Top 100 Works in World Literature

Norwegian Book Clubs, with the Norwegian Nobel Institute (2002), 102 Books

The editors of the Norwegian Book Clubs, with the Norwegian Nobel Institute, polled a panel of 100 authors from 54 countries on what they considered the “best and most central works in world literature.” Among the authors polled were Milan Kundera, Doris Lessing, Seamus Heaney, Salman Rushdie, Wole Soyinka, John Irving, Nadine Gordimer, and Carlos Fuentes. The list of 100 works appears alphabetically by author. Although the books were not ranked, the editors revealed that Don Quixote received 50% more votes than any other book.

'The perfect library': the 196 books selected by 133 personalities

XLSemanal and Zenda (2020), 195 Books

XLSemanal and Zenda asked 133 people who are in one way or another connected to the world of literature what is the "perfect library"

El Pais Favorite Books of 100 Spanish Authors

El Pais (2008), 150 Books

El Pais ran A Poll of 100 Spanish Authors and Their Favorite Books. This is summary of all the books

The 100 Best Books of World Literature

ABC.es (2018), 100 Books

Explore the collective wisdom of fifty writers, critics, and cultural figures in "The 100 Best Books of World Literature." This list, curated through the literary preferences of these esteemed contributors, celebrates the towering achievements of classic authors who have profoundly shaped the world's literary landscape. Classic works overwhelmingly dominate this selection, underscoring their enduring influence and the lesser prominence of contemporary writers in this esteemed roundup. Dive into this essential guide to the foundational texts that continue to inspire, challenge, and enlighten readers across the globe.

experts who voted:
Pilar Adón, Andrés Amorós, Gabriel Albiac, Fernando Aramburu, José Manuel Caballero Bonald, Ernesto Caballero, Luis Alberto de Cuenca, Pablo D’Ors, Luis Mateo Díez, Diego Doncel, Serafín Fanjul, Laura Ferrero, Rodrigo Fresán, José Luis Garci, Juan Ignacio García Garzón, Pedro G. Cuartango, Arturo García Ramos, Carlos García Santa Cecilia, Alicia Giménez Bartlett, Miguel Ángel Hernández, Andrés Ibáñez, Eduardo Jordá, Juan Ángel Juristo, Luis Landero, Manuel Lucena Giraldo, Juan Malpartida, Inés Martín Rodrigo, Eduardo Martínez de Pisón, Elena Medel, José María Merino, César Antonio Molina, Mercedes Monmany, Javier Moscoso, Alejandro Palomas, Arturo Pérez-Reverte, Juan Manuel de Prada, José María Pozuelo Yvancos, Rafael Reig, Laura Revuelta, Elvira Roca Barea, Fernando R. Lafuente, Pilar Rubio Remiro, Ignacio Sánchez Cámara, Marina Sanmartín, Ana Santos Aramburo, Jaime Siles, Lorenzo Silva, Berta Vias Mahou, Enrique Vila-Matas y Manuel Vilas.

The 100 Best Books from 1900 to the Present

Yedioth Ahronoth (2024), 102 Books

More than 100 Israeli writers, critics, editors, translators and scholars each submitted a personal Top‑10 of books published since 1900. Using a simple points system (10 pts for a first‑place vote, 9 pts for second, etc.) the culture desk of Yedioth Ahronoth aggregated the ballots into a master list, yielding 101 titles—expanded to 102 lines because Samuel Beckett’s “trilogy” was counted as its three component novels.

The result is a canon‑snapshot that leans heavily on world literature (≈90 translated works, 40 of them from English) yet still includes modern Hebrew landmarks. Only eight poetry collections and 27 books by women made the cut—figures that echo 20th‑century publishing realities. Curator Elad Zeret frames the project as “an anchor in rough seas,” a reminder that reading and storytelling outlast any moment of upheaval, and invites readers to craft and share their own Top‑10s.

Biblioteca

Argentina (2008), 41 Books

38 Argentinean Authors were polled by the Argentinean government for their favorite books. This is a tally of all books with more than 1 vote.

100 Great Narrative Nonfiction Books

The Electric Typewriter (2013), 144 Books

This list, titled "100 Great Narrative Nonfiction Books," is a curated selection of essential narrative nonfiction works, including essay collections, classic journalism, and memoirs. The purpose is to provide readers with a comprehensive guide to some of the most compelling and insightful nonfiction writing across various themes such as memoir, writing, language, travel, sport, art, culture, and more. Curated by the website "tetw.org," the list appears to be compiled by expert editors rather than public voting, focusing on works that are influential, critically acclaimed, or have enduring relevance. The methodology for selection is not explicitly detailed, but it suggests a focus on the quality and impact of the writing rather than popularity or sales figures.

The Top 10: The Greatest Books of All Time

The Top 10 (Book) (2007), 103 Books

The Top 10 book chosen by 125 top writers from the book "The Top 10" edited by J. Peder Zane.

1001 Books You Must Read Before You Die

The Book (2006), 1001 Books

A book edited by Peter Boxall, and written by over 100 hundred international critics.

For The Love of Books

For The Love of Books (1999), 95 Books

Ronald Schwartz polled 115 major writers about their favorite books, and published each of their ballots in the book “For the Love of Books”. The book does list every single one of the major writers.

The 100 Best Non-Fiction Books of the Century

National Review (2005), 100 Books

The 100 best non-fiction books of all time judged by a panel of historians, authors, publishers, and experts for the National Review Magazine.

voters:
Richard Brookhiser, NR senior editor; David Brooks, senior editor of The Weekly Standard; Christopher Caldwell, senior writer at The Weekly Standard; Robert Conquest, historian; David Gelernter, writer and computer scientist; George Gilder, writer; Mary Ann Glendon, professor at Harvard Law School; Jeffrey Hart, NR senior editor; Mark Helprin, novelist; Arthur Herman, author of The Idea of Decline in Western History; John Keegan, military historian; Michael Kelly, editor of National Journal; Florence King, author of Confessions of a Failed Southern Lady; Michael Lind, journalist and novelist; John Lukacs, historian; Adam Meyerson, vice president at the Heritage Foundation; Richard John Neuhaus, editor-in-chief of First Things; John O’Sullivan, NR editor-at-large; Richard Pipes, historian; Abigail Thernstrom, senior fellow at the Manhattan Institute; Stephan Thernstrom, historian; James Q. Wilson, author of The Moral Sense.

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.

222 Best Books of All Time That Deserve a Spot on Your Bookshelf, With Picks from Bestselling Authors and Indie Booksellers

Parade (2024), 222 Books

This list is a collection of 222 notable fiction books curated to provide a diverse and inclusive representation of the best books across various genres, including picture books, romances, fantasies, westerns, young adult novels, mysteries, and classics. The selection criteria emphasized diversity in types, ensuring representation of works that are both timeless and contemporary. The list was curated by soliciting recommendations from thirty-three acclaimed and best-selling authors, as well as input from indie bookstore staff members across the country. Additionally, insights from popular reader sites like Goodreads were considered to gauge public interest and preferences. The methodology highlights a collaborative approach, valuing both expert opinions and community preferences, striving to create a rich and enjoyable resource for readers.

Fifty French Writers Choose Their Favorite 10 Books

On en garde 10 ! Pour la littérature (2022), 51 Books

Drawn from a festive project led by France’s independent booksellers for World Book Day 2022, this list distills the passionate recommendations of 50 celebrated French writers—each of whom revealed ten works from their personal “literary pantheon.” We kept only those titles that surfaced at least twice, capturing the books that spark a rare, collective resonance across their diverse reading lives. The result is a compact canon of masterpieces that, in the writers’ own words, nourish imagination, shake off clichés, and illuminate the craft of fiction itself. Think of it as an invitation to board a “timeless caravel,” guided by authors past and present, where every book has already lit more than one creative mind on fire—and is now poised to kindle yours.

Who Voted
50 named french authors

Best Foreign Work of Fiction Chosen by Francophone Writers

French literary magazine Transfuge (2006), 132 Books

The French literary magazine Transfuge asked a group of francophone writers to pick their best foreign work of fiction.

The authors polled are: Pierre Assouline, Frédéric Beigbeder, Nina Bouraoui, Michel Butor, Eric Chevillard, Claro, Charles Dantzig, Jacques Darras, Florence Delay, Jean-Paul Dubois, Eric Faye, Alain Finkielkraut, Eric Fottorino, Jérôme Garcin, Régis Jauffret, Jacques Julliard, Philippe Labro, Linda Lê, Gilles Lipovetsky, Richard Morgiève, Marie Ndiaye, Claude Pirotte, Lydie Salvayre, Jean-François Sirinelli, Alain-Gérard Slama, Phillipe Sollers, Tzvetan Todorov, Michel Tournier

The 25 Favorite Books of 100 Francophone Writers

Telerama (2009), 26 Books

This list explores the favorite books of 125 French-speaking writers, curated by Nathalie Crom and published by Télérama. The selection was based on asking these writers to choose their ten favorite books, not as a scientific survey but to gain insights into the literary influences shaping contemporary French and Francophone writers' identities. The methodology involved compiling these choices into a list that reflects both well-known classics and lesser-known works, without restricting selections by linguistic criteria. The list reveals a preference for modernist authors and novels, highlighting a diversity of over 300 titles, and emphasizing the novel's prominence in the authors' personal canons. The project appears to be conceived as a cultural reflection rather than a statistically rigorous study, and it coincided with the Paris Book Fair, suggesting a context of literary celebration and exploration.

Pour une Bibliothèque Idéale

Raymond Queneau (1956), 111 Books

"In the early 1950s Raymond Queneau asked several dozen French authors and critics to list the hundred books they would choose if they had to limit themselves to that number. He reproduced all their responses in the book Pour une Bibliothèque Idéale (Gallimard, 1956), along with the overall top 100 list reproduced above."

Who voted? There were 40 authors and critics who responded
Raymond Abellio – Jean Anouilh – Marcel Arland – Alexandre Arnoux – Jacques Audiberti – Gaston Bachelard – Gérard Bauer – Hervé Bazin – Yvon Belaval – André Berry – André Billy – Henri Bosco – André Breton – Pierre Brisson – Blaise Cendrars – Paul Claudel – Jean Cocteau – Louis-René des Forêts – André Dhotel – Roland Dorgelès – Bernard Dorival – Marcel Duhamel – Raymond Dumay – Georges Dumézil – Paul Éluard – Lucien Fabre – Maurice Garçon – Georges Huisman – Georges Izard – Marcel Jouhandeau – Daniel-Henry Kahnweiler – Joseph Kessel – Valéry Larbaud – Michel Leiris – Léon Lemonnier – Marguerite Liberaki – Armand Lunel – Pierre Mac Orlan – André Maurois – Jean Meckert – Robert Merle – Henry Miller – Marianne Moore – Paul Morand – Maurice Nadeau – Brice Parain – Jean Paulhan – Benjamin Péret – Gaëtan Picon – Francis Poulenc – Frédéric Prokosch – Raymond Queneau – Jean Rostand – Denis de Rougemont – Jules Roy – Armand Salacrou – Georges Simenon – Jules Supervielle – Edmond Vermeil

The 50 best books of the past 100 years

The Times (2022), 51 Books

On the 100th anniversary of Ulysses, our jury of authors and critics picked the finest novels published since Joyce’s classic — and readers picked the 51st. Here's who voted:

● Kamila Shamsie is the author of Home Fire, which won the Women’s Prize.
● David Nicholls is the author of One Day and Starter for Ten.
● Aminatta Forna has written four novels, including Happiness.
● John Carey is chief literary critic of The Sunday Times. He has been reviewing in these pages for 50 years.
● Sarah Waters has written six novels, including Fingersmith.
● Sebastian Faulks is the author of 17 novels, including Birdsong.
● Anne Enright has written seven novels, including her Booker-winning The Gathering.
● Megan Nolan wrote Acts of Desperation.
● Peter Kemp is chief fiction reviewer for The Sunday Times.
● Colm Tóibín has written ten novels, including Brooklyn.
● Claire Lowdon is a novelist and literary critic.
● Yiyun Li writes short stories and novels, including A Thousand Years of Good Prayers.
● David Mitchell is the author of Cloud Atlas.
● Johanna Thomas-Corr is a journalist and literary critic.
● Diana Evans is the award-winning author of Ordinary People.
● Carys Davies is the author of West and The Mission House.

Finest Works of Fiction

Martin Seymour-Smith and Editors (1980), 55 Books

In Novels and Novelists, A Guide to the World of Fiction (1980) Seymour-Smith and the other contributors selected about 55 works of fiction as receiving full marks on the four criteria used for evaluation: Readability, Characterization, Plot, and Literary Merit. These represent, for the contributors, the finest works of fiction that have been written.

The Great American Novels

The Atlantic (2024), 136 Books

This list is an exploration of the 'Great American Novel' concept, aiming to define a new American literary canon by identifying significant novels published in the United States over the past 100 years. The selection criteria focused on literary works that offer intriguing insights and are written with distinctive, artful prose. Curated by The Atlantic, the list involved contributions from a diverse group of experts, including scholars, critics, and novelists. The methodology emphasized comprehensiveness, rigor, and open-mindedness, leading to a final selection of 136 novels. These novels were chosen not only for their enduring impact but also to highlight the unexpected and overlooked, reflecting the evolving American literary landscape amid contemporary challenges such as censorship and anti-intellectualism.

The Best Books of All Time, as Chosen by the Good Housekeeping Team

Good Housekeeping (2020), 20 Books

The Good Housekeeping team have all the picked their top read - the one they would happily read, again and again.

The Bigger Read List

English PEN (2003), 160 Books

The English PEN staff compiled a list of the best works not written in the English language. This list combines their list with the suggestions made by Fred Armentrout, President of Hong Kong (English-Speaking) PEN.

who voted and how many people voted?
Best estimate:
Core curators: ~7 English PEN staff
Member contributors: on the order of 30–50 people (call-out responders)
Named external contributor: 1 (Fred Armentrout)
Total individuals who actually affected the list: ≈ 40–60

For this list Let's assume 40 people voted

25 acclaimed international writers choose 25 of the best books from the last 25 years

Wasafiri Magazine (2013), 23 Books

The 25 books were chosen by 25 respected names in international writing, many of whom have contributed over the years to Wasafiri magazine, including Indra Sinha, Blake Morrison and Fred D’Aguiar.

Note: I don't think the voters understood "the last 25 years" bit. There are many books that are much much older. Also this list is 23 books and not 25, since 3 authors picked 100 Years of Solitude

A Premature Attempt at the 21st Century Canon

Vulture (2018), 100 Books

A panel of critics tells us what belongs on a list of the 100 most important books of the 2000s … so far.

here's a list of the voters:

Alice Bolin, essayist
Sloane Crosley, author, most recently of Look Alive Out There
Molly Fischer, senior editor, the Cut
John Freeman, author, editor of Freeman’s
Dagoberto Gilb, author of several short-story collections
Mark Greif, author, Against Everything
Lidija Haas, New Books columnist, Harper’s
Edward Hart, senior editor, New York
Michiko Kakutani, former chief book critic, the New York Times
Hillary Kelly, critic and essayist
Dan Kois, editor of the Slate Book Review
Maris Kreizman, book critic and essayist
Laura Lippman, crime novelist
Christian Lorentzen, book critic, New York
Tom Lutz, editor-in-chief, Los Angeles Review of Books
Wyatt Mason, contributing writer, The New York Times Magazine
Heller McAlpin, book reviewer for the Washington Post, NPR, and others
Laura Miller, books and culture columnist, Slate
Eileen Myles, poet
Sarah Nicole Prickett, critic for Artforum, Bookforum, et al.
Nathaniel Rich, author, most recently, of King Zeno
Jess Row, novelist and critic
Luc Sante, critic and author of Low Life
Nikil Saval, co-editor, n+1
Lila Shapiro, culture journalist
Christine Smallwood, critic and writer
Adam Sternbergh, contributing editor, New York
Kate Tuttle, president, National Book Critics Circle
David Velasco, editor-in-chief, Artforum
Oscar Villalon, editor and critic
Sarah Weinman, author, The Real Lolita
Thomas Chatterton Williams, contributing writer, The New York Times Magazine

Books of the Century

The Age (Newspaper) (1999), 26 Books

The Age, a major newspaper Melbourne, Victoria asked around 30 authors/critics/experts what their favorite book of the century was. Note, some authors did not understand the question and picked books written in the 1700s

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

January Magazine (2000), 17 Books

Literary publication January Magazine polled writers for their favorite works of 20th century fiction. These were the most mentioned books. There were 48 authors polled. This particular list is every book that got more than 2 votes.

There is an honorable mention list that has the rest of the books that can be found here: https://thegreatestbooks.org/lists/1045

The New York Public Library's Books of the Century

New York Public Library (1996), 175 Books

The following is a complete list of the titles included in the exhibition Books of the Century at The New York Public Library's Center for the Humanities, May 20, 1995-July 13, 1996, and in The New York Public Library's Books of the Century, published by Oxford University Press.

who voted?
there is a list of the librarians (named) in the actual book - about 32 of them

A celebration of the NYPL's centenary. The books were selected by public service and research librarians

Daily Telegraph's 100 Books of the Century, 1900-1999

Daily Telegraph (1999), 96 Books

The Daily Telegraph asked 100 contributors/authors/experts to choose 1 book as their favorite or most notable book of the last 100 years (1900-1999). This list was originally published in the newspaper

30 Books Every Adult Should Read Before They Die

The British Museums, Libraries, and Archives Society (2006), 30 Books

The list of books recommended by Britain's librarians as must-reads before one dies was compiled through a World Book Day poll by the Museum, Libraries and Archives Council (MLA). Librarians across the country were asked to select books they believe every adult should read, culminating in a diverse selection that highlights both classic literature and contemporary favorites. The initiative reflects the insights of librarians who, through their professional experience and personal tastes, guide readers towards works that are not only culturally significant but also enriching on a personal level. This endeavor underscores the value of librarian recommendations in navigating the vast world of literature, offering a blend of historical importance, narrative excellence, and thematic depth across various genres and eras.

Who voted?
Although they do not list the count of the number of voters, based on the fact that the lowest ranked book got 1 vote, we can deduce a max of 120 people voted, or a min of 40. I am going to go with 40 voters.

100 Books to Read from Eastern Europe and Central Asia

New East Digital Archive (2021), 100 Books

Experimental fiction, literary classics, searing historical accounts, and forgotten memoirs: the breadth of literature from across the post-communist world — much of it still untranslated — stands as testament to centuries of human experience in a region marked by political turmoil and extraordinary resilience. We asked writers, poets, translators, and academics to help us pick 100 of the best books from Central and Eastern Europe, Russia, and Central Asia available in English. From Belgrade to Bishkek, these remarkable works of literature span across cultures, borders, and time.

35 experts voted on this list: Yuri Andrukhovych, Francesca Ebel, Boris Dralyuk, Alina Purcaru, Caroline Eden, Yuliya Komska, Hannah Weber, Matthew Janney, Yelena Moskovich, Lidija Dimkovska, Manjola Nasi, Sarah Young, Paula Erizanu, Culture Editor, Isaac Stackhouse Wheeler, Jennifer Wilson, Elena Goukassian, Will Mawhood, Daniel Petrick, Anastasiia Fedorova, Madeleine Nosworthy, Marketing Coordinator, Natalia Antonova, Valzhyna Mort, Zinovy Zinik, Ainsley Morse, Anastasia Gavrilovici, Katie Marie Davies, Features Editor, Andrej Pleterski, Lucia de la Torre, Hamid Ismailov, Robert Chandler, Nadia Beard, Radu Vancu

The 25 Masterpieces of World Literature That Will Define the 21st Century

Télérama (2025), 25 Books

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.

This particular list is 1-25
25-150~ will be in a followup honorable mention list:

Arts: The Critics' Century 1900-2000

The Observer (Newspaper) (1999), 39 Books

The original article, "Arts: The Critics' Century 1900-2000," posed the question, "What would you take with you from this millennium to the next?" to a group of notable individuals in the arts, inviting them to choose significant works that they couldn't imagine leaving behind. The full feature includes a diverse array of art forms, not limited to literature, covering pieces across mediums like visual art, music, and film. Here, however, only books and plays are listed from the original compilation. This list is ranked. The books mentioned the most are ranked the highest.

The selection represents contributions from well-known figures in literature, journalism, music, politics, and criticism, chosen for their prominent roles and influence in British arts and media. This distinguished group of voters includes: Dani Behr, David Lodge, Tracey Emin, David Bailey, Bobby Baker, Lynn Barber, Julie Burchill, Brenda Maddox, Fergal Keane, Joseph Corré, Margaret Forster, Will Self, Philip French, Deborah Moggach, Julie Myerson, Fiona Maddocks, Michael Arditti, Andrew Motion, Carol Shields, Rabbi Lionel Blue, Neil Spencer, Barbara Trapido, Malcolm Bradbury, Teresa Gorman, and Susannah Clapp.

This unique selection of critics and artists provides an eclectic view of the books and plays deemed essential for future generations. The list captures not only literary classics but also the perspectives of influential voices from the past century.

The 100 Greatest British Novels

BBC (2015), 104 Books

This list, titled "The 100 Greatest British Novels," aims to provide an outsider's perspective on the best British literature by exclusively polling 82 book critics from outside the UK, curated by BBC Culture contributor Jane Ciabattari. The selection criteria focused on novels only, excluding nonfiction, plays, poems, and short story collections, and required the authors to be British. Each critic submitted a ranked list of 10 novels, with their top choice receiving 10 points, which were then totaled to determine the final ranking. The listing reflects a global perspective, drawing on critics from diverse regions including the United States, Europe, Australia, Africa, Asia, India, and the Middle East, comprising both literary scholars and active book reviewers from reputable publications. In total, 228 novels were nominated, from which the top 100 were selected based on the points system.

The 21st Century's 12 Greatest Novels

BBC (2015), 20 Books

What are the greatest novels of the opening years of this tumultuous century? In search of a collective critical assessment, BBC Culture contributor Jane Ciabattari polled several dozen book critics, including The New York Times Book Review’s Parul Sehgal, Time magazine's book editor Lev Grossman, Newsday book editor Tom Beer, Bookslut founder Jessa Crispin, C Max Magee, founder of The Millions, Booklist's Donna Seaman, Kirkus Reviews' Laurie Muchnick and many more. We asked each to name the best novels published in English since 1 January 2000. The critics named 156 novels in all, and based on the votes these are the top 12.

*Note
Although it says 12, they list more

Who voted? It says "several dozen" people and lists a few by name. I am going to go with 36

Harenberg Buch der 1000 Bücher

Harenberg Buch der 1000 Bücher (2005), 1065 Books

The Book of 1000 Books is a reading canon of literary works, edited by Joachim Kaiser and compiled with the assistance of a team of authors. The book was published by the Dortmund-based Harenberg-Verlag . It contains summaries and further information on works from the entire history of literature. These include novels , plays , novellas , non-fiction books , travelogues , and children's books . It is arranged alphabetically by author and, due to various editions, contains up to 1070 books.

The publisher never printed a full roster of everyone who worked on Das Buch der 1000 Bücher, but contemporary blurbs for the 3rd (2005) and earlier editions all give the same headline figure: roughly 150 contributors (“Mitarbeiter”) supplied the individual write-ups that editor Joachim Kaiser curated into the final canon.

The 100 Best Novels Of All Time In English

The Guardian (2026), 100 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.

Världsbiblioteket (The World Library)

Tidningen Boken (1991), 100 Books

Världsbiblioteket (The World Library) was a Swedish list of the 100 best books in the world, made in 1991 by the Swedish literary magazine Tidningen Boken. The list was compiled through votes from members of the Svenska Akademien, Swedish Crime Writers' Academy, librarian, authors and others. Approximately 30 of the books were Swedish.

There's not an exact count of the number of contributors or voters, research has shown that there were at least 250 voters.

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

Africa's 100 Best Books of the 20th Century

Zimbabwe International Book Fair (2002), 100 Books

To mark the beginning of the 21st century, and encouraged by Professor Ali Mazrui, the Zimbabwe International Book Fair launched the international compilation of "Africa's 100 Best Books." This project was organized in collaboration with the African Publishers Network (APNET), the Pan-African Booksellers Association (PABA), African writers' associations, book development councils, and library associations.

Nominations were sought throughout the African continent and internationally. A comprehensive list of all nominations was published at the ZIBF in August 2001 and during the course of the following year regional panels compiled their own short lists of 100 best books. Closing date for nominations was 30 September 2001.

A jury made the final decision from the short list and the final list of "Africa's 100 Best Books" was announced on February 18, 2002.

The Best Translated Fiction

The Booker Prize (2024), 17 Books

The Booker Prize asked the authors and translators longlisted for the International Booker Prize 2024 to recommend their favourite works of global fiction that have been translated into English

Who voted?
17 people voted and they are listed in the article

Children's Literature Association's Eleven Best American Children's Books Of The Past 200 Years

Children's Literature Association (1976), 11 Books

These selections are the result of a 1975-1976 survey of members of the Children's Literature Association, an international group of librarians, teachers, authors and publishers. The list includes the suggested readers' age range for each book.

the Dutch Literary Canon in 100 Works

dbnl (2002), 121 Books

This list was compiled by the Digitale Bibliotheek voor de Nederlandse Letteren (dbnl) through a survey conducted among members of the Maatschappij der Nederlandse Letterkunde (Society for Dutch Literature), which includes a representative group of literary scholars, historians, writers, publishers, and publicists. The survey aimed to identify the most valuable and representative works in Dutch literature over time, effectively forming a Dutch literary canon. Participants were asked to nominate authors and titles they considered classics, as well as to highlight any unjustly forgotten works. Out of 1,485 questionnaires sent, 299 responses were received. The results revealed that Multatuli emerged as the most canonical author, particularly for his work "Max Havelaar", which frequently occupied the top position. Medieval literature was also well represented in the list, while the 18th century received comparatively less attention. The survey highlights ongoing discussions about the Dutch literary canon and emphasizes the importance of promoting Dutch literary heritage, with recommendations to make classic texts more accessible through modern media and education.

* Note: I removed a couple of items on this list because they were not books. There were songs

The 50 best New Zealand books of the past 50 years

Spinoff (2018), 50 Books

To mark the Ockham New Zealand national book awards 50th Anniversary; the Spinoff asked 50 experts – authors, publishers, academics, booksellers – to name the very best New Zealand books published from 1968 - 2018.

The 50 best French language books from 1900 to today

Le Temps (2019), 69 Books

A jury of 50 people – journalists, booksellers, librarians, professors, heads of literary institutions and festivals from French-speaking Switzerland – established the list of literary masterpieces of the 20th and 21st centuries.

The list takes into account only literature written in French, whether from France, Switzerland, Belgium, Canada, Africa or Asia, or elsewhere, since the choice of a writing language is also made according to travels and exiles, as for Samuel Beckett or Agota Kristof, two authors very well placed in the ranking.

Books Of The Century

Library Journal (1999), 150 Books

Books Of The Century, as nominated and voted on by the readers of Library Journal.

Library Journal is an American trade publication for librarians. It was founded in 1876 by Melvil Dewey. It reports news about the library world, emphasizing public libraries, and offers feature articles about aspects of professional practice. It also reviews library-related materials and equipment.

How many people voted?
if you look at the internet archive version of the website from 1999 https://web.archive.org/web/19990209152223/http://www.bookwire.com/ljdigital/roundups/hundredbest.htm

it says "hundreds" voted, so I am going to go with 200

A Canonical List: 100 Romanian Books of Prose in 100 Years (1918-2018)

României literare (2019), 100 Books

The magazine conducted a literary survey to compile a canonical list of the 100 most valuable and representative works of Romanian prose published between 1918 and 2018, including novels, memoirs, and journals. They invited 30 critics, reviewers, and literary historians to participate, asking them to select up to 100 titles each. Some participants listed fewer than 100 titles, while others exceeded this number. In total, 676 different titles were nominated, highlighting a wide range of preferences. Notably, 360 of these titles appeared only once across all the lists. The final selection focused on works that received between 7 and 30 nominations. The editors chose not to publish individual critics' choices or the number of nominations each title received. Instead of ranking the books, they organized the list in roughly chronological order based on the publication year of the selected works, using the earliest published book when authors had multiple entries. The project aimed to propose a canonical collection of Romanian prose from the specified period. The survey was conducted by Sorin Lavric and Cristian Pătrășconiu, with significant contributions from Roxana Chioseolu, who centralized and electronically organized the nominations.

The Main Works of Russian literature

Polka Academy (2018), 108 Books

These are books that left a mark on history, expanded the possibilities of literature, influenced the development of language, thought and society, reported something new about the world and man - and entered the Russian literary canon.

We turned to authoritative writers, literary scholars, publishers, critics, and teachers and offered to name any number of the most important, in their opinion, literary works (without specifying the criteria of importance).

From the website there are 55 experts that voted on the books on the list, and their names and bios are included

The 100 Best Books of Two Centuries of Modern Greek Literature (1813 – 2013)

BookPress.gr and the bookstore Politeia (2014), 95 Books

120 contemporary Greek writers choose the 100 best books of two centuries of Greek literature(1813 - 2013).

The authors were asked to rate the 20 books they rated as the best, always according to their reading preferences, their judgment of the influence they exerted, or other criteria that determined their choices. These books could include prose titles, novels or short stories, poetry collections (individual, collective or all) and plays.

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.

20 Best Chinese Non-Fiction Books of the 20th Century

Time Out Beijing (2015), 20 Books

Time Out Beijing's best Chinese non-fiction books of all time, as voted for by 24 Chinese literature experts, novelists, literary agents, publishers, editors, critics and journalists for their top book picks from the last 100 years, based on the following criteria:

- Available in English
- Published after 1900
- A book that illuminates some interesting aspect of Chinese society; historical or modern, observational or analytical, playful or scholarly; poignant and relevant to readers today".