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.
4001. Imran Mahmood
British novelist and criminal barrister, best known as the author of the novel "You Don't Know Me."
4002. Simone Davies
British Montessori teacher and author best known for The Montessori Toddler; provides guidance on applying Montessori principles at home through books, workshops and social media.
4003. Karen M. McManus
American author of young adult mystery and thriller novels, best known for the bestselling debut One of Us Is Lying (2017) and several subsequent YA thrillers.
4004. Christopher Moore
American author of comic and satirical fiction, known for novels such as Practical Demonkeeping, Coyote Blue, Lamb, A Dirty Job, The Stupidest Angel, and Sacré Bleu.
4005. P.D. James
British crime novelist and life peer (Baroness James of Holland Park), best known for the Adam Dalgliesh detective series; a leading writer of modern crime fiction whose first novel, Cover Her Face, was published in 1962.
4006. Liz Nugent
Irish novelist best known for psychological thrillers, including Unravelling Oliver (debut, 2014), Lying in Wait, Strange Sally Diamond and Little Cruelties; previously worked in acting and voice-over.
4007. Александр Ермолаев
4008. Vikram Seth
Indian novelist and poet, best known for the novel A Suitable Boy (1993), the verse novel The Golden Gate (1986), and the novel An Equal Music (1999).
4009. Kerstin Gier
German author best known for contemporary young-adult and children's novels, notably the Ruby Red time-travel trilogy (Rubinrot) and other YA and romance works.
4010. T.E. Kinsey
Author of the Perveen Mistry historical mystery series set in 1920s India, writing under the byline T.E. Kinsey.
4011. Kōtarō Isaka
Japanese novelist known for contemporary crime, mystery, and thriller fiction; several of his novels have been adapted for film and television.
4012. Caimh McDonnell
Irish novelist best known for comic crime fiction and thrillers.
4013. Liv Constantine
Pen name used by two American sisters who write psychological thrillers; author of the bestselling novel The Last Mrs. Parrish.
4014. Mary Kubica
Contemporary American novelist best known for psychological thriller novels, including her debut 'The Good Girl' (2014).
4015. Amy Tintera
American author of young adult science fiction and fantasy novels, best known for the novel Reboot (2013).
4016. Victoria Gilbert
4017. Jean Hanff Korelitz
American novelist, playwright, essayist, and professor best known for novels such as Admission, You Should Have Known (adapted as HBO's The Undoing), and The Plot.
4018. Sophie Jomain
French novelist of fantasy and romance for young adults and adults, best known for the Noss Head urban fantasy/romance series.
4019. Nina W. Brown
4020. Emma Cline
American novelist and short-story writer, best known for her debut novel The Girls (2016), with fiction published in outlets such as The New Yorker.
4021. Éric Fouassier
4022. Paige Shelton
4023. Tara Hyland
4024. Zoë Heller
British novelist and journalist, author of novels including Notes on a Scandal and The Believers; Notes on a Scandal was adapted as a feature film.
4025. Ben Guterson
4026. Zoe Brisby
4027. Catherine Steadman
British actress and novelist, known for writing contemporary psychological thriller novels and for her acting work in film and television.
4028. Lorrie Moore
American short story writer and novelist known for her witty, ironic voice and skill with the short story form. Notable works include the story collections Self-Help and Birds of America and the novels Who Will Run the Frog Hospital? and A Gate at the Stairs.
4029. Alex Marwood
Pen name of British crime writer Serena Mackesy, author of crime/thriller novels including The Wicked Girls and The Killer Next Door.
4030. Pilar Quintana
Colombian novelist and short-story writer, author of works including the novel "La perra".
4031. B.R. Myers
American literary critic, essayist, and academic known for critiques of contemporary fiction and for analysis of North Korea; author of A Reader's Manifesto and The Cleanest Race.
4032. Jeffery Deaver
American author of crime, mystery, and thriller novels; best known for the Lincoln Rhyme series (including The Bone Collector) and numerous bestselling suspense novels, several adapted for film and television.
4033. Valérie Tong Cuong
French novelist known for contemporary fiction.
4034. Nathan Hill
American novelist, author of the novel The Nix (2016).
4035. Louise Penny
Canadian novelist best known for the Chief Inspector Armand Gamache mystery series set in the fictional village of Three Pines, Quebec; a New York Times bestselling, multiple award-winning mystery writer.
4036. Нелл Хадсон
English actress and author, known for television roles including Nancy Skerrett on ITV's Victoria and for writing fiction.
4037. R.F. Kuang
Chinese-American fantasy novelist best known for The Poppy War trilogy and the standalone novel Babel. Her work blends elements of Chinese history and mythology with themes of war, colonialism, and trauma; she publishes under the name R.F. Kuang.
4038. Alice Hoffman
American novelist and short-story writer known for blending realism and magic; author of novels such as Practical Magic and works for both adult and young-adult audiences.
4039. Etaf Rum
Palestinian-American novelist and writer, best known for her debut novel "A Woman Is No Man" (2019), which examines the lives of Palestinian-American women, generational conflict, gender roles, and immigrant experience.
4040. Jodi Picoult
American bestselling novelist known for contemporary fiction that explores ethical dilemmas, social and family issues, and legal/medical conflicts; author of novels including My Sister's Keeper, Nineteen Minutes, and The Pact.
4041. Celeste Ng
American novelist and short story writer, best known for the novels Everything I Never Told You (2014) and Little Fires Everywhere (2017).
4042. Emma Straub
American novelist, short-story writer, and bookstore owner; author of novels including 'Laura Lamont's Life in Pictures', 'The Vacationers', 'Modern Lovers', 'All Adults Here', and 'This Time Tomorrow'. Co-owner of the Brooklyn bookstore Books Are Magic.
4043. Sara Nović
American novelist, translator, and educator, known for the novels "Girl at War" and "True Biz" and for advocacy related to the Deaf community.
4044. Kevin Wilson
American novelist and short-story writer, author of The Family Fang, Tunneling to the Center of the Earth, and Nothing to See Here.
4045. Heather Gudenkauf
American novelist known for contemporary psychological suspense and domestic thriller novels.
4046. Anthony Doerr
Anthony Doerr is an American novelist and short-story writer, best known for All the Light We Cannot See, which won the 2015 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction. His work often explores memory, nature, and the effects of history on individuals.
4047. Miranda Cowley Heller
American author best known for the novel The Paper Palace (2021).
4048. Louise Erdrich
American novelist, poet, and children's author of Ojibwe and German descent, known for novels centered on Native American life and reservation communities (e.g., Love Medicine, The Plague of Doves, The Round House). Winner of the 2012 National Book Award for Fiction for The Round House.
4049. Ashley Audrain
Canadian novelist best known for her debut psychological-thriller The Push (2021), which explores motherhood and intergenerational trauma.
4050. Rachel Hawkins
American author of young adult and adult fiction, best known for the Hex Hall and Rebel Belle series.