As I Lay Dying by William Faulkner
The narrative unfolds through the eyes of 15 different characters over 59 chapters. It is the story of the death of Addie Bundren and her poor, rural family's quest and motivations—noble or selfish—to honor her wish to be buried in her hometown of Jefferson, Mississippi. As the Bundren family undertakes a journey to fulfill Addie's last wish, they face many hardships and personal revelations. The novel explores themes of existentialism, death, and the nature of family relationships.
The 66th greatest book of all time
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This scoring system ensures that each book's ranking reflects both its presence on multiple lists and its positions within those lists, providing a comprehensive measure of its acclaim and popularity.
Since this book was first published in 1930, there is a penalty of 0%. The age adjusted score is 2518.0.
This is to prevent newer books from reaching super high on the ranked list of the greatest books of all time. The greatest books should also stand the test of time.
Total Points: 2518
This book was first published in 1930
30 Lists
- score: 151 -- The Top 10: The Greatest Books of All Time - 2007 (Weight: 150)
- score: 140 -- El Pais Favorite Books of 100 Spanish Authors - 2008 (Weight: 138)
- score: 133 -- The Ideal Library - 2024 (Weight: 129)
- score: 126 -- 200 Books That Shaped 200 Years of Literature - 2021 (Weight: 126)
- score: 126 -- 100 Life-Changing Books - 2006 (Weight: 126)
- score: 115 -- The 100 Best Novels of the 20th Century - 1999 (Weight: 114)
- score: 108 -- The 16 Greatest Books of All Time - 2008 (Weight: 99)
- score: 106 -- The Best Southern Novels of All Time - 2009 (Weight: 96)
- score: 99 -- The New Lifetime Reading Plan - 1999 (Weight: 99)
- score: 96 -- 1000 Novels Everyone Must Read - 2009 (Weight: 96)
- score: 96 -- Best Books Listed for High School Students - 1984 (Weight: 96)
- score: 94 -- Quintessential American Fiction, According to the Rest of the World - 2015 (Weight: 90)
- score: 87 -- Radcliffe's 100 Best Novels - 1998 (Weight: 84)
- score: 86 -- The Modern Library | 100 Best Novels - 1999 (Weight: 84)
- score: 84 -- Select 100 - 2015 (Weight: 84)
- score: 78 -- The 500 best books of all time from Culture Café users - 2008 (Weight: 78)
- score: 75 -- Masterpieces of World Literature - 1991 (Weight: 75)
- score: 66 -- The Complete 500: OCLC - 2024 (Weight: 66)
- score: 63 -- 50 Books to (Re-)Read at 50 - 2012 (Weight: 63)
- score: 63 -- 100 Best Novels Written in English - 2015 (Weight: 63)
- score: 57 -- The Novel 100: A Ranking of the Greatest Novels of All Time - 2004 (Weight: 57)
- score: 57 -- The 100 Greatest Novels - 2007 (Weight: 57)
- score: 57 -- The Book of Great Books: A Guide to 100 World Classics - 2001 (Weight: 57)
- score: 57 -- How to Read Literature Like a Professor: A Reading List - 2003 (Weight: 57)
- score: 57 -- How to Read and Why - 2000 (Weight: 57)
- score: 57 -- The 100 Greatest Novels of All Time: The List - 2003 (Weight: 57)
- score: 51 -- The College Board: 101 Great Books Recommended for College-Bound Readers - 2002 (Weight: 51)
- score: 51 -- Harold Bloom's The Western Canon - 1994 (Weight: 51)
- score: 39 -- 1,000 Books to Read Before You Die: A Life-Changing List - 2018 (Weight: 39)
- score: 39 -- The 80 Books Every Man Should Read - 2015 (Weight: 39)