Moldovan chess grandmaster and author known for his contributions to chess literature and his achievements in international chess tournaments.

Victor Bologan's highest rated books

8206. Michael Stean

Michael Francis Stean is a British chess player and author, known for his contributions to chess literature and his achievements in the chess world, including earning the title of International Master.

Michael Stean's highest rated books

8207. Tony Kosten

Tony Kosten's highest rated books

8208. Will Gourlay

Will Gourlay's highest rated books

8209. Jan Pinski

Jan Pinski's highest rated books

8210. Boris Avrukh

Boris Avrukh is a chess Grandmaster and author known for his contributions to chess literature, particularly his works on opening theory.

Boris Avrukh's highest rated books

8211. Alexey Dreev

Alexey Dreev's highest rated books

8212. Evgeny Sveshnikov

Evgeny Sveshnikov was a renowned Russian chess player and grandmaster, known for his contributions to chess theory, particularly the Sveshnikov Variation of the Sicilian Defense.

Evgeny Sveshnikov's highest rated books

8213. Fabiano Caruana

Fabiano Luigi Caruana is an American chess grandmaster and a former chess prodigy. He was born on July 30, 1992, and is known for his achievements in the world of chess, including competing for the World Chess Championship title.

Fabiano Caruana's highest rated books

8214. Victor Mikhalevski

Victor Mikhalevski's highest rated books

8215. Marek Soszynski

Marek Soszynski's highest rated books

8216. Alexander Khalifman

Alexander Khalifman is a Russian chess Grandmaster and former FIDE World Chess Champion. He is known for his contributions to chess literature and coaching.

Alexander Khalifman's highest rated books

8217. Levy Rozman

Levy Rozman, also known as GothamChess, is an American International Master in chess, a popular chess streamer, and content creator known for his educational and entertaining chess videos.

Levy Rozman's highest rated books

8218. John Shaw

John Shaw's highest rated books

8219. Simon Williams

Simon Williams's highest rated books

8220. Paul van der Sterren

Paul van der Sterren is a Dutch chess player and author, known for his contributions to chess literature and his participation in international chess tournaments.

Paul van der Sterren's highest rated books

8221. Nick de Firmian

Nick de Firmian is an American chess grandmaster and author, known for his contributions to chess literature, including multiple editions of 'Modern Chess Openings'.

Nick de Firmian's highest rated books

8222. Vincent Moret

Vincent Moret's highest rated books

8223. Paolo Maurensig

Paolo Maurensig was an Italian author known for his novels that often explore themes of chess, mystery, and the human psyche. His most famous work is 'The Lüneburg Variation,' which brought him international acclaim.

Paolo Maurensig's highest rated books

8224. Rosella Postorino

Rosella Postorino is an Italian author known for her novel 'The Women at Hitler's Table,' which explores the lives of women who were forced to be food tasters for Adolf Hitler during World War II.

Rosella Postorino's highest rated books

8225. Massimo Gramellini

Massimo Gramellini is an Italian journalist and author known for his work in newspapers and his bestselling books. He has gained popularity for his insightful commentary and engaging writing style.

Massimo Gramellini's highest rated books

8226. Nicola Lecca

Nicola Lecca is an Italian author known for his novels and literary works that often explore themes of human emotion and experience. His writing is characterized by its depth and insight into the human condition.

Nicola Lecca's highest rated books

8227. Alessandro D'Avenia

Alessandro D'Avenia is an Italian writer, teacher, and screenwriter known for his novels that often explore themes of youth and education. He gained popularity with his debut novel 'Bianca come il latte, rossa come il sangue' which was later adapted into a film.

Alessandro D'Avenia's highest rated books

8228. Paul A. Zoch

Paul A. Zoch's highest rated books

8229. Mike Krzyzewski

Mike Krzyzewski, often referred to as 'Coach K', is a renowned American college basketball coach. He served as the head coach of the Duke University men's basketball team from 1980 to 2022, leading them to numerous NCAA championships and becoming one of the most successful coaches in college basketball history.

Mike Krzyzewski's highest rated books

8230. Bryan, C.D.B.

Bryan C.D.B. Bryan was an American author known for his works in both fiction and non-fiction. He is perhaps best known for his book 'Friendly Fire', which explores the impact of the Vietnam War on American families.

Bryan, C.D.B.'s highest rated books

8231. Patrick Bet-David

Patrick Bet-David is an American entrepreneur, author, and financial advisor known for founding the media company Valuetainment and for his work in the financial services industry.

Patrick Bet-David's highest rated books

8232. A. F. Tschiffely

Aimé Félix Tschiffely was a Swiss-born author and adventurer, best known for his epic journey on horseback from Buenos Aires to New York City, which he documented in his book 'Tschiffely's Ride'.

A. F. Tschiffely's highest rated books
Cover of 'Tschiffely's Ride' by A. F. Tschiffely

8233. Marco Denevi

Marco Denevi was an Argentinian writer and playwright known for his works in the genres of mystery and speculative fiction. His most famous work is 'Rosaura a las diez', a novel that combines elements of mystery and psychological drama.

Marco Denevi's highest rated books
Cover of 'The Rose At Ten' by Marco Denevi

8234. F. Tennyson Jesse

Fryniwyd Tennyson Jesse was a British author, journalist, and criminologist known for her detective fiction and works on true crime. She often wrote under the name F. Tennyson Jesse and is best known for her novel 'A Pin to See the Peepshow'.

F. Tennyson Jesse's highest rated books
Cover of 'A Pin To See The Peepshow' by F. Tennyson Jesse

8235. María Rosa Menocal

María Rosa Menocal was a Cuban-American scholar and historian, best known for her work on medieval culture and literature, particularly in relation to the interactions between Christian, Muslim, and Jewish cultures in medieval Spain. She was a professor at Yale University and authored several influential books, including 'The Ornament of the World.'

María Rosa Menocal's highest rated books
Cover of 'The Ornament Of The World' by María Rosa Menocal

8236. Lesley Downer

Lesley Downer is a British author known for her works on Japanese culture and history. She has written both fiction and non-fiction, including novels set in Japan and books exploring Japanese society and traditions.

Lesley Downer's highest rated books
Cover of 'On The Narrow Road' by Lesley Downer

8237. Henri Pirenne

Henri Pirenne was a renowned Belgian historian, best known for his significant contributions to medieval history and his thesis on the continuity of Roman civilization in the Middle Ages. His most famous work, 'Mohammed and Charlemagne,' argues that the rise of Islam, rather than the Germanic invasions, led to the end of the Roman Empire and the beginning of the Middle Ages.

Henri Pirenne's highest rated books
Cover of 'Medieval Cities' by Henri Pirenne

8238. Patrick Quentin

Patrick Quentin is a pseudonym used by several authors who collaborated to write mystery novels and short stories, primarily in the mid-20th century. The main authors behind the pseudonym were Richard Wilson Webb and Hugh Callingham Wheeler. Their works are known for their intricate plots and engaging storytelling.

Patrick Quentin's highest rated books
Cover of 'The Man In The Net' by Patrick Quentin

8239. Austin Tappan Wright

Austin Tappan Wright was an American legal scholar and author, best known for his posthumously published utopian novel 'Islandia'. Despite his career in law, he spent much of his life developing the fictional world of Islandia, which became a significant work in the genre of utopian literature.

Austin Tappan Wright's highest rated books
Cover of 'Islandia' by Austin Tappan Wright

8240. Margaret Millar

Margaret Millar was a Canadian-American mystery and suspense writer, known for her psychological thrillers and detective novels. She was a prominent figure in the mid-20th century crime fiction scene and won several awards, including the Edgar Award for Best Novel.

Margaret Millar's highest rated books
Cover of 'How Like An Angel' by Margaret Millar

8241. Friedrich Heer

Friedrich Heer was an Austrian historian, essayist, and writer known for his works on European intellectual history and his critical analysis of cultural and religious developments in Europe.

Friedrich Heer's highest rated books
Cover of 'God's First Love' by Friedrich Heer

8242. James Buchan

James Buchan is a British author and historian known for his novels and works on Middle Eastern history and economics. He is the grandson of John Buchan, the author of 'The Thirty-Nine Steps'.

James Buchan's highest rated books
Cover of 'Frozen Desire' by James Buchan

8243. Edmund Gosse

Edmund Gosse was a British author, poet, and critic, known for his literary criticism and his autobiographical work 'Father and Son'. He played a significant role in introducing the works of Ibsen and other European writers to English audiences.

Edmund Gosse's highest rated books
Cover of 'Father And Son' by Edmund Gosse

8244. Joyce Porter

Joyce Porter was a British author known for her mystery and detective novels, particularly the 'Dover' series featuring the character Detective Chief Inspector Wilfred Dover. Her works are noted for their humor and satirical take on the detective genre.

Joyce Porter's highest rated books
Cover of 'Dover One' by Joyce Porter

8245. Curt Siodmak

Curt Siodmak was a German-American novelist and screenwriter, best known for his work in the science fiction and horror genres. He is particularly famous for writing the screenplay for 'The Wolf Man' (1941) and for his novel 'Donovan's Brain' (1942), which has been adapted into several films.

Curt Siodmak's highest rated books
Cover of 'Donovan's Brain' by Curt Siodmak

8246. Alice James

Alice James was an American diarist, known for her posthumously published diary that provides insight into the life of a woman in the 19th century. She was the sister of novelist Henry James and philosopher William James.

Alice James's highest rated books
Cover of 'The Diary Of Alice James' by Alice James

8247. Anthony Gilbert

Anthony Gilbert was the pen name of Lucy Beatrice Malleson, a British author known for her mystery and crime novels. She was particularly famous for her series featuring the detective Arthur Crook.

Anthony Gilbert's highest rated books
Cover of 'Death In The Wrong Room' by Anthony Gilbert

8248. Jérôme Carcopino

Jérôme Carcopino was a renowned French historian and author, known for his works on Roman history. He served as the director of the French School in Rome and was a member of the Académie Française. His influential writings include 'Daily Life in Ancient Rome' and he contributed significantly to the understanding of Roman civilization.

Jérôme Carcopino's highest rated books
Cover of 'Daily Life In Ancient Rome' by Jérôme Carcopino

8249. Carlo Ginzburg

Carlo Ginzburg is an Italian historian and proponent of microhistory, known for his work on the history of popular beliefs and the development of historical methodology. His most famous work, 'The Cheese and the Worms,' explores the life of a 16th-century miller and his unorthodox beliefs.

Carlo Ginzburg's highest rated books
Cover of 'The Cheese And The Worms' by Carlo Ginzburg

8250. Kenneth Fearing

Kenneth Fearing was an American poet, novelist, and editor known for his noir fiction and poetry that often depicted urban life and social issues. He was a prominent figure in the literary world during the mid-20th century and is best known for his novel 'The Big Clock'.

Kenneth Fearing's highest rated books
Cover of 'The Big Clock' by Kenneth Fearing