The Secret History by Donna Tartt
A group of six classics students at a small, elite Vermont college, led by a charismatic professor, become entranced by the study of Greek culture and decide to recreate a Dionysian ritual, which ends in a tragic accident. The group, bound by their shared secret, begins to unravel as paranoia and guilt take hold. The novel explores themes of beauty and terror, the allure of the esoteric, and the destructive consequences of obsession.
The 244th greatest book of all time
- Published
- 1992
- Nationality
- American
- Type
- Fiction
- Pages
- 523
- Words
- 223,000
- Original Language
- English
- Alternate Titles
- None
If you're interested in seeing the ranking details on this book go here
This book is on the following 30 lists:
- 11th on 100 Must-Read Classics, as Chosen by our Readers (Penguin (UK))
- 25th on 100 Best Books to Read by Women Authors (Good Housekeeping)
- 69th on The New Classics - 100 Best Reads from 1983 to 2008 (Entertainment Weekly)
- 70th on 100 Best Novels in English Since 1900 (Counterpunch)
- 73rd on The 100 Stories that Shaped the World (BBC)
- 76th on The Big Read (BBC)
- 77th on Top 100 Killer Thrillers (NPR)
- 87th on My Favourite Book - Australian Big Read (Australian Big Read)
- 122nd on The 500 best books of all time from Culture Café users (Culture Café)
- 732nd on Our Users' Honorable Mention Favorite Books of All Time (The Greatest Books Users)
- 851st on Our Users' Favorite Books of All Time (The Greatest Books Users)
- The 75 Best Books of the Past 75 Years (Parade Magazine)
- 75 Books Every Woman Should Read (Jezebel)
- The Great American Novels (The Atlantic)
- 1,000 Books to Read Before You Die: A Life-Changing List (1,000 Books to Read Before You Die(Book))
- The Modern Library: The Two Hundred Best Novels in English Since 1950 (The Modern Library (Book))
- 1000 Novels Everyone Must Read (The Guardian)
- 200 Books That Shaped 200 Years of Literature (The Center for Fiction)
- The 100 Novels You Must Read in Your Lifetime (Esquire)
- The 100 Best Crime Novels and Thrillers since 1945 (The Times)
- 100 Books to Read in a Lifetime (Amazon.com (USA))
- The 50 Books Everyone Needs to Read, 1963-2013 (Flavor Wire)
- Best Books Ever (bookdepository.com)
- The Books You've Always Meant to Read (Waterstones)
- 100 Books to Read in a Lifetime (Amazon.com (UK))
- 1001 Books You Must Read Before You Die (The Book)
- #ThisBook (#ThisBook)
- The 100 Best Mystery and Thriller Books of All Time (Time)
- The Ultimate Book Bucket List: The 75 Best Books Of All Time (Refinery29)
- A Century of Reading (Lithub)