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.
3601. Alva Noë
American philosopher of mind and cognitive science, professor at the University of California, Berkeley, known for an enactive approach to perception; author of Action in Perception, Out of Our Heads, and Strange Tools.
3602. Hilary Putnam
American philosopher and mathematician known for major contributions to philosophy of mind (functionalism), philosophy of language and semantics (semantic externalism, Twin Earth thought experiment), philosophy of science, and philosophy of mathematics; influential 20th-century analytic philosopher.
3603. Bernard J.F. Lonergan
Canadian Jesuit priest, philosopher and theologian known for major works Insight and Method in Theology; developed a transcendental method and influential cognitional theory.
3604. Yasmina Reza
French playwright, novelist, actress and screenwriter, best known for the plays 'Art' and 'God of Carnage', whose works have been widely translated and performed internationally.
3605. Zsuzsa Bánk
German writer of Hungarian descent, known for her novels and short stories.
3606. Claire North
Claire North is the pen name of Catherine Webb (born 1986), a British novelist who writes speculative and literary genre fiction. Best known for The First Fifteen Lives of Harry August, she has also written novels such as The Sudden Appearance of Hope and The End of the Day.
3607. Colm Tóibín
Irish novelist, short story writer, essayist and critic, born 30 May 1955 in Enniscorthy, County Wexford. Notable works include The Master (2004) and Brooklyn (2009); his writing often explores themes of family, exile and sexuality.
3608. Edmond Lau
Software engineer and author of 'The Effective Engineer', known for writing about productivity, leverage, and career development for software engineers.
3609. Maria Popova
Bulgarian-born writer, critic, and cultural curator; founder and editor of the blog Brain Pickings (now The Marginalian), known for essays on literature, art, science, and creativity.
3610. Bobbie Oliver
3612. Scott Myers
American screenwriter, teacher, and blogger known for the screenwriting blog "Go Into The Story" (associated with The Black List).
3613. Hannah Fry
British mathematician, author and broadcaster; lecturer in the Mathematics of Cities at University College London, known for popularizing mathematics through books (e.g., The Mathematics of Love, Hello World), television and radio.
3614. John Neffinger
American author and consultant, co-author (with Matthew Kohut) of the book 'Compelling People'; works on leadership, influence, and political communication.
3615. James M. Citrin
American executive search consultant and author who has written on leadership, CEO succession, and talent management; associated with the executive search firm Spencer Stuart.
3616. Steve Dalton
Author of The 2-Hour Job Search; writes about practical job-search strategies and career development.
3617. Terry Real
American family therapist, author, and teacher; developer of Relational Life Therapy (RLT); known for books and work on couples therapy and men's emotional health (e.g., I Don't Want to Talk About It; How Can I Get Through to You?).
3618. Rupert Spira
British studio potter, ceramic artist and contemporary spiritual teacher and author known for teachings on nonduality, consciousness, and self-inquiry.
3619. Joan Tollifson
American Zen teacher and author of books and essays on Buddhism, nonduality, and spiritual practice.
3620. Akira Kurosawa
Japanese film director, screenwriter, and producer, widely regarded as one of the most influential filmmakers in cinema history; known for films such as Rashomon, Seven Samurai, Ikiru, and Yojimbo.
3621. Adam Kucharski
British mathematical epidemiologist and author known for work on infectious disease dynamics and outbreak modeling; author of 'The Rules of Contagion' and researcher at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine.
3622. Franklin Merrell-Wolff
American philosopher and mystic best known for writings on non-dual consciousness, including The Philosophy of Consciousness Without an Object.
3623. Peter Kingsley
British author and scholar specializing in early Greek philosophy, mysticism, and healing; known for reinterpretations of pre-Socratic thinkers such as Parmenides and Empedocles and for books exploring ancient wisdom and spirituality.
3624. Arthur Avalon
British Orientalist, lawyer and judge who wrote on Hindu Tantra under the pseudonym Arthur Avalon; noted for translations and studies such as The Serpent Power.
3625. Adi Shankaracharya
Early medieval Indian philosopher and theologian credited with consolidating the doctrine of Advaita Vedanta; author of influential commentaries on the Upanishads, Bhagavad Gita and Brahma Sutras and founder of a monastic order (Dashanami).
3626. Lin-Manuel Miranda
Lin-Manuel Miranda (born 1980) is an American composer, lyricist, playwright, actor and singer best known for creating and starring in the Broadway musicals In the Heights and Hamilton. He won the 2016 Pulitzer Prize for Drama for Hamilton and has received multiple Tony Awards and a Grammy Award; he has also written music for film and television.
3627. L.M. Montgomery
Canadian novelist, short story writer, and poet, best known for Anne of Green Gables (1908) and its sequels; born on Prince Edward Island and a major figure in early 20th-century Canadian literature.
3628. L.M. Montgomery
Canadian author best known for Anne of Green Gables (1908) and its sequels; a prolific novelist, short-story writer and poet whose work often depicts rural Prince Edward Island.
3629. L.M. Montgomery
Canadian novelist, poet, and short-story writer best known for Anne of Green Gables (1908) and its sequels; many of her works are set on Prince Edward Island.
3630. Wendy Moore
British journalist and author who writes popular historical narratives, best known for 'The Knife Man', a biography of 18th-century surgeon John Hunter; specializes in medical and social history.
3631. Mrs. Oliphant
Scottish novelist, biographer and historical writer (commonly known as Mrs. Oliphant), a prolific Victorian author of domestic fiction, historical novels, short stories (including supernatural tales), criticism and biographies.
3632. Sarah Stodola
3633. P.G. Wodehouse
English author and comic writer best known for his humorous novels, short stories and plays, notably the Jeeves and Wooster and Blandings Castle series. Prolific in the early to mid-20th century, celebrated for his witty prose and comic characters.
3634. Rajaa Alsanea
Saudi novelist and columnist, best known for the bestselling novel "Girls of Riyadh" (2005), whose frank portrayal of young Saudi women's lives sparked public debate about social norms and women's issues in Saudi Arabia.
3635. Robert Frost
American poet (1874–1963) known for depictions of rural New England, use of colloquial speech, and exploration of complex social and philosophical themes; author of poems such as "The Road Not Taken" and "Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening" and a four-time Pulitzer Prize winner.
3636. Frederick Law Olmsted
American landscape architect, journalist, and public administrator best known for co-designing New York City's Central Park and for helping to found the profession of landscape architecture.
3637. Richard Selzer
American surgeon and author known for literary essays, short stories, and books about medicine and surgery (e.g., Mortal Lessons, Confessions of a Knife).
3638. Jennifer Saul
Philosopher known for work on philosophy of language, feminist philosophy, and implicit bias; author and editor on topics including sexism and language.
3639. Dan Pfeiffer
American political advisor and commentator; served in the Obama administration (including as White House Communications Director), co-host of the podcast Pod Save America, and author.
3640. Jonathan Swift
Anglo-Irish satirist, essayist, poet, political pamphleteer, and Anglican cleric; best known for Gulliver's Travels and as Dean of St Patrick's Cathedral, Dublin.
3641. Samuel Shem
Pen name of Stephen Joseph Bergman (born 1944), an American psychiatrist and novelist best known for the medical satire The House of God.
3642. Margaret Shepherd
3643. Oliver Sacks
British neurologist and author known for his popular science books and case histories of neurological disorders, including The Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Hat and Awakenings.
3644. Jon J. Muth
American author and illustrator best known for Zen-influenced children's picture books (e.g., Zen Shorts) and work in graphic novels and comics.
3645. Jennifer Adams
3646. Nancy Tillman
American author and illustrator of children's picture books, best known for the bestselling title "On the Night You Were Born."
3647. Aka Akasaka
Japanese manga artist and writer, best known as the creator of Kaguya-sama: Love Is War and the writer of Oshi no Ko (with artist Mengo Yokoyari).
3648. Yoru Sumino
Japanese novelist best known for the novel "I Want to Eat Your Pancreas" (Kimi no Suizō wo Tabetai); a pen name used by the author of contemporary fiction.
3649. Saekisan
3650. Henrey James
American-born novelist and literary critic (1843–1916) known for psychological realism and interiority; major works include The Portrait of a Lady, The Turn of the Screw, Daisy Miller, and The Wings of the Dove.
