Royal Society Prizes for Science Books

The Royal Society (Yearly Award), 35 Books

The Royal Society Science Books Prize is an annual £25,000 prize awarded by the Royal Society to celebrate outstanding popular science books from around the world. It is open to authors of science books written for a non-specialist audience, and since it was established in 1988 has championed writers such as Stephen Hawking, Jared Diamond, Stephen Jay Gould and Bill Bryson. In 2015 The Guardian described the prize as "the most prestigious science book prize in Britain".

The 25 Greatest Kids Books of All Time

Forbes (2024), 25 Books

This list is a compilation of 'The 25 Greatest Kids Books Of All Time,' curated by Forbes contributor Sughnen Yongo. The selection criteria for the list include reader reviews, legacy, and critical acclaim, highlighting books that offer comfort, valuable lessons, and imaginative narratives for children. The methodology is rooted in the enduring impact and recognition of the books, featuring classics that have been beloved across generations. The list reflects a diverse array of storytelling, from imaginative tales to narratives infused with moral lessons, aimed at engaging and inspiring young readers.

The best Japanese fiction in translation

Penguin Books (2024), 10 Books

This list highlights the best Japanese fiction translated into English, curated by John Self for Penguin UK. It aims to introduce readers to the rich diversity of Japanese literature, which is the most popular form of translated literature in the UK. The selection includes a range of genres and themes, from kawaii and quiet narratives to sinister and surprising ones, reflecting the multiple traditions within Japanese fiction. Although specific criteria for book selection are not detailed, the list emphasizes works that exemplify popular and critically acclaimed Japanese narratives, offering a starting point for those new to the genre.

75 Books by Women Whose Words Have Changed the World

Women's National Book Association (1992), 75 Books

A different perspective on literature written by women. These works were selected by members of the Women's National Book Association in observance of their 75th anniversary in 1992. The list honours women "whose words have changed the world" and who "have brought insight, awe, and pleasure to countless readers over the years".

Costa Book Award - Best Novel

Costa Coffee (Yearly Award), 57 Books

The Costa Book Awards are a series of literary awards given to books by authors based in the United Kingdom and Ireland. They were known as the Whitbread Book Awards until 2005, after which Costa Coffee, a subsidiary of Whitbread, took over sponsorship.
The awards, launched in 1971, are given both for high literary merit but also for works that are enjoyable reading and whose aim is to convey the enjoyment of reading to the widest possible audience. As such, they are a more populist literary prize than the Booker Prize.

Time Magazine's All-TIME 100 Best Non-Fiction Books

Time Magazine (2011), 100 Books

Time Magazine's All-TIME 100 Best Non-Fiction Books.

Honestly this list has very little information and is ranked accordingly.

The Cundill History Prize

The Cundill History Prize (Yearly Award), 16 Books

The Cundill History Prize is an annual Canadian book prize for "the best history writing in English". It was established in 2008 by Peter Cundill and is administered by McGill University. The prize encourages "informed public debate through the wider dissemination of history writing to new audiences around the world" and is awarded to an author whose book, published in the past year, demonstrates "historical scholarship, originality, literary quality and broad appeal". No restrictions are set on the topic of the book or the nationality of the author, and English translations are permitted.

Top 50 Books

The Folio Society (1997), 49 Books

These top 50 books were voted on by The Folio Society members in 1997. The Folio Society is a London-based publisher, founded by Charles Ede in 1947 and incorporated in 1971.

World Fantasy Award—Novel

World Fantasy Awards (Yearly Award), 55 Books

The World Fantasy Awards are given each year by the World Fantasy Convention for the best fantasy fiction published in
English during the previous calendar year. The awards have been described by book critics such as The Guardian as a
"prestigious fantasy prize", and one of the three most prestigious speculative fiction awards.
The World Fantasy Award—Novel is given each year for fantasy
novels published in English or translated into English. A work of fiction is defined by the organization as a novel if it is 40,000
words or longer. The Novel category has been awarded annually since 1975.

Top 10 Literary Biographies

Guardian (2015), 10 Books

A list of works from the era after the second world war by Jay Parini, who has written seven books about authors including the delightfully titled Every Time a Friend Succeeds Something Inside Me Dies: The Life of Gore Vidal.

Must-read classics in translation

Penguin Books (2024), 9 Books

Must-read classics in translation from John Self at Penguin Books

The Best Fiction Books of the 2010s

Time (2020), 10 Books

Here are TIME’s picks for the 10 best fiction books of the 2010s, in order of publication year.

The New Classics - 100 Best Reads from 1983 to 2008

Entertainment Weekly (2008), 100 Books

Entertainment Weekly's list of the 100 best reads from 1983 to 2008.

7 Books About the Partition of India and Pakistan

electric literature (2021), 7 Books

The tragedy of colonial India's partition into Pakistan and India has filled volumes.
Here though is a very short list consisting of a few of the best. It's from Anjali Enjeti whose own debut novel dealt with partition and the long shadow it casted.
"Partition literature encompasses a wide variety of fiction and nonfiction published in multiple countries and multiple languages. They capture some of the most harrowing events of the era, but also the courage, sacrifice, and generosity of the human spirit."

100 Books to Read in a Lifetime

Amazon.com (USA) (2014), 100 Books

A bucket list of books to create a well-read life, from Amazon Book Editors.

PEOPLE Picks the Best Books From the 1990s

PEOPLE Magazine (2024), 15 Books

from the website:

In celebration of our 50th year, we're looking back at some of our favorite reads over the decades.

No matter how old you are, we've all got those books that have made a lasting impression on us. Whether it's the book your mom read to you at night when you were a kid, one a beloved English teacher introduced you to or one that opened your mind and heart at an important point, some books really stand the test of time.

In celebration of 50 years of PEOPLE, we polled our staff about the books from decades past that made a difference in their lives or the culture at large. Here are our picks from the 1990s.

The 100 Best Science Fiction Books of All Time

Tor (2019), 116 Books

Germany’s SF portal Tor Online asked its community to help create a definitive, German-language guide to the genre. Over a two-week window, 219 readers were allowed to name up to five favourite novels. Their input produced 1 099 nominations covering 450 different titles.

A six-member jury (three women, three men drawn from the site’s editors/critics) then read the long-list and selected the final 100 books. The list is deliberately alphabetical, not ranked, and the jury’s brief was to offer “einen repräsentativen Querschnitt”—a balanced snapshot of classics plus very recent works (roughly the last four to five years). All titles had to be available in German translation, with one deliberate exception (A Door Into Ocean).

Who voted & how many?
Community phase: 219 readers supplied the raw nominations.
Final decision phase: 6 jurors chose the 100-title shortlist.

20 of the Most Important Books for Economics before 1940

New York Public Library (2014), 20 Books

20 of the Most Important Books for Economics before 1940
By John Balow, Curator for Business, History and Social Science, Collections Strategy

50 Essential Fantasy Books

Abe Books (2018), 51 Books

Abe Books lists 50 Essential Fantasy books you should read. Here's what the description says on the website:

If you haven't read any fantasy since reading the The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien in school, you might still think it's a genre for kids. Think again. While you'll still find plenty of elves, knights, and magi, fantasy is now also home to gunslingers, poets and literary detectives. This selection of recommended fantasy books runs the gamut - it's time to discover fantasy all over again.

Powell's Essential List: 25 Best Sci-Fi and Fantasy Books of the 21st Century

Powells' City of Books (2022), 25 Books

Powell's Books has curated a compelling list of the 21st century's best science fiction and fantasy novels, offering an escape into realms far beyond the mundane realities of our current world. This collection is a vibrant tapestry of narratives, featuring distant planets, formidable dragons, and epic space romances. It brings together a diverse array of characters—from mutants and robots to prophets and space creatures—embarking on adventures filled with mythology, galactic wars, and profound philosophical inquiries. These selections are not just about escapism; they boldly tackle significant contemporary issues such as climate change, race, gender identity, sexuality, and class, while also delving into the universal themes of love, loss, heartache, and hope. Highlighting the imaginative potential of the 21st century, Powell's list presents 25 essential reads that promise to enchant, challenge, and inspire readers with their visionary insights and fantastical worlds.

50 Best-Loved Novels Written by a Woman (United Kingdom)

Guardian (2003), 51 Books

During the Orange Prize for Fiction in 2003 - now known as the Women's Prize for Fiction - a poll was done to determine the UK's 50 best loved novels written by a woman, past or present, in English and published in the UK. The results were compiled by public vote. Over 6,000 votes were collected via text message, voting cards in public libraries and Orange Retail Shops, the Orange Prize for Fiction website and a promotion with Classic FM. Kate Mosse, the co-founder of the Orange Prize for Fiction... said: "Our aim was to encourage as a wide a range of readers to vote as possible and to see which contemporary novels found their place among the classics".
The result was an interesting mix of venerable classics and newer favorites, e.g. Jane Austen's Sense and Sensibility shared position 23 with Bridget Jones's Diary by Helen Fielding.
More info about the list can be found at https://www.theguardian.com/uk/2003/may/12/books.booksnews

70 Classic Booker Prize-Nominated Novels, Recommended by our Readers

Booker Prize Library Readers (2024), 70 Books

The Booker Library's list of must-read classics, as selected by its newsletter subscribers and social media followers, highlights the enduring appeal of books that have been nominated for the Booker Prize since its inception in 1969. These books, described as classics by journalist and author Italo Calvino, are notable for their ability to continually communicate new ideas and insights. The selected titles, drawn from over 600 nominated works, range from intimate stories to epic narratives, demonstrating a depth that rewards multiple readings and leaves a lasting impression on readers. This curated selection includes both bestsellers and lesser-known treasures, providing a comprehensive guide through the historical and contemporary highlights of the Booker Prize nominations.

The 80 Books Every Man Should Read

Esquire (2015), 80 Books

An unranked, incomplete, utterly biased list of the greatest works of literature ever published.

Mary Warnock's top 10 philosophy books

Mary Warnock (2000), 10 Books

Lady Mary Warnock is a crossbench life peer, moral philosopher and author of a number of books on philosophy, including The Intelligent Person's Guide to Ethics. This is her list of her favorite philosophy books

Top 10 Books of Steven Pinker

Steven Pinker via One Grand Books (2021), 10 Books

Steven Pinker is an author, psychologist, linguist and professor in Harvard University’s Department of Psychology, as well as Bill Gates favorite writer. His ten books to date include “The Language Instinct,” “How the Mind Works,” “The Blank Slate,” “The Stuff of Thought,” “The Better Angels of Our Nature,” and “The Sense of Style: The Thinking Person’s Guide to Writing in the 21st Century, as well as his latest tome, “Enlightenment Now,” which The Guardian described as “a bold, wonderfully expansive and occasionally irate defense of scientific rationality and liberal humanism.”

Here he reflects on the books that mean the most to him, as well as the books that have influenced his own writing.

The new modern classics — the nation’s favourite 20th century novels

The Times (2024), 50 Books

The list comprises the top 50 bestselling modern classics from the 20th century, as determined by Nielsen BookScan's UK print sales data over the five-year period ending in mid-2024. It highlights enduring favorites across genres like dystopian fiction, literary classics, and dark academia, reflecting readers' preferences for stories that explore themes of paranoia, societal breakdown, and personal struggles. Influenced by TikTok trends, school curriculums, and TV adaptations, the list captures a mix of angst-driven narratives and occasional moments of humor and hope. While heavily dominated by American and British authors, it underscores a darker, introspective literary canon that resonates with contemporary audiences seeking to process complex emotions and turbulent realities.

Best Fiction Books of the 21st Century (So Far)

Kirkus Reviews (2025), 100 Books

This list is a curated gallery of featured book reviews from the Kirkus Reviews site, assembled to showcase notable titles across a wide range of genres and publication year.Selection criteria visible in the markup point to editorial curation from Kirkus’s review archive—genre categorization, publication metadata, and a starred designation appear to guide inclusion—rather than reader polling, and the layout and consistent card structure imply an internal, systematic process for highlighting standout reviews (including translated or edited editions when applicable). Overall, the list reads as an editors’ compilation intended to surface critically recognized reviews across fiction, mystery, romance, science fiction & fantasy, graphic novels, and more.

Who Voted: Kirkus Reviews, the number of voters and names are unknown

The Most Significant SF & Fantasy Books of the Last 50 Years From 1953-2002

Science Fiction Book Club (2003), 50 Books

List of the best Science Fiction and Fantasy produced between 1953 and 2002 as composed by the Science Fiction Book Club.

Compiled in late 2002 by SFBC Editor-in-Chief Ellen Asher and Senior Editor Andrew Wheeler to mark the club’s fiftieth anniversary, this list names fifty novels and story collections (top ten ranked; the rest alphabetical) that the editors judged most significant to SF/F published between 1953 and 2002. No external ballot was taken—just two long-time genre editors debating until consensus. The selection later drove the club’s 50th-Anniversary hard-cover reprint series (40 volumes, 2003-2007).

Voter Count: 2

Top 100 Fantasy Books

Fantasy Book Review (2022), 103 Books

Fantasy Book Review lists their Top 100 Fantasy Books of all time, with links to their reviews of each one. Here's what their description says:

The 100 fantasy books that we - and other readers - simply cannot recommend highly enough; books that we've all loved reading. Click on a book title to read the full review.

James Tait Black Memorial Prize: Fiction

James Tait Black Memorial Prize (Yearly Award), 111 Books

The James Tait Black Memorial Prizes are literary prizes awarded for literature written in the English language.
The winners are chosen by the Professor of English Literature at the university, who is assisted by postgraduate students in the shortlisting phase, a structure which is seen to lend the prizes a considerable gravitas.

For the book prizes works of fiction and biographies must be written in English. The nationality of the author does not matter, but submissions must be first published (or co-published) in Britain during the calendar year of the award. Any given author can only win each prize once. However, he or she can win both prizes at the same time.

Books That Shaped an Era

TIME (1999), 5 Books

This list, titled 'Books That Shaped an Era,' is curated by TIME and aims to highlight significant literary works that have had a profound impact on different societies and eras. The selection criteria seem to focus on the historical and cultural influence of each book, as well as their lasting popularity and contribution to literary traditions. While the exact methodology or number of contributors involved in the selection process is not explicitly stated, the list appears to be an editorial choice by TIME, reflecting the magazine's perspective on influential literature.

Andrew Carnegie Medals for Excellence in Fiction and Nonfiction

Andrew Carnegie Medals for Excellence (Yearly Award), 23 Books

The Andrew Carnegie Medals for Excellence in Fiction and Nonfiction, established in 2012, recognize the best fiction and nonfiction books for adult readers published in the U.S. in the previous year and serve as a guide to help adults select quality reading material. They are the first single-book awards for adult books given by the American Library Association and reflect the expert judgment and insight of library professionals who work closely with adult readers.

Elena Ferrante Names her 40 Favourite Books by Female Authors

The Guardian (2020), 40 Books

Elena Ferrante, the acclaimed Italian author known for My Brilliant Friend and the Neapolitan novels, has curated a list of her 40 favorite books written by female authors from around the world. This list, which spans diverse cultures and time periods, highlights stories that focus on women's experiences, particularly in the 20th century. Ferrante’s selections include a mix of well-known and lesser-known works, with authors ranging from Toni Morrison and Zadie Smith to Japanese author Mieko Kawakami and Italian novelist Natalia Ginzburg.

100 Must-Read Classics, as Chosen by our Readers

Penguin (UK) (2022), 100 Books

from the website:

Everyone loves a classic novel, but where to start? From Jane Austen to Charles Dickens, Toni Morrison to Fyodor Dostoevsky, the fiction canon is so vast you can easily get lost in it.

So we asked our readers to tell us about their favourite classic books. The resulting list of must-reads is a perfect way to find inspiration to start your classics adventure. There's something for everyone, from family sagas and dystopian fiction to romances and historical fiction.

People Are Sharing The One Book That Has Stood Out To Them In All Their Years Of Reading

Buzzfeed (2022), 31 Books

By Hannah Loewentheil of BuzzFeed.
A list of 31 best books that individuals state is their single best book, sourced by "browsing through the subreddit r/books and parsed through responses from the BuzzFeed Community".
While the list is numbered I think it is an unranked list.

The 100 Favorite Novels of Librarians

Bookman.com (1999), 100 Books

The “100 Favorite Novels of Librarians” list was put together by Brodart Book Services as an informal, grassroots rejoinder to the Modern Library “100 Best” splash of 1998. Marc Sheaffer—then a marketing manager at Brodart—posted an open note to library list-servs that autumn titled “The Top 100 Novels of the 20th Century: Who Is to Judge?” and invited colleagues to e-mail him their own five all-time favourite novels. Over the next six months (September 1998 → March 1999) he tallied every ballot and ranked the one hundred most-mentioned titles, releasing the results as a single-page flyer and on Brodart’s now-defunct Bookman.com site.
lsv.arlisna.org
librarything.com

Unfortunately, almost everything beyond that headline data has vanished. The original PDF/HTML isn’t in the Wayback Machine, trade magazines never printed the final flyer, and neither Brodart nor Sheaffer published a voter roll or even a head-count. What survives are fragmentary list-serv messages that prove the call for votes, plus countless second-hand reposts (LibraryThing, Goodreads, ListChallenges and even Pinterest) that repeat the dates but add no methodology. In other words, we can document when and why the list was made—and that librarians were simply asked for their personal top-five—but not how many librarians responded or whether any weighting scheme was applied. Until someone uncovers a surviving copy of the 1999 Brodart flyer, the list remains a fascinating yet mist-shrouded snapshot of late-1990s librarian taste.

100 Best Novels in English Since 1900

Counterpunch (2014), 98 Books

Jeffrey St. Clair and Alexander Cockburn's favorite novels since 1900.

What Harvard Professors Think Greatest Books Ever: Top 20 List (1977)

The Boston Globe (Newspaper) (1977), 21 Books

Harvard Professors in in the 1970s list their favorite books of all time. Reprinted in the Boston Globe

Goldsmiths Prize

Goldsmiths Prize (Yearly Award), 13 Books

The Goldsmiths Prize is a UK-based annual literary prize (worth £10,000) founded in 2013 by Goldsmiths, University of London (in association with the New Statesman) to reward “fiction at its most novel”—i.e., books that break the mould or extend the possibilities of the novel form.

The 100 Greatest American Novels, 1893 – 1993

Jeff O'Neal at Bookriot.com (2013), 100 Books

The 100 greatest american novels picked by Jeff O’Neal, Editor-in-Chief & Co-founder of Bookriot.com

The 24 Best Books of the Decade

BuzzFeed (2019), 24 Books

This list, titled 'The 24 Best Books Of The Decade,' is a curated selection of notable books from the 2010s, aimed at highlighting the most memorable works published during that decade. The criteria for selection focus on the books' lasting impact and cultural significance as determined by a team of BuzzFeed News reporters and contributors, including Tomi Obaro, Saeed Jones, Molly Hensley-Clancy, and others. The list was created by these BuzzFeed staff members and contributors, with no indication of public voting or external contributions. The selection process appears to be based on the subjective evaluations and personal reflections of the contributors, who each shared insights into why these books were personally significant or impactful. The list aims to provide a comprehensive look at the decade's literature as seen through the lens of individual experiences and professional critiques.

Ockham New Zealand Yearly Fiction Award Winners

Ockham New Zealand Book Awards (Yearly Award), 27 Books

The Ockham New Zealand Book Awards are literary awards presented annually in New Zealand. The awards began in 1996 as the merger of two literary awards events: the New Zealand Book Awards, which ran from 1976 to 1995, and the Goodman Fielder Wattie Book Awards, which ran from 1968 to 1995 (known as the Montana Book Awards from 1994 to 1995).

Books That Changed the World: The 50 Most Influential Books in Human History

Book (2009), 49 Books

A 208 page book written in 2009 by Journalist and Author Andrew Taylor.

Books from every field of human creativity and intellectual endeavor - from poetry to politics, from fiction to philosophy, from theology to anthropology, and from economics to physics – have been selected to create a rounded and satisfying picture of how 50 towering achievements of the human intellect have built our societies, shaped our values, enhanced our understanding of the nature of the world, enabled technological advancements, and reflected our concerns and dilemmas, strengths and failings. In a series of engaging and lively essays, Andrew Taylor sets each work and its author firmly in historical context, summarizes the content of the work in question, and explores its wider influence and legacy. A fascinating and richly informative read.

The 50 Best Romance Novels to Read Right Now

Time (2024), 50 Books

The 50 Best Romance Novels to Read Right Now

Happily ever after. These three words form the backbone of the romance genre... was our first non-negotiable in selecting the titles on this list... we began in early 2024 by speaking with booksellers, editors, authors, and other industry experts who helped us understand the nuances and evolution of romance.

The all-time classics, the best literary Dutch-language books

boekwijzer (2022), 5 Books

The all-time classics, the best literary Dutch-language books as chosen by readers and app users for boekwijzer.app

Top Books Recommended on Cambridge Reading Lists

Oxbridge (2025), 23 Books

Are you a curious student eager to discover the literary gems that can enrich your academic journey? Look no further. We’ve curated a list of must-read books from the renowned Cambridge University English Literature Reading List, ensuring you have a head start in expanding your intellectual horizons.

From thought-provoking classics to contemporary masterpieces, we’ve handpicked titles from the University of Cambridge English Literature reading list that captivate your imagination and fuel your passion for learning.

Whether you’re an aspiring literature scholar or simply seeking stimulating reads, our blog is your gateway to unlocking the literary treasures that await you on your Cambridge journey.

Let’s dive into the world of remarkable books together!

It's unclear exactly who curated this list, and apart from some notable classics, many of the selections appear quite modern.

Top ten Brazilian novels of the last twenty years

GLAUCO ORTOLANO (2001), 11 Books

This list presents the top ten Brazilian novels of the last twenty years, curated to highlight the richness and complexity of Brazilian literature. The selection criteria are based on the novels' impact, literary merit, and representation of Brazilian culture, with consideration for both urban and regional influences. The list was created by Glauco Ortolano, a Brazilian novelist and academic at the University of Oklahoma, who serves as a contributing editor for World Literature Today. The methodology involved a critical evaluation of contemporary Brazilian literature, acknowledging the challenges of representing a diverse literary landscape. The selection includes works that have gained both national and international recognition, reflecting the dynamic nature of Brazilian storytelling.

100 novels that make you proud to be Canadian

CBC Books (2017), 99 Books

From the Description of the list:

Canada has a wealth of writers telling today's tales, revisiting our past and imagining our future. Literary or mystery, comic or graphic, historical or out of this world, the 100 novels on our list are must-read books.

CBC Books considered everything from cultural impact and critical reception to reader response to choose these titles. The authors all call or once called Canada home, and the novels are all in print. Enjoy!

25 Books to Read Before you Die: 21st Century

Powell's Books (2018), 25 Books

It’s hard for us to believe that it’s been 17 years since we first toasted the new millennium. In January 2001, a gallon of gas cost $1.46. Facebook was three years from launching. 9/11 hadn’t happened. Huge political and cultural shifts were only months away… and some of the best books we’ve ever read were waiting in the wings. This year, for our fifth annual 25 Books to Read Before You Die list, we’ve selected novels, poetry, short stories, and nonfiction that speak to central concerns of 21st-century life: among them, race, heredity, identity, war, and the vanishing wild. From double agents to Hurricane Katrina to intergalactic travel, these 25 vastly different books create a stunning portrait of the dislocation, perseverance, and hope at the heart of life in 21st-century America.

50 Best Nonfiction Books of All Time

Reader's Digest (2024), 51 Books

This list presents a curated selection of the best nonfiction books of all time, aimed at readers seeking enlightening, educational, and compelling reads. The selection criteria for this list include books that have been recognized by major literary awards such as the Pulitzer, the National Book Critics Circle, and the National Book Foundation, as well as influential best-seller lists. The compilation was curated by Jennifer Kushnier and offers a diverse range of nonfiction genres, including true crime, science, history, and politics, among others. This list is independently selected, and the methodology focuses on books that provide comprehensive views on topics, essential insights, or transformative storytelling.