Silence by Shusaku Endo

"Silence" is a historical novel set in the 17th century, which follows a Portuguese Jesuit missionary who travels to Japan to comfort local Christians and find his mentor, who is rumored to have renounced his faith. The protagonist experiences the brutal persecution of Christians by the Japanese government, and grapples with the silence of God in the face of suffering. The narrative explores themes of faith, doubt, cultural clash, and the human capacity for both cruelty and endurance.

The 1126th greatest book of all time

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Total Points: 336

Since this book was first published in 1966, there is a penalty of 0%. The age adjusted score is 336.0.

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.