The Iliad by Homer
This epic poem focuses on the final weeks of the Trojan War, a conflict between the city of Troy and the Greek city-states. The story explores themes of war, honor, wrath, and divine intervention, with a particular focus on the Greek hero Achilles, whose anger and refusal to fight have devastating consequences. The narrative also delves into the lives of the gods, their relationships with humans, and their influence on the course of events.
The 37th 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: 3743
Since this book was first published in -750, there is a penalty of 0%. The age adjusted score is 3743.0.
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: 160 -- The 25 Favorite Books of 100 Francophone Writers (Weight: 138)
- score: 157 -- For The Love of Books (Weight: 150)
- score: 152 -- The Top 10: The Greatest Books of All Time (Weight: 150)
- score: 150 -- Top 100 Works in World Literature (Weight: 150)
- score: 143 -- Top 100 World Literature Titles (Weight: 138)
- score: 142 -- El Pais Favorite Books of 100 Spanish Authors (Weight: 138)
- score: 138 -- The 100 Best Books of World Literature (Weight: 132)
- score: 126 -- Best Foreign Work of Fiction Chosen by Francophone Writers (Weight: 126)
- score: 122 -- Pour une Bibliothèque Idéale (Weight: 120)
- score: 108 -- 50 Greatest Books of All Time (Weight: 108)
- score: 105 -- Six Professors from "Esteemed" Universities Favorite Books (Weight: 96)
- score: 102 -- The Bigger Read List (Weight: 102)
- score: 101 -- The 16 Greatest Books of All Time (Weight: 96)
- score: 96 -- Best Books Listed for High School Students (Weight: 96)
- score: 96 -- The New Lifetime Reading Plan (Weight: 96)
- score: 96 -- What Harvard Professors Think Greatest Books Ever: Top 20 List (1977) (Weight: 96)
- score: 90 -- Our Users' Favorite Books of All Time (Weight: 90)
- score: 90 -- Best Books Ever (Weight: 90)
- score: 87 -- 100 Best Books (Weight: 84)
- score: 84 -- 100 Essential Books (Weight: 81)
- score: 84 -- Inteliquest's World's 100 Greatest Books of All-Time (Weight: 84)
- score: 84 -- Select 100 (Weight: 84)
- score: 78 -- The 500 best books of all time from Culture Café users (Weight: 78)
- score: 69 -- The 50 Most Influential Books of All Time (Weight: 69)
- score: 69 -- Masterpieces of World Literature (Weight: 69)
- score: 63 -- The Best Classics (Weight: 63)
- score: 63 -- 110 Best Books: The Perfect Library (Weight: 63)
- score: 63 -- The Graphic Canon (Weight: 63)
- score: 63 -- 50 Books to (Re-)Read at 50 (Weight: 63)
- score: 57 -- Books That Changed the World (Weight: 57)
- score: 57 -- From Zero to Well-Read in 100 Books (Weight: 57)
- score: 57 -- Books That Changed the World: The 50 Most Influential Books in Human History (Weight: 57)
- score: 51 -- James Baldwin, The Book Lover: A Guide to the Best Reading (1910) (Weight: 51)
- score: 51 -- John Lubbock, The Choice of Books (1896) (Weight: 51)
- score: 51 -- The College Board: 101 Great Books Recommended for College-Bound Readers (Weight: 51)
- score: 51 -- The Book of Great Books: A Guide to 100 World Classics (Weight: 51)
- score: 51 -- Great Books (Weight: 51)
- score: 51 -- How to Read Literature Like a Professor: A Reading List (Weight: 51)
- score: 45 -- Harold Bloom's The Western Canon (Weight: 45)
- score: 43 -- Top 50 Books (Weight: 42)
- score: 42 -- Great Books of the Western World (Weight: 42)
- score: 39 -- The 100 Most Influential Books Ever Written (Weight: 39)
- score: 39 -- The Well-Educated Mind (Weight: 39)
- score: 39 -- The 100 Greatest Books Ever Written (Weight: 39)
- score: 33 -- 1,000 Books to Read Before You Die: A Life-Changing List (Weight: 33)