25 of the Best Nonfiction Books of All Time

Book Riot (2022), 25 Books

Senjuti Patra's article, published on December 13, 2022, showcases a selection of 25 nonfiction works that have profoundly influenced readers' understanding of the world. Initially inclined toward fiction, the author has transitioned to an enthusiastic appreciation for nonfiction, particularly titles that tackle significant and profound themes. This list, which deliberately excludes memoirs, autobiographies, and poetry to focus on other impactful genres, is described as a personal yet informed collection of readable and well-written works. It is acknowledged as not exhaustive, inviting readers to consider it a starting point for exploring complex ideas and knowledge.

Choosing the Century's(20th) Favorite Books(1924)

The Literary Digest (1924), 182 Books

This is a list from "The Literary Digest International Book Review", which was a prestigious literary publication in the early 20th century.

This list's results were from a nation-wide poll in 1923/1924. There were 1,753 votes.

I love these old lists!

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.

100 Books, 100 Companions

Zeit Online (2023), 99 Books

The book list, curated by the editorial team of the German publication ZEIT, features 100 influential books categorized by themes such as Fear, Night, Sorrow, Lost, Sex, Identity, and Departure. Each book was chosen to provide readers with companionship and guidance through various stages and challenges of life.

The list includes a diverse range of works from world literature spanning different time periods and cultures.

Please visit the original list, because it's really well done. Alongside each book, there are texts including reviews and personal reflections from the authors, offering readers a deeper connection to the literary works. Each category in the list is designed to address a central life question or emotion, providing a comprehensive reading experience that reflects the human condition.

Note: This list contains 99 books. I double and triple checked. I am not sure where that 100th book went.

Who voted?
roughly 80–90 writers and critics fed suggestions into the process, while a three-person editorial core made the final call. The names of the critics are available.

25 Novels to Understand Our Reality from 2000 to The Present

elDiario.es (2024), 25 Books

This book list recommends one novel published each year of the 21st century, starting from the year 2000. It offers a literary journey through the last quarter-century, featuring novels that speak to our experiences, realities, and ways of being in the world. These books raise questions, evoke emotions, and sometimes challenge the reader. The selection is diverse in terms of form, content, origin, and the author's background, reflecting the increasing awareness of diversity in contemporary society. The list focuses exclusively on novels, excluding short stories, poetry, theater, and non-fiction, and does not repeat authors. Each novel is available in Spanish, though the list considers the original publication year in the author's language. This compilation is not meant to be definitive or exhaustive, and readers are encouraged to suggest alternative titles.

The Big Jubilee Read

BBC (2022), 70 Books

The Big Jubilee Read is a 2022 campaign celebrating the Platinum Jubilee of Elizabeth II by promoting reading for pleasure. A list of 70 books by Commonwealth authors, with 10 from each decade of Elizabeth II's reign, was selected by a panel of experts and announced by the BBC and The Reading Agency on April 18, 2022. The selection process involved a long-list compiled from readers' suggestions, refined by librarians, booksellers, and literature specialists, and aims to engage readers in discovering and celebrating great books. Supported by the Arts Council, Libraries Connected, and the Booksellers Association, the project highlights the joy of reading and its power to connect people. The list includes 19 Booker Prize winners, mainly novels in English, but also features poetry and short story collections, as well as works originally published in Welsh and French.

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

What the New York Times Missed: 71 More of the Best Books of the 21st Century

Lit Hub (2024), 69 Books

The New York Times Book Review released a list of the "100 Best Books of the 21st Century," compiled by surveying hundreds of literary professionals to select their top ten books published in the US since 2000. Respondents also participated in a series of preference-based prompts. The list, while comprehensive, inevitably excludes many notable works, such as most poetry from the past 25 years except for "Citizen." In response, Lit Hub created their own list to highlight additional significant books they felt were overlooked. Both lists, though curated with expertise, naturally miss many deserving titles, prompting readers to share their favorites.

The 21 best books of the 21st century

Babelia en EL PAÍS (2019), 100 Books

A jury of 84 experts has chosen for "Babelia en EL PAÍS" the most relevant titles of the first two decades of the millennium. Note this list has 100 books not 21. 50-100 are all the same rank.

Readers Pick Their 100 Best Books of the 21st Century

NY Times (2024), 100 Books

Here's the description directly from the website:

When the Book Review published a list of the 100 best books of the century, we knew we’d hear from readers who were incensed or gutted or driven wild by grief. How could So-and-So’s book not make the cut?

One of the best things about working in books is just this: the passion of our constituency. No way would we deprive readers of the chance to vote for their own list and make their voices heard.

And so you have. There’s some overlap between your list and ours — we agreed on 39 books. As for the 61 new entries here, what stands out most is that they’re the books that captured cultural moments and sparked lively literary conversations. They’re also great. Enjoy!

100 Best Books of the 21st Century

NY Times (2024), 102 Books

As voted on by 503 novelists, nonfiction writers, poets, critics and other book lovers — with a little help from the staff of
The New York Times Book Review.

100 Best Novels Written in Spanish in the Past 25 Years

Semana Magazine (2007), 99 Books

Colombian magazine Semana published a list of the best Spanish language novels of the last 25 years. The list, complied by 80 writers, literary critics and journalists named the 100 best novels written in Spanish.

Strega Prize

Strega Prize (Yearly Award), 77 Books

The Strega Prize is the most important Italian literary award. It has been awarded annually since 1947 for the best work of prose fiction written in the Italian language by an author of any nationality and first published between 1 March of the previous year and 28/29 February.

100 Best Western(United States) Works of Fiction

San Francisco Chronicle (1999), 100 Books

A list from the San Francisco Chronicle from 1999. 600 readers contributed to the list.

The Best 100 Arabic Books

Arab Writers Union (2010), 107 Books

This is an interesting and difficult one. Big thanks to arablit.org. Evidently it was created by the Arab Writer's Union. There's not many voter details and many of the books are not published in english. The original wikipedia page is offline but here's an old verison of it: https://web.archive.org/web/20100425013711/http://ar.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D8%A3%D9%81%D8%B6%D9%84_%D9%85%D8%A6%D8%A9_%D8%B1%D9%88%D8%A7%D9%8A%D8%A9_%D8%B9%D8%B1%D8%A8%D9%8A%D8%A9

Who voted?
No contemporary source specifies a figure.
Akhbār al-Adab issue 426 (the list’s print source) is not digitised online, and its table of contents reproduced on Goodreads and other sites does not mention voters.

Later commentary (e.g., Al-Khalīj 23 Jan 2024) only says the list followed a “pan-Arab poll” of senior writers and critics, without giving totals.
alkhaleej.ae

I am going to assume it's more than 1. 10 seems like a conservative number. If anyone has any more additional information please let me know.

Ninety-Nine Novels: The Best in English since 1939

Anthony Burges (Book) (1984), 99 Books

Ninety-Nine Novels: The Best in English since 1939 — A Personal Choice is an essay by British writer Anthony Burgess, published by Allison & Busby in 1984. It covers a 44-year span between 1939 and 1983. Burgess was a prolific reader, in his early career reviewing more than 350 novels in just over two years for The Yorkshire Post. In the course of his career he wrote more than 30 novels

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

20th century 100 Best Chinese Fictions

Asia Weekly (1999), 100 Books

In 1999, YaZhou ZhouKan (Asia Weekly, an international current affairs weekly in Chinese based in Hong Kong) made a similar practice as "100 Best Novels by The Modern Library" to summarize the Chinese fiction in 20th century. The ranking gathered the top force of Chinese literature around the world from China Mainland, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Singapore, and North America.

Voters: top force in international Chinese literature (China Mainland, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Singapore, North America)

who voted:
Yu Qiuyu: essayist, literary critic, former president of Shanghai Theatre Academy; Wang Meng: novelist, former Minister of Culture of China; Wang Xiaoming: literary critic, professor of Chinese Department at East China Normal University in Shanghai; Liu Zaifu: literary theorist, former director of the Institute of Literature of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences; Xie Mian: literary critic, professor of Chinese Department at Peking University.
Wang Xingqing: also known as Nan Fangshuo, cultural and current affairs critic; Shi Shu: literary critic, professor of Chinese Department at Tamkang University in Taiwan.

Potter, Pi, and Pilgrim: What any library of the aughts ought to contain (Honorable mention not from Canada)

The National Post (newspaper) (2010), 7 Books

The National Post, a famous and popular Canadian newspaper published an article in January of 2010 about the best books of the 2000s. They did both Canadian specific, International specific, as well as honorable mentions for both lists. This list is the honorable mention non-Canadian novels of the 2000s.

They asked a broad selection of Canadian writers, critics, editors, agents, bloggers, and others who work in the publishing industry.

Potter, Pi, and Pilgrim: What any library of the aughts ought to contain (Best not from Canada)

The National Post (newspaper) (2010), 10 Books

The National Post, a famous and popular Canadian newspaper published an article in January of 2010 about the best books of the 2000s. They did both Canadian specific, International specific, as well as honorable mentions for both lists. This list is the best non-Canadian novels of the 2000s.

They asked a broad selection of Canadian writers, critics, editors, agents, bloggers, and others who work in the publishing industry.

Potter, Pi, and Pilgrim: What any library of the aughts ought to contain (Best from Canada Honorable Mentions)

The National Post (newspaper) (2010), 8 Books

The National Post, a famous and popular Canadian newspaper published an article in January of 2010 about the best books of the 2000s. They did both Canadian specific, International specific, as well as honorable mentions for both lists. This list is the Honorable Mention Canadian novels of the 2000s.

They asked a broad selection of Canadian writers, critics, editors, agents, bloggers, and others who work in the publishing industry.

Potter, Pi, and Pilgrim: What any library of the aughts ought to contain (Best from Canada)

The National Post (newspaper) (2010), 10 Books

The National Post, a famous and popular Canadian newspaper published an article in January of 2010 about the best books of the 2000s. They did both Canadian specific, International specific, as well as honorable mentions for both lists. This list is the best Canadian novels of the 2000s.

They asked a broad selection of Canadian writers, critics, editors, agents, bloggers, and others who work in the publishing industry.

Nancy Pearl's 100 Good Reads, Decade by Decade

Book Lust (Book) (2009), 100 Books

For more than two decades librarian Nancy Pearl has been one of the USA's most important book 'influencers'
https://www.seattletimes.com/entertainment/the-a-list-book-lister-nancy-pearl/

Her 2003 work Book Lust: Recommended Reading for Every Mood, Moment, and Reason has a lot of recommended works, close to two thousand by my reckoning. There is one chapter in the work called '100 Good Reads, Decade By Decade', ten books per decade from 1900.

100 Best Non-Fiction Books of the 20th Century (and Beyond) in English

Counterpunch (2014), 135 Books

In response to the proliferation of "best of the century" lists from major publications at the turn of the millennium, Jeffrey St. Clair and his colleague Alex decided to compile their own lists of the best books written and later translated into English during the 20th century. Their selections, aimed at the CounterPunch audience, diverged from mainstream choices, focusing instead on works that resonated deeply with their unique reader base. These lists became highly popular on the CounterPunch website, attracting over two million unique visitors and influencing librarians to reconsider the collections they maintained. However, a technical mishap during a website upgrade resulted in the loss of these carefully curated lists, likened humorously by Alex to the burning of the Library of Alexandria. Despite initial disheartenment, renewed interest and requests from the community prompted St. Clair to revisit and update these lists, reintroducing them with both cherished and new selections of non-fiction literature from the 20th century.

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.

Sight & Sound’s Top Five Film Books

Sight & Sound Magazine (2010), 5 Books

Which are the best five books about film ever written? This was the question Sight & Sound asked 51 leading critics and writers – and a clear-cut top five emerged…

52 Award-Winning Titles Every Book Lover Should Read

Book (2021), 52 Books

This is a list from a book that the ALA, the American Library Association published. The ALA is a nonprofit organization based in the United States that promotes libraries and library education internationally. It is the oldest and largest library association in the world, with more than 57,000 members.

A Century in Books

First Things Magazine (2000), 19 Books

The editors of First Things Magazine, an influential journal of religion & public life, released this list back in 2000 when R. J. Neuhaus was editor-in-chief

Who voted?
There are 18 people who submitted books according to the article, and every person is named

The 50 Best Books of Literary Journalism

GQ (2021), 50 Books

In creating their list of the 50 best literary journalism books of the 21st century, GQ sought the opinions of an elite group of American journalists, including Pulitzer Prize, National Book Award, and National Magazine Award winners, as well as GQ contributors. These books, which range from explorations of significant events to deep dives into intriguing subjects, represent a form of journalism that combines meticulous reporting with the narrative depth of novels. The journalists who voted for these books considered them not only enjoyable but also significant in their ability to clarify and interpret contemporary and recent historical events, influencing other forms of art such as film and TV. The list, meant to update the canon of literary journalism, strictly features one book per author and excludes essay collections, focusing instead on works that fully articulate a single story or theme.

who voted?
the article says "we canvassed dozens and dozens of American journalists who do this kind of reporting and writing at the highest level. Among those we asked were winners of Pulitzer Prizes, National Book Awards, and National Magazine Awards, as well as a number of GQ contributors."

dozens of dozens is a lot. I am not sure I believe that. I am going to go with 36 unless someone knows of more specific details

A Response to David Handlin’s “One Hundred Best American Novels”

The American Scholar (2014), 101 Books

This is a contrasting list of One Hundred Best American Novels, 1770 to 1985 by author and feminist scholar Sandra M. Gilbert

I highly recommend reading her description of this list.

One Hundred Best American Novels, 1770 to 1985

The American Scholar (2014), 100 Books

This list is by David Handlin, posted by The American Scholar, the quarterly literary magazine of the Phi Beta Kappa Society, established as far back as 1932.

David Handlin is an American architect and architectural historian. He presents it as 'A reading enthusiast’s list' but reading the intro
suggests a fair amount of scholarship went into it. It is what you might call a respectable list of the 100 Best American Novels, 1770–1985.

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.

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.

100 Best Non-Fiction Books (in Translation) of the 20th Century … and Beyond

Counterpunch (2014), 146 Books

Jeffrey St. Clair and Alexander Cockburn lists the 100 best non-fiction books (in translation) of the 20th century. This list has way more books than 100. These guys can't count.

James Baldwin, The Book Lover: A Guide to the Best Reading (1910)

Book (1910), 150 Books

The Book Lover: A Guide To The Best Reading is a literary guidebook written by James Baldwin and first published in 1885. The book is a comprehensive guide to the best books and authors of the time, providing readers with an extensive list of recommended reading. Baldwin covers a wide range of genres, including poetry, fiction, drama, and essays, and offers insightful commentary on each work.

101 of the World's Greatest Books (1950)

101 of the World's Greatest Books (Book) (1950), 100 Books

101 of the World's Greatest Books by Spencer Armstrong, 1950 edition. I could not find much information about Spencer Armstrong.

Recommended Reading List for Students (China 2020)

Ministry of Education of the People's Republic of China (2020), 99 Books

This is the official recommended reading list of books for Students from the Ministry of Education of the People's Republic of China (2020)

John Lubbock, The Choice of Books (1896)

The Choice of Books (Book) (1896), 147 Books

The List that started it all. This is one of the very first "Greatest Books of All Time" lists and caused quite a stir back in it's day. Here's a good article about it: https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/books/features/sir-john-lubbock-the-book-list-literature-reading-godfather-mustread-listicle-a8320811.html

John Lubbock, 1st Baron Avebury, 4th Baronet, PC, DL, FRS, FRAI (30 April 1834 – 28 May 1913), known as Sir John Lubbock, 4th Baronet from 1865 until 1900, was an English banker, Liberal politician, philanthropist, scientist and polymath. Lubbock worked in his family company as a banker but made significant contributions in archaeology, ethnography, and several branches of biology. He coined the terms "Paleolithic" and "Neolithic" to denote the Old and New Stone Ages, respectively. He helped establish archaeology as a scientific discipline, and was influential in debates concerning evolutionary theory.

1,000 Books to Read Before You Die: A Life-Changing List

1,000 Books to Read Before You Die(Book) (2018), 969 Books

A list written by James Mustich, a bookseller, editor, and writer. Here's the publisher's description:

Celebrate the pleasure of reading and the thrill of discovering new titles in an extraordinary book that’s as compulsively readable, entertaining, surprising, and enlightening as the 1,000-plus titles it recommends.

Covering fiction, poetry, science and science fiction, memoir, travel writing, biography, children’s books, history, and more, 1,000 Books to Read Before You Die ranges across cultures and through time to offer an eclectic collection of works that each deserve to come with the recommendation, You have to read this. But it’s not a proscriptive list of the “great works”—rather, it’s a celebration of the glorious mosaic that is our literary heritage.

This is the Canon: Decolonize Your Bookshelves in 50 Books

This is the Canon(Book) (2021), 50 Books

This is from a book from Kadija Sesay, Deirdre Osborne, Joan Anim-Addo

The editors description is:

Upending our traditionally white-dominated 'to be read' piles, Joan Anim-Addo, Deirdre Osborne and Kadija Sesay push to the fore the voices and cultural perspectives that demand a place on everyone's shelves.

From literary giants such as Toni Morrison, Salman Rushdie and Chinua Achebe to recent Man Booker Prize winners Paul Beatty and Bernardine Evaristo, the novels recommended here are in turn haunting and lyrical; innovative and inspiring; edgy and poignant. They are books that reflect the wide and diverse experiences of people from around the world, of all backgrounds and all races. They are books that represent voices that have for too long been silenced or side-lined.

The description from the book's first 2 chapters:
Each title has been carefully chosen as a result of our commitment to diversify the traditional literary canon of novels and short stories available in the English language... It should be understood to mean this is a canon, neither replacing nor adding to what has existed previously, but one of many possible selections... Those who oppose or criticize the act of decolonization often fear contamination or a lowering of standards. To reassure readers, we are emphatically opposed to exalting books that are mediocre, or outside the possibility of literary success.

75 Books Every Woman Should Read

Jezebel (2008), 75 Books

Jezebel lists the 75 books every woman should read. Here's their description:

We started you off with 20 culled from our editors' suggestions, and you guys took the ball and ran with it. A few notes on the compendium of 75 that you helped us compile below. As we said in the original post, most of the extant rosters of must-read classics are full of old white dudes. So our list is going to be mostly women. Which doesn't mean there are not myriad male-written must-reads! A second note: we're aware that "The Lottery" and "A Good Man is Hard to Find" are short stories. We were referring to the eponymous books that contained those stories as well as several others. Finally, we're in no way implying that this is the final word in amazing, rich, edifying books for women, so please refrain from the "OMG I can't believe you morons forgot X," comments, mkay? The alive 75, in no particular order,after the jump!

The 100 Greatest Non-Fiction Books

The Guardian (2011), 100 Books

The Guardian's list of the greatest non-fiction books of all time. here's their description:

After keen debate at the Guardian's books desk, this is our list of the very best factual writing, organised by category, and then by date.

200 Books That Shaped 200 Years of Literature

The Center for Fiction (2021), 206 Books

Description from the site:

As an organization whose mission is to both reflect and advance the art of fiction, we’re honoring our 200th anniversary by looking back on how storytelling has evolved since then. We set forth to create a list of the 200 works of fiction that had the most impact on American readers, writers, and culture over these past two centuries... the help of a panel of writers associated with The Center: Mahogany L. Browne, Amina Cain, Alexander Chee, Kia Corthron, Michael Cunningham, Alvaro Enrigue, Neil Gaiman, Rigoberto Gonzalez, Kaitlyn Greenidge, Stephen King, Maaza Mengiste, Claire Messud, Jason Reynolds, Salman Rushdie, Esmeralda Santiago, Jonathan Santlofer, V. E. Schwab, Gary Shteyngart, Jane Smiley, Monique Truong, and De'Shawn Charles Winslow. Each author contributed five titles they wanted to be included... and The Center’s staff set to work on completing the list... after much anguish and debate, we present the 200 Books That Shaped 200 Years of Literature

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 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.

The 13 Best Science Books for the General Reader

The Guardian (2015), 13 Books

Steven Weinberg, The Nobel laureate, lists his 13 best science books for the general reader

A Science Canon (Ian McEwan)

The Guardian (2006), 15 Books

Thirty years ago, Richard Dawkins published his groundbreaking book The Selfish Gene. Ian McEwan argues that it is part of a long history of literary science writing, in which the pursuit of truth and the excitement of new ideas is conveyed in luminous prose

Best Philosophy Books of All Time

Fivebooks (2024), 18 Books

Fivebooks interviewed hundreds of philosophers, these are the philosophy books that come up again and again

There seems to be 68 philosophers they interviewed in making this list.
A C Grayling, A N Wilson, Adrian Moore, Andrew Copson, Andrew Hui, Anil Seth, Anne Heller, Anthony Gottlieb, Arash Abizadeh, Arthur Ammann, Bryan Van Norden, Brink Lindsey, Catherine Conybeare, Carlos Eire, Carlos Fraenkel, Christian B Miller, Chris Kutarna, Claire Fox, Daniel A. Bell, Dallas Denery, Donna Dickenson, Edward Skidelsky, Emily Thomas, Emrys Westacott, Esi Edugyan, Graham Oppy, Jamie Lombardi, Jenny Davidson, Jonathan Glover, Jonathan Powell, Jonathan Sumption, Jonathan Wolff, Julian Baggini, Keith Frankish, Kenneth Bartlett, Kathryn Schulz, Laura Dassow Walls, Luciano Floridi, Mark Bloomfield, Mark Peterson, Mary Fulbrook, Mary Warnock, Melissa Lane, Michael Gervais, Michael Peel, Michael Puett, Nigel Warburton, Nick Clegg, Paula Fredriksen, Peregrine Worsthorne, Peter Singer, Philip Davis, Rebecca Goldstein, Richard Harries, Robert Kelsey, Robert McCrum, Roman Krznaric, Sarah Bakewell, Simon Blackburn, Simon Critchley, Simon Yarrow, Stephen Breyer, Susan Blackmore, Susan Jacoby, Timothy Garton Ash, Timothy Stanton, Tim Crane, Ursula Martin

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

72 Philosophy Books Everyone Should Read

The Institute of Art and Ideas (2018), 77 Books

The Institute of Art and Ideas asked experts across the philosophy discipline to put together a list of their recommended philosophy books that everyone should read.