A Passage to India by E. M. Forster
The novel takes place in British-ruled India, where the cultural divide between the British and the Indians is explored. The story focuses on the experiences of an Indian Muslim, Dr. Aziz, and his interactions with an English woman, Miss Quested, and her elderly friend, Mrs. Moore. After an expedition to the Marabar Caves, Miss Quested accuses Dr. Aziz of assault, leading to a trial that deepens the racial tensions and prejudices between the colonizers and the colonized. The novel is a critique of British imperialism and a study of the cultural and racial misunderstandings and ill-will between the British and the Indian people.
The 78th 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.
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.
-
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: 2736
This book was first published in 1924
45 Lists
- score: 190 -- 1001 Books You Must Read Before You Die - 2006 (Weight: 180)
- score: 184 -- The 50 best books of the past 100 years - 2022 (Weight: 167)
- score: 180 -- The Top 10: The Greatest Books of All Time - 2007 (Weight: 180)
- score: 180 -- For The Love of Books - 1999 (Weight: 180)
- score: 177 -- Finest Works of Fiction - 1980 (Weight: 167)
- score: 169 -- The New York Public Library's Books of the Century - 1996 (Weight: 160)
- score: 169 -- Daily Telegraph's 100 Books of the Century, 1900-1999 - 1999 (Weight: 160)
- score: 165 -- The 100 Greatest British Novels - 2015 (Weight: 160)
- score: 154 -- Books Of The Century - 1999 (Weight: 150)
- score: 148 -- 1000 Novels Everyone Must Read - 2009 (Weight: 140)
- score: 119 -- The 100 Best Novels of the 20th Century - 1999 (Weight: 118)
- score: 100 -- As if You Don't Have Enough to Read, Fiction Edition - 2011 (Weight: 100)
- score: 87 -- The Modern Library | 100 Best Novels - 1999 (Weight: 79)
- score: 81 -- Radcliffe's 100 Best Novels - 1998 (Weight: 80)
- score: 81 -- All-Time Classics, According to Academics - 1985 (Weight: 81)
- score: 70 -- 100 Best Books - 2010 (Weight: 70)
- score: 63 -- The 100 Best Novels Of All Time (Runners-Up) - 2026 (Weight: 60)
- score: 63 -- Harold Bloom's The Western Canon - 1994 (Weight: 60)
- score: 50 -- Top 50 Books - 2008 (Weight: 50)
- score: 42 -- Waterstone's Books of the Century - 1997 (Weight: 40)
- score: 31 -- Vendela Vida's Book Choices from "The Writer's Library" - 2020 (Weight: 30)
- score: 31 -- The New Lifetime Reading Plan - 1999 (Weight: 30)
- score: 30 -- The Novel 100: A Ranking of the Greatest Novels of All Time - 2004 (Weight: 30)
- score: 28 -- A Hundred Novels to Change Your Life - 2019 (Weight: 28)
- score: 21 -- 12 Novels Considered the Greatest Book Ever Written - 2016 (Weight: 20)
- score: 20 -- 100 Essential Books - 2009 (Weight: 20)
- score: 16 -- TIME Magazine All Time 100 Novels - 2005 (Weight: 16)
- score: 11 -- The Telegraph’s 100 Novels Everyone Should Read - 2009 (Weight: 10)
- score: 10 -- The 100 Greatest Novels of All Time: The List - 2003 (Weight: 10)
- score: 10 -- Nancy Pearl's 100 Good Reads, Decade by Decade - 2009 (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 -- Everything You Should Read without Being a Library Rat - 1972 (Weight: 10)
- score: 1 -- Our Users' Honorable Mention Favorite Books of All Time - 2024 (Weight: 1)
- score: 1 -- The Complete 500: OCLC - 2024 (Weight: 1)
- score: 1 -- Edmonton's Top 100 - 1998 (Weight: 1)
- score: 1 -- Top 100 Books - 1999 (Weight: 1)
- score: 1 -- 100 Best Novels Written in English - 2015 (Weight: 1)
- score: 1 -- 1,000 Books to Read Before You Die: A Life-Changing List - 2018 (Weight: 1)
- score: 1 -- 50 Books to Read Before You Die - 2015 (Weight: 1)
- score: 1 -- 501 Must-Read Books - 2006 (Weight: 1)
- score: 1 -- From Zero to Well-Read in 100 Books - 2013 (Weight: 1)
- score: 1 -- 20th Century's Greatest Hits: 100 English-Language Books of Fiction - 1999 (Weight: 1)
- score: 1 -- The 100 Favorite Novels of Librarians - 1999 (Weight: 1)
- score: 1 -- James Tait Black Memorial Prize: Fiction - Yearly Book Award (Weight: 1)