The Age of Innocence by Edith Wharton
Set in the 1870s, the novel revolves around Newland Archer, a young lawyer from New York's high society, who is engaged to the beautiful and conventional May Welland. His life takes a turn when he meets May's cousin, the Countess Ellen Olenska, who has returned from Europe after leaving her scandalous husband. Torn between his duty and passion, Archer struggles with the constraints of the society he is a part of. The book offers a vivid portrayal of the struggle between individual desires and societal expectations in the upper-class New York society of the late 19th century.
The 77th greatest book of all time
Ranking Details:
Our ranking system awards points to books based on their appearance and position on curated lists. Here's how it works:
Unranked Lists: For lists without specific rankings, each book receives points equivalent to the list's weight. This approach recognizes the book's inclusion on prestigious lists.
Ranked Lists: Books on ranked lists receive points in two ways:
- Base Points: Initially, every book is awarded points equal to the list's weight, acknowledging its significance.
- Bonus Points: Additionally, books earn bonus points based on their ranking. The total bonus pool, equal to 100% of the list's weight, is distributed among the books, with higher-ranked books receiving more points.
Exponential Distribution: The distribution of bonus points follows an exponential model. This means the top-ranked book (#1) receives significantly more bonus points than those further down the list (e.g., #100). Our algorithm ensures that higher placements are rewarded more generously, reflecting the achievement of a top rank on any given list.
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.
List Date Penalty Feature
In our continuous effort to provide the most accurate and fair rankings, we have introduced a new feature: the List Date Penalty. This feature aims to reduce recency bias in our rankings by applying a penalty to books based on their publication dates relative to the list's publication date.
How It Works
- Publication Date Comparison: For each book on a list, we compare its publication date to the publication date of the list.
-
Penalty Application:
- Maximum Penalty: If a book was published in the same year as the list, it receives the maximum penalty, as we believe it hasn't had enough time to stand the test of time.
- Proportional Penalty: Books that were published in the years leading up to the list's publication date receive a proportional penalty based on the number of years they have been available.
- No Penalty: Books that were published more than a specified number of years (max age for penalty) before the list's publication date do not receive any penalty, acknowledging their enduring relevance and influence.
Why This Matters
By mitigating recency bias, the List Date Penalty feature helps to ensure that books that have had more time to be evaluated by readers and critics are given their due weight. This results in a more equitable and historically balanced ranking that truly reflects the greatest books of all time.
Total Points: 3022
This book was first published in 1920
30 Lists
- score: 192 -- 1001 Books You Must Read Before You Die - 2006 (Weight: 192)
- score: 186 -- 'The perfect library': the 196 books selected by 133 personalities - 2020 (Weight: 184)
- score: 154 -- The Greatest Books of All Time - 2022 (Weight: 152)
- score: 152 -- 222 Best Books of All Time That Deserve a Spot on Your Bookshelf, With Picks from Bestselling Authors and Indie Booksellers - 2024 (Weight: 152)
- score: 152 -- 200 Books That Shaped 200 Years of Literature - 2021 (Weight: 152)
- score: 144 -- The New York Public Library's Books of the Century - 1996 (Weight: 144)
- score: 128 -- The New Lifetime Reading Plan - 1999 (Weight: 128)
- score: 123 -- Koen Book Distributors Top 100 Books of the Past Century - 1999 (Weight: 120)
- score: 120 -- Harvard Book Store Staff's Favorite 100 Books - 2011 (Weight: 120)
- score: 120 -- 100 Books to Read in a Lifetime - 2014 (Weight: 120)
- score: 118 -- The Celebrity Reading List - 2007 (Weight: 112)
- score: 116 -- The 100 Favorite Novels of Librarians - 1999 (Weight: 112)
- score: 114 -- Radcliffe's 100 Best Novels - 1998 (Weight: 112)
- score: 113 -- The Modern Library | 100 Best Novels - 1999 (Weight: 112)
- score: 112 -- 1000 Novels Everyone Must Read - 2009 (Weight: 112)
- score: 93 -- Entertainment Weekly's Top 100 Novels - 2013 (Weight: 92)
- score: 89 -- 100 Best Books to Read by Women Authors - 2021 (Weight: 88)
- score: 84 -- The Graphic Canon - 2012 (Weight: 84)
- score: 84 -- The Best Classics - 2006 (Weight: 84)
- score: 80 -- As if You Don't Have Enough to Read, Fiction Edition - 2011 (Weight: 80)
- score: 76 -- 100 Best Novels Written in English - 2015 (Weight: 76)
- score: 72 -- The Complete 500: OCLC - 2024 (Weight: 72)
- score: 72 -- 87 Books Written by Women That Are So Good, You Won't Be Able to Put Them Down - 2020 (Weight: 72)
- score: 68 -- The Novel 100: A Ranking of the Greatest Novels of All Time - 2004 (Weight: 68)
- score: 60 -- Harold Bloom's The Western Canon - 1994 (Weight: 60)
- score: 60 -- From Zero to Well-Read in 100 Books - 2013 (Weight: 60)
- score: 54 -- D. G. Myers’ 50 Greatest English Language Novels - 2009 (Weight: 52)
- score: 44 -- One Hundred Best American Novels, 1770 to 1985 - 2014 (Weight: 44)
- score: 28 -- 1,000 Books to Read Before You Die: A Life-Changing List - 2018 (Weight: 28)
- score: 7 -- Pulitzer Prize for Fiction - Yearly Book Award (Weight: 40)