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.
4101. Justin Menkes
4102. Don Tapscott
Canadian author, business strategist and consultant known for his work on the impact of technology on business and society; co-author of Wikinomics and (with Alex Tapscott) Blockchain Revolution, and author of The Digital Economy and other books on digital transformation.
4103. John F. Cogan
American economist associated with the Hoover Institution and Stanford University (known professionally as John F. Cogan).
4104. Po Bronson
American author and journalist best known for books about technology, business, and personal choices, including 'The Nudist on the Late Shift', 'The First $20 Million Is Always the Hardest', 'What Should I Do with My Life?', and co-author of 'NurtureShock'.
4105. Hemingway
Ernest Hemingway (1899–1961) was an American novelist, short-story writer, and journalist known for his economical prose and adventurous life. Major works include The Sun Also Rises, A Farewell to Arms, For Whom the Bell Tolls, and The Old Man and the Sea; he received the 1954 Nobel Prize in Literature.
4106. Scheier, Liz
4107. Kim, Suji
4109. Henry Bellamann
American novelist best known for the novel Kings Row (1940), which was adapted into a 1942 film.
4110. Bromfield
American novelist and conservationist, winner of the 1927 Pulitzer Prize for the Novel for Early Autumn; owner of Malabar Farm and an early proponent of sustainable agriculture and soil conservation.
4111. Shellabarger
American educator and writer best known for mid-20th-century historical novels.
4112. Llewellan
4113. Bronowski, Jacob
Polish-British mathematician, historian of science, poet and broadcaster, best known for writing and presenting the BBC television series and book The Ascent of Man.
4114. Socorro Acioli
Brazilian author (born 1975) from Fortaleza, Ceará, known for fiction for children and young adults as well as novels and short stories.
4115. Kenji Takemoto
4116. Aldus Huxley
English writer, novelist and essayist best known for the dystopian novel Brave New World (1932); noted for social criticism, satirical fiction, short stories, and later interest in mysticism and psychedelic experiences.
4117. Svetlana Lokhova
4118. Armand Jean du Plessis de Richelieu
French clergyman, nobleman and statesman (Cardinal Richelieu) who served as chief minister to King Louis XIII from 1624 to 1642, centralized royal authority, shaped French and European policy, and was a founder of the Académie française.
4119. Françoise de Graffigny
French 18th-century novelist and playwright, best known for the epistolary novel Lettres d'une Péruvienne (1747) and the successful comedy Cénie (1750); active in literary salons and correspondence.
4120. Steven W. Thrasher
American journalist, author, and academic who writes on race, LGBTQ issues, public health, and technology.
4122. MsKingBean89
4123. MsKingBean89
4124. The Sinister Man
4125. Rannaro
4126. elph13
4127. Oscar Wilde
Irish poet, playwright and novelist associated with the Aesthetic movement; author of The Picture of Dorian Gray and plays such as The Importance of Being Earnest; renowned wit and critic of Victorian society; convicted and imprisoned for homosexuality.
4128. Lawrence C. Evans
American mathematician and professor at the University of California, Berkeley, known for his research on partial differential equations and author of the widely used textbook 'Partial Differential Equations.'
4129. Nicole "Snooki" Polizzi
American reality television personality, television host and author best known as "Snooki" from MTV's Jersey Shore; has written memoirs and lifestyle/parenting books.
4130. Paris Hilton
American media personality, socialite, businesswoman, model, actress, DJ, and entrepreneur; heiress of the Hilton family; known for the reality TV series The Simple Life, her fashion and fragrance lines, and a high-profile public career.
4131. Melody Warnick
American author and journalist who writes about place attachment, community, attention, and well-being; author of "This Is Where You Belong" and "Beginner's Guide to Noticing".
4132. Alka Joshi
Indian-American novelist best known for The Henna Artist (2020) and its sequels; writes historical/literary fiction set in India, often focusing on women's lives and social change.
4133. Ada Palmer
American historian, translator, musician, and science fiction author; professor at the University of Chicago and author of the Terra Ignota series.
4134. Lucas Mann
4135. Frank Miller
Frank Miller (born 1957) is an American comic book writer, artist and filmmaker, known for his influential work on Daredevil, Batman: The Dark Knight Returns, and his creator-owned series Sin City and 300.
4136. Antony Sher
South African-born British actor, writer and theatre director; longtime member of the Royal Shakespeare Company, acclaimed for his Shakespearean and character performances, and author of memoirs and theatrical writings.
4137. Allie Brosh
American writer and artist, creator of the blog and webcomic "Hyperbole and a Half" and the 2013 book of the same name, known for mixing crude illustrations with candid, often humorous essays about everyday life and mental health.
4138. Will Eisner
American cartoonist and writer, creator of The Spirit, a pioneer of the graphic novel form (notably A Contract with God), and influential educator in sequential art; the Eisner Awards are named in his honor.
4139. Diana Wynne Jones
English author of fantasy fiction for children and adults, best known for the Chrestomanci series and the novel Howl's Moving Castle; influential figure in late 20th-century children's fantasy.
4140. Mario Puzo
American author and screenwriter best known for the novel The Godfather (1969) and for co-writing the screenplays of its film adaptations; his work often focused on the Mafia and Italian-American life.
4141. Thomas Harris
American novelist best known for creating the character Dr. Hannibal Lecter and for the novels Red Dragon (1981), The Silence of the Lambs (1988), Hannibal (1999), and Hannibal Rising (2006). Known for psychological thrillers and crime fiction and for maintaining a private public profile.
4142. Fumiyo Kouno
Japanese manga artist, best known for the award-winning works Town of Evening Calm, Country of Cherry Blossoms and In This Corner of the World, often depicting civilian life and the effects of war (notably Hiroshima).
4143. António Vieira
Portuguese Jesuit priest, missionary, diplomat and writer (1608–1697), renowned for his sermons and prose, his advocacy for Indigenous rights and criticism of abuses in colonial Brazil, and for works such as his Sermons and História do Futuro.
4144. Drusilla Dunjee Houston
African American historian, writer, educator, and activist known for researching and promoting the history of African civilizations and Black contributions; author of works on ancient Cushitic/Ethiopian history.
4145. Charles Bronson
American film actor known for tough-guy roles in mid-20th century action and Western films; notable credits include The Magnificent Seven, The Great Escape, Once Upon a Time in the West, and the Death Wish series.
4146. george orwell
English novelist, essayist, journalist and critic (born Eric Arthur Blair), best known for the novels Animal Farm and Nineteen Eighty-Four.
4147. haruki murakami
Japanese novelist, short-story writer and translator, born in 1949. Known for internationally acclaimed works that blend magical realism, surrealism and pop-culture influences, including Norwegian Wood, The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle and Kafka on the Shore.
4148. Matt Singer
American film critic and editor, known for writing about movies and pop culture (notably for ScreenCrush and contributions to /Film).
4149. Oscar Nakasato
4150. Dan Benardot
Sports dietitian and researcher specializing in sports nutrition, hydration, and athletic performance; author of works on athlete hydration and nutrition.