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:
- 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.
9201. Art Sobczak
Sales trainer and author who specializes in cold calling and telephone selling techniques; author of books and training programs for sales professionals (e.g., Smart Calling).
9202. Roxie Nafousi
Travel writer, blogger and social media creator known for content on solo female travel and travel safety.
9203. The Doctrine and Covenants
A compilation of revelations and inspired declarations in the Latter Day Saint movement, primarily attributed to Joseph Smith and later church leaders; treated as scripture by several Latter Day Saint denominations.
9204. Alexander Alekhine
Russian-born chess grandmaster who became a naturalized French citizen; fourth World Chess Champion (1927–1935, 1937–1946), known for his aggressive, combinational play and contributions to opening theory and chess literature.
9205. Lydia Sandgren
Swedish novelist and visual artist, best known for her debut novel "Samlade verk" (Collected Works), which won the 2020 August Prize.
9206. Elizer Yudkowski
American AI researcher and writer; co-founder of the Machine Intelligence Research Institute (MIRI) and contributor to the LessWrong community, known for work on AI safety, rationality, and the fanfiction 'Harry Potter and the Methods of Rationality'.
9207. Alex Bledsoe
American fantasy and science fiction author, best known for the Tufa series (beginning with The Hum and the Shiver) and various urban fantasy and mystery novels.
9208. Wilfred M. McClay
American historian and author specializing in American intellectual and cultural history; frequent public commentator and academic.
9209. Jean-Yves Delitte
9210. Thomas Sowell
American economist, social theorist, and conservative political commentator; longtime senior fellow at the Hoover Institution and author of numerous books on economics, race, and public policy.
9211. H.J.R. Murray
British chess historian and author, best known for the seminal work "A History of Chess"; also a classical scholar and museum curator.
9212. Enrique Muñiz
9213. David Shenk
American author and journalist who writes about genetics, memory, technology, and culture. Notable books include The Genius in All of Us, Data Smog, and The Forgetting.
9214. Manel Vinyals
9215. Judith Meyer
9216. José Luis Torrego
9217. Sergio Cabria Martín-Gaitero
9218. Hillsdale College Politics Faculty
Collective designation for the politics (political science) faculty at Hillsdale College, a private liberal arts college in Hillsdale, Michigan, USA.
9219. Ari Tuckman
Psychologist, author, and speaker who specializes in adult ADHD and has written accessible books and resources on ADHD management.
9220. Jack L. Chalker
American science fiction and fantasy author, best known for the Well of Souls series and numerous novels exploring transformation and complex world-building.
9221. Lancelot Hogben
British experimental zoologist, medical statistician and popular science writer, best known for Mathematics for the Million (1936) and for developing the Xenopus (African clawed frog) pregnancy test; also wrote on language and education.
9222. Yasser Seirawan
Syrian-born American chess grandmaster, author, and commentator.
9223. Christian Bobin
French author and poet known for lyrical, meditative prose and short essays blending poetry and spirituality.
9224. Patrick Radden Keefe
American investigative journalist and author, staff writer at The New Yorker, known for long-form reporting and books such as Say Nothing and Empire of Pain that examine crime, history, and institutional accountability.
9225. Jeremy S. Begbie
British theologian, writer and musician known for work on theology and the arts, especially the relationship between theology and music.
9226. Peter Scazzero
American pastor, author, and speaker best known for founding the Emotionally Healthy Spirituality ministry and for books such as 'Emotionally Healthy Spirituality' and 'Emotionally Healthy Leadership'. He served as senior pastor of New Life Fellowship Church in Queens, New York.
9228. James Dickey
American poet and novelist best known for the novel Deliverance (1970) and for serving as U.S. Poet Laureate; noted for vigorous, often dramatic verse and prose.
9229. E.C. Bentley
English novelist, journalist and humorist, best known for the detective novel Trent's Last Case (1913) and for inventing the clerihew, a whimsical four-line biographical poem.
9230. José Luis Romero
9231. Rafael Gambra
Spanish philosopher and Catholic traditionalist political thinker associated with Carlism; noted for writings on natural law, monarchy, and critique of liberal modernity.
9232. Stanley G. Weinbaum
American science fiction writer best known for the 1934 short story "A Martian Odyssey"; influential in the early 1930s for creating more sympathetic and plausible alien characters during a brief but notable career.
9233. Simon Spurrier
British comics writer and novelist, known for his work for 2000 AD and for creator-owned and mainstream comics published by Image, Marvel and others.
9234. Adam L.G. Nevill
English author of supernatural and horror fiction, known for novels including Apartment 16, The Ritual, House of Small Shadows, and No One Gets Out Alive. His work is noted for its atmosphere and folk/psychological horror; several novels have been adapted for film.
9235. Jonathan Maberry
American author, editor, and lecturer best known for horror and thriller novels (including the Joe Ledger series and the Pine Deep Trilogy); also writes comics, YA fiction, and nonfiction; New York Times bestselling author.
9236. Michel Bernanos
French novelist and poet (son of Georges Bernanos), known for dark fantasy and adventure writing.
9237. Anglo-Saxon Chronicle
A collection of annals in Old English recording the history of the Anglo-Saxons, compiled from the late 9th century onward by multiple anonymous compilers at various English monasteries; not a single identifiable author.
9238. Albert M. Wolters
Author of Creation Regained; scholar who writes on Christian worldview, culture, and environmental stewardship.
9239. Ned Bustard
American artist, illustrator, designer and publisher; founder of Square Halo Studio/Books, known for Christian-themed artwork and book illustration.
9240. Jeff Belanger
American author, paranormal investigator and storyteller known for books and work on New England folklore, ghost stories, and local legends; founder of the New England Legends project and active as a speaker and host on related programs.
9242. Center for Civic Education
A nonprofit organization in the United States that develops civic education curricula and programs—such as "We the People" and "Project Citizen"—to promote civic knowledge, skills, and engagement in K–12 education domestically and internationally.
9243. Donald A. Ricthie
American historian and author; served as Historian of the United States Senate (2009–2015); known for works on the U.S. Congress, the presidency, and the history of the Washington press corps.
9244. Dave Anderon
9245. Tanner Bell
9246. David Meerman Scott
American marketing strategist, speaker, and author best known for The New Rules of Marketing & PR; writes and speaks on real-time marketing, online PR, and inbound marketing.
9247. Trace Ordiway
9248. Tim Northburg
9249. Mickey Wright
American professional golfer, widely regarded as one of the greatest female golfers. She won 82 LPGA Tour events, including 13 major championships, and was inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame. Born February 14, 1935, in San Diego, California; died April 7, 2020.