What’s the Best Book of the Past 125 Years? We Asked Readers to Decide.

New York Times (2021), 11 Books

A list from the New York Times. Here's the description from the website:

In October, as we marked the Book Review’s 125th anniversary, we invited readers to nominate the best book published during that time. This was a nod to our history: In its first few decades, the Book Review often asked readers to anoint the best books, the best short stories, the best poems. We wanted this project, like those early ones, to reflect readers’ tastes and preferences.

Responses began pouring in from all 50 states and 67 countries. In November, we presented a list of the 25 most-nominated books (one per author) for a vote. There were more than 200,000 ballots.

Books that Shaped the Century

LOGOS 20th Century Books Project (2020), 101 Books

The "Books that Shaped the Century" collection features 100 pivotal books from the twentieth century, selected by a panel from LOGOS, the international book publishing journal. This panel, consisting of publishers, librarians, and booksellers, identified books that profoundly influenced societal thoughts and actions, thereby shaping historical progress. The selection was made from 500 titles recommended by various prestigious sources, including The New York Times Book Review and Waterstones bookshops. The collection includes a diverse range of works, from children's books and plays to significant texts in social sciences, science, and humanities, covering topics such as psychology, politics, medicine, and feminism. This influential collection has been exhibited across Europe and the UK and is now permanently located at the Oxford Brookes University Library.

finding voting details on this is difficult
The final selection was made not by a public vote but by roughly thirty publishing professionals—publishers, senior librarians, and leading booksellers—who sat on the International Advisory Board of LOGOS: The Journal of the World Book Community. Their brief was to distil the 500 most-frequently cited ‘books of the century’ (as nominated by outlets such as The New York Times Book Review and Waterstones) down to the 100 that, in their judgment, most powerfully shaped twentieth-century thought and history.

TrueLit's Top 100 Favorite Books (2023)

/r/TrueLit (2023), 100 Books

The TrueLit subreddit, one of the best forums on the internet for discussing literature, released their Top 100 Favorite Books list. It looks like over 300 members voted.

The 100 Most Important Translations

Notos Magazine (Turkey) (2018), 98 Books

This is the result of Notos magazine’s 11th major literary survey, titled “En Önemli 100 Çeviri” (“The 100 Most Important Translations”). The Turkish literary magazine asked 279 writers and translators to each nominate up to 10 translated books published in Turkish, resulting in a ranked list of 100 titles. The list focuses on translations that have had lasting cultural and literary value in Turkey and reflects the collective judgment of the literary field regarding quality translation and enduring influence. Many entries are classic works of world literature in their most recognized Turkish renditions. It is considered the most comprehensive translation-focused survey in the Turkish literary sphere to date.

Zeit Library of 100 Non-Fiction Books

Zeit-Bibliothek (1984), 100 Books

The success of the Zeit Library of 100 Books led to the project being expanded five years later to include a collection of 100 non-fiction books, the Zeit-Bibliothek der 100 Sachbücher, with Raddatz again being in charge. The jury for this consisted of noted academics: Ralf Dahrendorf, Manfred Eigen, Theodor Eschenburg, Wolf Lepenies, Golo Mann, Alexander Mitscherlich, Fritz J. Raddatz, Thomas von Randow and Uta Ranke-Heinemann.

Top 100 Killer Thrillers

NPR (2010), 100 Books

NPR's "Killer Thrillers" poll has culminated in a definitive list of the top 100 thriller novels, selected through a process that involved the enthusiastic participation of NPR's audience. Initiating with a nomination of approximately 600 novels, the poll attracted over 17,000 ballots, reflecting a wide engagement and a deep interest in the thriller genre. The resulting list is noted for its diversity, spanning various styles and periods, and for the intense debate it spurred regarding the inclusion of certain titles that push the boundaries of the traditional thriller category. Expert panelists, including critics and novelists, contributed to the selection process, offering insights into the dark and suspenseful nature of the chosen works. The endeavor not only highlighted the varied tastes and preferences of the NPR audience but also underscored the expansive definition of what constitutes a thriller, embracing a breathless sense of excitement as the unifying criterion. This poll has effectively mapped the landscape of thriller literature as seen through the eyes of a wide and engaged readership, offering a rich resource for discovering compelling tales of suspense and adventure.

The Modern Library | 100 Best Novels

Modern Library (1999), 100 Books

Modern Library's 100 Best Novels is a 1998 list of the best English-language novels published during the 20th century, as selected by Modern Library from among 400 novels published by Random House, which owns Modern Library. The purpose of the list was to "bring the Modern Library to public attention" and stimulate sales of its books

The board of review consisted of Daniel J. Boorstin, A. S. Byatt, Christopher Cerf, Shelby Foote, Vartan Gregorian, Edmund Morris, John Richardson, Arthur Schlesinger Jr., William Styron and Gore Vidal.

100 Notable Books of 2018

New York Times (2018), 100 Books

2018s notable fiction, poetry and nonfiction, selected by the editors of The New York Times Book Review.

who voted:
Trade sources differ: a C-SPAN–based 2015 blog post tallied roughly 16 New York Times Book Review staffers, while a 2023 Publishers Weekly profile said the desk now has “more than 20 editors, critics and reporters” To keep our rankings conservative, we therefore credit each NYT list to 10 voters.

NY Times Editors Choice 1980-1989

NY Times (Yearly Award), 137 Books

Every year the New York Times puts together a "Best of the Year" list, and this is all the winners from the 1980s. I had to manually transcribe 1980 by looking at newspaper scans, which upsets me.

who voted:
Trade sources differ: a C-SPAN–based 2015 blog post tallied roughly 16 New York Times Book Review staffers, while a 2023 Publishers Weekly profile said the desk now has “more than 20 editors, critics and reporters” To keep our rankings conservative, we therefore credit each NYT list to 10 voters.

The 10 Best Books Through Time

New York Times (Yearly Award), 190 Books

Each fall, the editors of the Times Book Review select the best fiction and nonfiction titles of the year. Our editors read, nominate, discuss, and debate the merits of each year’s books, working together to land upon our list. The practice of editors sharing their picks of the year dates nearly back to the beginning of the Book Review in October 1896. But over the years, that list has taken many different names and forms. Now, we call this list the “Ten Best Books” and have done so since 2004.

who voted:
Trade sources differ: a C-SPAN–based 2015 blog post tallied roughly 16 New York Times Book Review staffers, while a 2023 Publishers Weekly profile said the desk now has “more than 20 editors, critics and reporters” To keep our rankings conservative, we therefore credit each NYT list to 10 voters.

10 of the Best Popular Science Books as Chosen by Authors and Writers

NewScientist (2021), 10 Books

NewScientist has polled various authors and writers about their favorite science books. here's who they polled: George Monbiot, Colin Tudge, Pragya Agarwal, Jonathan Drori, Emily Shuckburgh, Cassandra Coburn, Jojo Mehta, Jim Down, Camilla Pang and Richard Walker

Not the NYT list: 100 fine books from around the world (and not just the USA) of the 21st century

The Bookshop Inc (2024), 100 Books

In response to the New York Times' "100 Best Books of the 21st Century," The Bookshop Inc, a Delhi-based bookseller, curated an alternative list of 100 significant books from around the world, featuring contributions from readers, writers, literary critics, and publishing professionals. Their list challenges the American-centric perspective of the NYT's list, questioning its lack of representation from small presses, working-class writers, genre fiction, and poetry. Organized alphabetically by the author's first name and without a hierarchical ranking, this diverse collection aims to highlight books that have profoundly influenced readers globally, including some translated works from the 1900s, and hopes to expand the literary horizons of the reading community.

Who voted?
They don't specify the exact people asked to create the list. They only say "A list curated by the Delhi-based bookseller The Bookshop Inc, with contributions from readers, writers, literary critics, and publishing professionals."

I am going to go with 20 people. If anyone has any additional information or a more exact number please let me know

Pulitzer Prize for Biography or Autobiography

Pulitzer Prize (Yearly Award), 108 Books

The Pulitzer Prize for Biography or Autobiography has been presented since 1917 for a distinguished biography or autobiography by an American author.

Rough head-count of people who shape the result each year

5 subject-matter jurors who screen the entries and forward three titles.

19 Board members who cast the decisive votes.
So, a maximum of 24 people take part in the decision path for the Biography / Autobiography prize each cycle.

Names are not secret, just easy to overlook.

Jury names stay under wraps until winners are announced, then they’re displayed on each category’s web page (and occasionally turn up in press coverage or book-specific Wikipedia entries, as in the 2011 example above).

Board membership is public all year and archived from one cycle to the next.

The 100 Best Mystery and Thriller Books of All Time

Time (2023), 100 Books

With a panel of celebrated authors—Megan Abbott, Harlan Coben, S.A. Cosby, Gillian Flynn, Tana French, Rachel Howzell Hall, and Sujata Massey—TIME presents the most gripping, twist-filled, satisfying, and influential mystery and thriller books, in chronological order beginning in the 1800s.

ZEIT-Bibliothek der 100 Bücher

Die Zeit (2009), 100 Books

The Time Library of 100 Books was an educationally ambitious series of articles by the features editorial team of the weekly newspaper Die Zeit . Starting in 1978, over the next two years a review of a work of world literature was published week after week.

The works were selected by a six-member jury ( Rudolf Walter Leonhardt , Hans Mayer , Rolf Michaelis , Fritz J. Raddatz , Peter Wapnewski and Dieter E. Zimmer ), who also invited the reviewers. Some of the works were presented by the jury members themselves, but most of the reviewers were not professional literary critics , but rather well-known writers themselves. Their subjective perspective on the works based on their own reading experience and enthusiasm is part of the appeal of the collection for many readers.

The Greatest Stories Ever Told

The Sydney Morning Herald (1994), 10 Books

The Sydney Morning Herald published this list in their newspaper on Saturday 13th, 1994. They asked a "panel of experts" what the greatest story ever told was. The voters were: Donald Horne, Rosemary Dobson, Gwen Harwood, David Ireland, Barry Jones, and Marian Halligan

Independent Foreign Fiction Prize

Independent Foreign Fiction Prize (Yearly Award), 21 Books

The Independent Foreign Fiction Prize was a British literary award honouring contemporary fiction translated into English and published in the United Kingdom. It was inaugurated by British newspaper 'The Independent' in 1990 and ran for five years before falling into abeyance. The prize was revived in 2001 and ran until its disbandment in 2016, after which it was merged with the International Booker Prize.

The Independent Foreign Fiction Prize was determined by a small panel of literary experts—typically 4 to 6 judges such as critics, editors, and authors—with strong literary and linguistic experience.

The Big Read

BBC (2003), 200 Books

The Big Read was a survey on books carried out by the BBC in the United Kingdom in 2003, where over three-quarters of a million votes were received from the British public to find the nation's best-loved novel. The year-long survey was the biggest single test of public reading taste to date, and culminated with several programmes hosted by celebrities, advocating their favourite books.

The 20 Best Non Fiction of the Decade (2010s)

Literary Hub (2019), 26 Books

The 20 Best Non Fiction of the Decade (2010-2019) chosen by the Literary Hub staff.
Total came to 26 as they also had some dissenting opinions - those are left unranked.

100 Best Books

Montana State University (2010), 106 Books

Michael Sexson, English teacher at Montana State University, in 2000 had his class of 45 students compose a list of the 100 greatest works of literature ever written, in their collective opinions.

The Great American Read

PBS (2018), 100 Books

PBS and the producers worked with the public opinion polling service “YouGov” to conduct a demographically and statistically representative survey asking Americans to name their most-loved novel. Approximately 7,200 people participated.

The results were tallied and organized based on our selection criteria and overseen by an advisory panel of 13 literary industry professionals. The criteria for inclusion on the top 100 list were as follows:

Each author was limited to one title on the list (to keep the list varied).

Books published in series or featuring ongoing characters counted as one eligible entry on the list (e.g. the Harry Potter series or Lord of the Rings)to increase variety.

Books could be from anywhere in the world as long as they were published in English.

Only fiction could be included in the poll.

Each advisory panel member was permitted to select one book for discussion and possible inclusion on the top 100 list from the longer list of survey results.

Books That Shaped America

Library of Congress (2012), 99 Books

As part of a multi-year Library of Congress “Celebration of the Book,” the list – initially 88 books, now expanded by the Library to 100 – and its accompanying exhibition at the Library last June 25-Sept. 25 engendered months of public dialogue. Some 165,400 people attended the exhibit and more than 9,000 responded to a survey about “Books That Shaped America” posted by the Library on its National Book Festival website.

Click If You Dare: 100 Favorite Horror Stories

NPR (2018), 101 Books

NPR's horror novel and story poll transformed 7,000 nominations from its audience into a curated list of 100 must-read horror favorites, designed to cater to a wide array of readers. This initiative, much like NPR's other reader polls, was not intended to create a ranked or exhaustive compilation but rather to highlight a diverse and evocative selection of horror literature. The final list includes a mix of deeply unsettling works, alongside titles that, while not strictly horror, brush against the genre's dark themes or offer commentary on horrific subjects. Noteworthy is the exclusion of any works by the panel of expert judges—Stephen Graham Jones, Ruthanna Emrys, Tananarive Due, and Grady Hendrix—despite nominations, to avoid conflicts of interest. Stephen King, a prolific figure in horror, received a notable mention with over a thousand nominations, leading to a decision to allow authors a spot for both a novel and a short story, if needed, to honor the genre's tradition of classic horror in short form. This list serves as a guide for those looking to explore horror's chilling depths or to find tales that linger long after the page is turned, curated with insights from both the NPR audience and respected genre experts.

America’s 100 Favorite Books

WordsRated (2024), 99 Books

WordsRated received over 76,000 survey replies on our website where users let us know what their favourite book is (see https://katiecouric.com/entertainment/book-guide/americas-favorite-books/ for more information regarding the survey).

We have collated the replies to show the nation’s favourite books and the top books from each state.

Ms. Readers’ 100 Best Feminist Non-Fiction Books of All Time

Ms. Magazine (2011), 100 Books

This list is a compilation of the top 100 feminist non-fiction books of all time, curated by Ms. Magazine based on reader input. The selection criteria focused on feminist themes, with particular emphasis on work, sex, and intersectionality, as reflected in the choices of Ms. readers. The list was created through a voting process that occurred over two-and-a-half weeks on platforms such as Goodreads, the Ms. Blog, and Facebook, with votes counted until September 25, 2011. To resolve ties, books were ranked by the number of platforms they received votes on, followed by their rank on Goodreads. This pseudo-scientific methodology involved contributions from several individuals, including Cortney Rock, Sarah Richardson, Holly Derr, Jessica Stites, and Mimi Seldner.

Who voted?
They don't specify the exact voter count. I am going to guess at least 50 people. If someone has more information please let me know

William H. F. Lamont’s 100 Best Novels (1947)

archive.org (1947), 100 Books

The 100 best novels, compiled by William H. F. Lamont for the magazine Books Abroad, Vol. 21 No.1, Winter 1947.

To start off he 'decided to examine the fiction section (57 novels) of John Cowper Powys’ list of One Hundred Best Books, the fiction section (approximately 300 novels) of Asa Don Dickinson’s One Thousand Best Books, & the entire fiction list of William Lyon Phelps' One Hundred Best Novels'.
He found the lists inadequate as regards to Continental & South American novels, as well as those from small countries, changed them substantially and then 'I sent it to perhaps fifty of the outstanding scholars of America, asking for their criticism', which they delivered in spades - that part is funny & illuminating, you get an idea of how the sausages are made when there's a real attempt at a professional list.

The 10 best books from the past 25 years

Sydney Morning Herald (2024), 10 Books

from the website:

The list of our 10 most-loved books published since 2000 spans the literary, experimental and translated as well as true crime, science fiction and memoir genres. Some will make you cry, others will make you laugh – the best will have you doing both. Choosing only 10 books from 25 years means there are notable absences, but the list offers a sketch of the books that have shaped us and our world since the start of the millennium. Our writers, critics and editors were asked to consider their personal favourites – the books that will always have a place on their shelves – as well as quality, influence and legacy.

Best 20th Century Books up to 1924

Literary Digest International Book Review (1924), 13 Books

in 1924 the then prestigious Literary Digest International Book Review picked the best books of the 20th century. A list chosen by experts consisting of 13 books that received at least two votes.

Honi’s 100 Best Books of the 21st century

Honi Soit (2024), 99 Books

This list is an alternative curation of the best books of the 21st century, created by Honi Soit as a response to the New York Times' list, which was criticized for cronyism and a lack of diverse voices. The selection criteria used by Honi Soit focus on the impact and memorability of books across genres, irrespective of their perceived perfection. It is curated by a group of ten contributors from Honi Soit, who each chose their favorite works and provided personal endorsements. The list is intentionally unranked to challenge the notion of hierarchical valuation in literature and aims to showcase a more inclusive range of voices and stories, beyond the mainstream or most publicized works.

Honi Soit is the weekly student newspaper of the University of Sydney, Australia.

note: the top 10 on this list are ranked higher than the other 90

The 10 Best Essay Collections of the Decade (2010s)

Literary Hub (2019), 17 Books

This list presents "The 10 Best Essay Collections of the Decade," curated by Emily Temple and published on December 23, 2019, by Literary Hub. It aims to highlight the most impactful essay collections published in English between 2010 and 2019. The selection process involved extensive debate and multiple voting rounds among the Literary Hub staff, indicating a thorough and participatory methodology. The list reflects a considered effort to balance critical acclaim with personal impact, as evidenced by the inclusion of dissenting opinions and an expanded list of honorable mentions. This curated selection was designed to encapsulate the diverse literary voices and themes that defined the decade's essayistic landscape.

NY Times Editors Choice 1990-1999

NY Times (Yearly Award), 110 Books

Every year the New York Times puts together a "Best of the Year" list, and this is all the winners from the 1990s

who voted:
Trade sources differ: a C-SPAN–based 2015 blog post tallied roughly 16 New York Times Book Review staffers, while a 2023 Publishers Weekly profile said the desk now has “more than 20 editors, critics and reporters” To keep our rankings conservative, we therefore credit each NYT list to 10 voters.

Best Beach Reads Of All Time

Book Riot (2025), 50 Books

This list is a curated collection of 'The Best Beach Reads of All Time,' crafted to offer readers the perfect summer companions filled with romance, adventure, and page-turning excitement. The selection criteria were broad, encompassing not only staff and contributor favorites but also books that have been seen gracing beaches, past summer hits, and timeless classics. This diverse array of reads aims to cater to various preferences, ensuring there's something for everyone to enjoy under the sun. The list was carefully compiled by the staff and contributors, who nominated, voted on, and debated each entry to finalize a list of 50 standout titles. The process was thorough, considering versatility and appeal to a wide range of readers.

Who Voted:
CJ Connor, Leah Rachel von Essen, Kelly Jensen, R. Nassor, S. Zainab Williams, Vanessa Diaz, Danika Ellis, Erica Ezeifedi, Jeff O'Neal, Jamie Canaves, Liberty Hardy, Rebecca Joines Schinsky, Margaret Kingsbury, Rachel Brittain, Susie Dumond, Leah Rachel von Essen, Chris M. Arnone, Isabelle Popp, Courtney Rodgers, Alex Luppens-Dale, Alison Doherty

50 Greatest Books of All Time

Globe and Mail (2008), 53 Books

A list of the 50 greatest books of all time as determined by a panel of secret judges for Globe and Mail. The books are not ranked.

who voted?
"a panel of secret judges"
I am going to go with 5 judges

Cape Coral Public Library's Must-Read Books for the Summer

News Press (2001), 34 Books

The staff of the Cape Coral Public Library have put forward a list of "must read" books to read in the summer.

Who voted?
It's hard to tell from the newspaper clipping but I am going to assume 6 people based on the text of the article

The 100 Greatest Novels

Nezavisimaya Gazeta (Russian Newspaper) (2008), 101 Books

The list of “100 best books” according to the Russian newspaper “NG-Ex libris” (book review, supplement to “Nezavisimaya Gazeta”), published on January 31, 2008.

This ranking consists of 100 novels that, in the opinion of the editorial team, shook the literary world and influenced the entire culture. Books are listed in chronological order.

Who voted?
The list wasn’t crowdsourced—it was drawn up in-house by NG-Ex Libris’s own editorial desk. Roughly five staff critics, led by editor-in-chief Evgeny Lesin, debated and agreed on the final 100 titles during their weekly editorial meetings in January 2008.

My Favourite Book - Australian Big Read

Australian Big Read (2004), 103 Books

In a unique initiative by ABC Television in Australia, a nationwide poll was conducted to discover the country's favorite books. Launched in September, the campaign encouraged Australians to nominate and vote for their most cherished literary works. The process attracted participation from tens of thousands of individuals, reflecting a wide spectrum of literary preferences across the nation. The results, revealed during a special program titled "My Favourite Book," showcased a diverse range of titles, including works by both international and Australian authors, highlighting the varied literary tastes among Australians. The endeavor not only celebrated beloved literary classics but also emphasized the importance of literature in Australian culture.

The Greatest Books of 2025 - Honorable Mention

The Greatest Books (2025), 790 Books

This is honorable mention lists of greatest books of 2025. The original list of the top 100 is here: https://thegreatestbooks.org/lists/1088. This list are the books ranked 101 and after. This list is ranked

Honorable Mention - The 25 Masterpieces of World Literature That Will Define the 21st Century (25-250)

Télérama (2025), 149 Books

This is the honorable mention books from the list: The 25 Masterpieces of World Literature That Will Define the 21st Century

The first list is 1-25. This list is 26- 150~

here's the description from the original list:

This list presents a curated selection of literary works deemed to be the most significant of the 21st century thus far. It was compiled by the French magazine Télérama through a structured survey of sixty individuals including writers, editors, booksellers, translators, and literary critics from both French-speaking and international backgrounds.

Each participant was asked to nominate five books published since the year 2000 that had a lasting impact on their memory as readers. The resulting compilation reflects a wide range of professional literary perspectives and spans multiple languages and regions, aiming to identify contemporary masterpieces likely to shape the future of world literature. The methodology is notable for its qualitative, memory-based selection process rather than adherence to quantitative metrics or public popularity.

Note:
Télérama included the raw data, of which experts voted for each book. This got me curious because I would love to include ALL the books and not just the top 25. I ended up writing some code that aggregated the list based on their raw data and my results ended up being different in some ways to the list that was published. I am going to assume that I am a bit more experienced at aggregating book list data, than them, but maybe i'm wrong.

So this list will NOT match up exactly with what is on their website. It's very close though.

The Celebrity Reading List

Gardiner Public Library (2007), 72 Books

The Gardiner Public Library, from 1988 to 2007, polled various famous figures from all around the world (writers, artists, filmmakers, politicians, actors, etc.) to ask for their book recommendations. This list is based on the books that received at least two mentions.

The creators of the list asked a total of 489 celebrities and does list every single person's name

Quintessential American Fiction, According to the Rest of the World

Literary Hub (2015), 100 Books

On the occasion of the 4th of July, we the asked the rest of the world for its opinion on American literature. In a deeply unscientific survey of nearly 50 writers, editors, publishers, critics, and translators, representing 30 countries, we asked them to name three quintessentially American books, and tell us about their choices.

10 Most Influential Books by the ISA

ISA (International Sociological Association) (1997), 10 Books

One of the major aims of the ISA World Congress of Sociology held in Montreal 1998, was to make a critical assessment of sociological heritage of the twentieth century. In this framework the ISA Congress Programme Committee carried on in 1997 an opinion survey in order to identify ten most influential books for sociologists. ISA members were asked to list five books published in the twentieth century which were most influential in their work as sociologists. 16% of ISA members (455 out of 2785) participated in the survey

The 100 Best Novels Of All Time (Runners-Up)

The Guardian (2026), 489 Books

The Guardian’s 2026 list of the 100 best novels of all time ranks novels published in English, including works originally written in other languages and later translated. The list was compiled from ranked top-10 ballots submitted by 172 authors, critics, and academics from around the world, with titles scored by both number of votes and placement on individual ballots. George Eliot’s Middlemarch took the top spot, followed by Toni Morrison’s Beloved, James Joyce’s Ulysses, Virginia Woolf’s To the Lighthouse, and Marcel Proust’s In Search of Lost Time. The Guardian notes that this new list is broader than its earlier versions, with more women writers represented and a mix of canonical classics, modernist landmarks, contemporary fiction, and major works in translation.

These are the books that were voted for in the Guardian's new "100 Best Novels of All Time" list, but ultimately did not make the cut. These are the runners-up.

(Full list compiled here: https://www.reddit.com/r/books/comments/1tbfaz6/comment/oliid0l/?context=3&utm_source=share&utm_medium=web3x&utm_name=web3xcss&utm_term=1&utm_content=share_button)

Our Users' Top 100 Favorite Books of All Time

The Greatest Books Users (2024), 100 Books

The Top 100 Greatest Books determined by the users of this web site. If you would like to contribute add your favorite books to your "My Favorite Books" user list.

This list has over 5000+ voters from all over the world

Recommended Books

Academy of Achievement (2017), 72 Books

Here, in their own words, are the answers to the question, What book did you read when you were young that most influenced your life? The answers reflect the wonderfully varied power of books, and remind us of some neglected timeless classics and other works we may want to take into our own lives.

This seems to be recommendations from celebrities, authors, critics, and other famous people

PEN/E.O. Wilson Literary Science Writing Award (2011-2023)

PEN/E.O. Wilson Literary Science Writing Award (Yearly Award), 13 Books

List of winners of the PEN/E. O. Wilson Literary Science Writing Award.
The award was founded by scientist and author Dr. Edward O. Wilson, & activist and actor Harrison Ford - who once said when asked what made him choose acting as a profession: "Failure in all other fields".

"Our Readable Century", The Best Books of the 20th Century -- Honorable Mention

January Magazine (2000), 185 Books

These are the books from the list found here: https://thegreatestbooks.org/lists/136 that only got a single vote.

Voters: 48 authors and all the names are listed in the original article

Big Read (German)

Germany (2004), 100 Books

The Big Read initiative was launched in Germany by the public television broadcaster ZDF in 2004, under the name "Das große Lesen". Based on the BBC version of Big Read, it was designed as a game show to determine the top 50 books read and liked by the German people.

An initial list of 200 books was sent to more than 10,000 bookshops to start the survey. Supported by the Börsenverein des Deutschen Buchhandels and Stiftung Lesen 60,000 votes were already cast within the first week. Four weeks later the list had grown to 12,615 book nominations, and after the casting of 250,000 votes the 'winners' were determined.

Harold Bloom's The Western Canon

The Western Canon (Book) by Harold Bloom (1994), 1498 Books

The Western Canon: The Books and School of the Ages is a 1994 book about Western literature by the American literary critic Harold Bloom, in which the author defends the concept of the Western canon by discussing 26 writers whom he sees as central to the canon.
The Western Canon includes four appendices listing works that Bloom at the time considered canonical, stretching from the earliest scriptures to Tony Kushner's Angels in America. Bloom later disowned the list, saying that it was written at his editor's insistence and distracted from the book's intention.
In adding this list, I did expand certain titles into multiple books, and combined some, since some are single short stories. This was a difficult list to add since there are so many books.

Best Science Book Ever

the Royal Institution of Great Britain (2006), 23 Books

On 19 October 2006, the Royal Institution of Great Britain named the 1975 short story collection The Periodic Table, by Primo Levi, the best science book ever. After taking nominations from many scientists in various disciplines, authors, and other notable people (such as the Archbishop of Canterbury), the Royal Institution compiled a shortlist of books for consideration. This shortlist was presented to the public at an event held at Imperial College and the audience voted to determine which book was "the best."

The Best Books of the 2000s

The Onion AV Club (2009), 30 Books

The Best Books of the 2000s according to the Onion AV club. Includes Fiction and Nonfiction.

Voters were: Ellen Wernecke, Vadim Rizov, Donna Bowman, Zack Handlen, Genevieve Koski, Michaelangelo Matos, Samantha Nelson, Keith Phipps, Tasha Robinson, and Todd VanDerWerff