The Portrait of a Lady by Henry James
This classic novel explores the life of a young, independent American woman who inherits a large amount of money and moves to Europe, where she falls into a manipulative and oppressive marriage. The story delves into themes of personal freedom, responsibility, and betrayal, as the protagonist navigates the complexities of high society, love, and the consequences of her choices.
The 64th greatest book of all time
Ranking Details:
Our ranking system awards points to books based on their appearance and position on curated lists. Here's how it works:
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.
Total Points: 2681
Since this book was first published in 1881, there is a penalty of 0%. The age adjusted score is 2681.0.
This is to prevent newer books from reaching super high on the ranked list of the greatest books of all time. The greatest books should also stand the test of time.
- score: 157 -- For The Love of Books (Weight: 150)
- score: 154 -- The Greatest 20th Century Novels (Weight: 132)
- score: 153 -- The Top 10: The Greatest Books of All Time (Weight: 150)
- score: 144 -- 1001 Books You Must Read Before You Die (Weight: 144)
- score: 132 -- William H. F. Lamont’s 100 Best Novels (1947) (Weight: 132)
- score: 126 -- Best Foreign Work of Fiction Chosen by Francophone Writers (Weight: 126)
- score: 126 -- 100 Life-Changing Books (Weight: 126)
- score: 120 -- Best Books (Fiction, Prose) : Experts Choose Their Favourites (Weight: 120)
- score: 120 -- The Guardian's Essential Library (Weight: 120)
- score: 108 -- 50 Greatest Books of All Time (Weight: 108)
- score: 96 -- Famous Authors Name Their Favorite Novels(from 1915) (Weight: 96)
- score: 96 -- 1000 Novels Everyone Must Read (Weight: 96)
- score: 96 -- Finest Works of Fiction (Weight: 96)
- score: 90 -- Our Users' Favorite Books of All Time (Weight: 90)
- score: 86 -- Radcliffe's 100 Best Novels (Weight: 84)
- score: 84 -- Inteliquest's World's 100 Greatest Books of All-Time (Weight: 84)
- score: 82 -- 100 Essential Books (Weight: 81)
- score: 69 -- Masterpieces of World Literature (Weight: 69)
- score: 66 -- The Complete 500: OCLC (Weight: 66)
- score: 63 -- 110 Best Books: The Perfect Library (Weight: 63)
- score: 53 -- The Telegraph’s 100 Novels Everyone Should Read (Weight: 51)
- score: 52 -- The 100 Greatest Novels (Weight: 51)
- score: 52 -- The 100 Greatest Novels of All Time: The List (Weight: 51)
- score: 52 -- The Novel 100: A Ranking of the Greatest Novels of All Time (Weight: 51)
- score: 51 -- How to Read and Why (Weight: 51)
- score: 51 -- The College Board: 101 Great Books Recommended for College-Bound Readers (Weight: 51)
- score: 45 -- Harold Bloom's The Western Canon (Weight: 45)
- score: 42 -- D. G. Myers’ 50 Greatest English Language Novels (Weight: 39)
- score: 39 -- The 100 Greatest Books Ever Written (Weight: 39)
- score: 39 -- The Well-Educated Mind (Weight: 39)
- score: 33 -- 1,000 Books to Read Before You Die: A Life-Changing List (Weight: 33)