Alice's Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll
This novel follows the story of a young girl named Alice who falls down a rabbit hole into a fantastical world full of peculiar creatures and bizarre experiences. As she navigates through this strange land, she encounters a series of nonsensical events, including a tea party with a Mad Hatter, a pool of tears, and a trial over stolen tarts. The book is renowned for its playful use of language, logic, and its exploration of the boundaries of reality.
The 35th greatest book of all time
Ranking Details:
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Unranked Lists: For lists without specific rankings, each book receives points equivalent to the list's weight. This approach recognizes the book's inclusion on prestigious lists.
Ranked Lists: Books on ranked lists receive points in two ways:
- Base Points: Initially, every book is awarded points equal to the list's weight, acknowledging its significance.
- Bonus Points: Additionally, books earn bonus points based on their ranking. The total bonus pool, equal to 100% of the list's weight, is distributed among the books, with higher-ranked books receiving more points.
Exponential Distribution: The distribution of bonus points follows an exponential model. This means the top-ranked book (#1) receives significantly more bonus points than those further down the list (e.g., #100). Our algorithm ensures that higher placements are rewarded more generously, reflecting the achievement of a top rank on any given list.
This scoring system ensures that each book's ranking reflects both its presence on multiple lists and its positions within those lists, providing a comprehensive measure of its acclaim and popularity.
List Date Penalty Feature
In our continuous effort to provide the most accurate and fair rankings, we have introduced a new feature: the List Date Penalty. This feature aims to reduce recency bias in our rankings by applying a penalty to books based on their publication dates relative to the list's publication date.
How It Works
- Publication Date Comparison: For each book on a list, we compare its publication date to the publication date of the list.
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Penalty Application:
- Maximum Penalty: If a book was published in the same year as the list, it receives the maximum penalty, as we believe it hasn't had enough time to stand the test of time.
- Proportional Penalty: Books that were published in the years leading up to the list's publication date receive a proportional penalty based on the number of years they have been available.
- No Penalty: Books that were published more than a specified number of years (max age for penalty) before the list's publication date do not receive any penalty, acknowledging their enduring relevance and influence.
Why This Matters
By mitigating recency bias, the List Date Penalty feature helps to ensure that books that have had more time to be evaluated by readers and critics are given their due weight. This results in a more equitable and historically balanced ranking that truly reflects the greatest books of all time.
Total Points: 4337
This book was first published in 1865
69 Lists
- score: 221 -- Biblioteca - 2008 (Weight: 190)
- score: 204 -- 'The perfect library': the 196 books selected by 133 personalities - 2020 (Weight: 190)
- score: 192 -- El Pais Favorite Books of 100 Spanish Authors - 2008 (Weight: 190)
- score: 190 -- 1001 Books You Must Read Before You Die - 2006 (Weight: 180)
- score: 184 -- The Top 10: The Greatest Books of All Time - 2007 (Weight: 180)
- score: 180 -- 222 Best Books of All Time That Deserve a Spot on Your Bookshelf, With Picks from Bestselling Authors and Indie Booksellers - 2024 (Weight: 170)
- score: 180 -- For The Love of Books - 1999 (Weight: 180)
- score: 176 -- Pour une Bibliothèque Idéale - 1956 (Weight: 170)
- score: 171 -- 100 Greatest Childrens Books of All Time - 2023 (Weight: 140)
- score: 169 -- Harenberg Buch der 1000 Bücher - 2005 (Weight: 160)
- score: 169 -- Världsbiblioteket (The World Library) - 1991 (Weight: 160)
- score: 169 -- The 100 Greatest British Novels - 2015 (Weight: 160)
- score: 148 -- 1000 Novels Everyone Must Read - 2009 (Weight: 140)
- score: 146 -- Fantasy and Horror: A Critical and Historical Guide - 1999 (Weight: 119)
- score: 144 -- The Ideal Library - 2024 (Weight: 120)
- score: 133 -- 100 Life-Changing Books - 2006 (Weight: 126)
- score: 127 -- The Great Books Podcast from John J. Miller - 2025 (Weight: 120)
- score: 125 -- The 100 Stories that Shaped the World - 2019 (Weight: 120)
- score: 120 -- Big Read (Bulgarian) - 2009 (Weight: 120)
- score: 94 -- Fifty French Writers Choose Their Favorite 10 Books - Honourable Mention - 2022 (Weight: 89)
- score: 85 -- The 100 Best Fantasy Books of All Time - 2020 (Weight: 81)
- score: 82 -- 100 Best Books - 2010 (Weight: 70)
- score: 80 -- The Big Read - 2003 (Weight: 70)
- score: 75 -- ZEIT-Bibliothek der 100 Bücher - 2009 (Weight: 71)
- score: 70 -- America’s 100 Favorite Books - 2024 (Weight: 70)
- score: 70 -- The Great American Read - 2018 (Weight: 70)
- score: 65 -- Our Users' Top 100 Favorite Books of All Time - 2024 (Weight: 60)
- score: 64 -- 50 Greatest Books of All Time - 2008 (Weight: 61)
- score: 63 -- The 100 Best Novels Of All Time (Runners-Up) - 2026 (Weight: 60)
- score: 61 -- My Favourite Book - Australian Big Read - 2004 (Weight: 60)
- score: 50 -- 4chan’s Literature Board’s Aggregate Top 100 Books for the Decade 2014 - 2024 - 2024 (Weight: 50)
- score: 42 -- 150 Great Reads - 1988 (Weight: 40)
- score: 37 -- Harvard Book Store Staff's Favorite 100 Books - 2011 (Weight: 33)
- score: 31 -- The New Lifetime Reading Plan - 1999 (Weight: 30)
- score: 31 -- Book by Book: Notes on Reading and Life (Michael Dirda) - 2007 (Weight: 30)
- score: 28 -- A Hundred Novels to Change Your Life - 2019 (Weight: 28)
- score: 22 -- The 500 best books of all time from Culture Café users - 2008 (Weight: 20)
- score: 20 -- 100 Essential Books - 2009 (Weight: 20)
- score: 10 -- An Expert's 200-Book List - 1973 (Weight: 10)
- score: 10 -- The 100 Greatest Novels of All Time: The List - 2003 (Weight: 10)
- score: 10 -- 100 Main Fantasy and Science-Fiction Books - 2008 (Weight: 10)
- score: 10 -- One Hundred Best Books (1916) - 1916 (Weight: 10)
- score: 10 -- Masterpieces of World Literature - 1991 (Weight: 10)
- score: 10 -- How to Read Literature Like a Professor: A Reading List - 2003 (Weight: 10)
- score: 10 -- The Telegraph’s 100 Novels Everyone Should Read - 2009 (Weight: 10)
- score: 1 -- The Complete 500: OCLC - 2024 (Weight: 1)
- score: 1 -- The Little Big Bulgaria Read - 2009 (Weight: 1)
- score: 1 -- The 25 Greatest Kids Books of All Time - 2024 (Weight: 1)
- score: 1 -- The Greatest Books of All Time - 2022 (Weight: 1)
- score: 1 -- Top 100 Fantasy Books - 2022 (Weight: 1)
- score: 1 -- Top 50 Books - 1997 (Weight: 1)
- score: 1 -- 100 Best Novels Written in English - 2015 (Weight: 1)
- score: 1 -- 50 Sci-Fi/Fantasy Novels That Everyone Should Read - 2013 (Weight: 1)
- score: 1 -- 500 Must Read Books - 2013 (Weight: 1)
- score: 1 -- 1,000 Books to Read Before You Die: A Life-Changing List - 2018 (Weight: 1)
- score: 1 -- Great Books - 2006 (Weight: 1)
- score: 1 -- The 100 Greatest Books Ever Written - 1979 (Weight: 1)
- score: 1 -- 100 Books to Read in a Lifetime - 2014 (Weight: 1)
- score: 1 -- 100 Books to Love - 2013 (Weight: 1)
- score: 1 -- 50 Books to Read Before You Die - 2015 (Weight: 1)
- score: 1 -- 100 Children's Books to Read in a Lifetime - 2014 (Weight: 1)
- score: 1 -- Best Books Ever - 2006 (Weight: 1)
- score: 1 -- 501 Must-Read Books - 2006 (Weight: 1)
- score: 1 -- The Graphic Canon - 2012 (Weight: 1)
- score: 1 -- The Best Classics - 2006 (Weight: 1)
- score: 1 -- The 100 Best Books in the World - 2021 (Weight: 1)
- score: 1 -- The Books You've Always Meant to Read - 2020 (Weight: 1)
- score: 1 -- The 100 Favorite Novels of Librarians - 1999 (Weight: 1)
- score: 1 -- Britain's Favourite Ten Children's Books - 1997 (Weight: 1)