Dracula by Bram Stoker
This classic horror novel tells the story of Count Dracula's attempt to move from Transylvania to England so that he may find new blood and spread the undead curse, and of the battle between Dracula and a small group of people led by Professor Abraham Van Helsing. The narrative is composed of journal entries, letters, and telegrams written by the novel's protagonists, providing different perspectives on the gruesome events unfolding. The book touches on themes of sexuality, gender roles, and the clash of modern science with traditional superstition.
The 78th 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: 2263
This book was first published in 1897
47 Lists
- score: 201 -- 222 Best Books of All Time That Deserve a Spot on Your Bookshelf, With Picks from Bestselling Authors and Indie Booksellers - 2024 (Weight: 190)
- score: 190 -- 1001 Books You Must Read Before You Die - 2006 (Weight: 180)
- score: 190 -- 'The perfect library': the 196 books selected by 133 personalities - 2020 (Weight: 190)
- score: 137 -- 100 Books You Must Read Before You Die - 2020 (Weight: 130)
- score: 127 -- Horror: The 100 Best Books - 1988 (Weight: 120)
- score: 121 -- The 100 Stories that Shaped the World - 2019 (Weight: 120)
- score: 116 -- 100 Life-Changing Books - 2006 (Weight: 110)
- score: 111 -- The Top 100 Mystery Novels of All Time - 1990 (Weight: 110)
- score: 110 -- 200 Books That Shaped 200 Years of Literature - 2021 (Weight: 110)
- score: 94 -- 1000 Novels Everyone Must Read - 2009 (Weight: 89)
- score: 72 -- Fantasy and Horror: A Critical and Historical Guide - 1999 (Weight: 60)
- score: 63 -- Nightmare Magazine's Top 100 Horror Books - 2013 (Weight: 60)
- score: 63 -- Horror Writer Association's Top 40 Horror Books of All Time - 1996 (Weight: 60)
- score: 61 -- Our Users' Top 100 Favorite Books of All Time - 2024 (Weight: 60)
- score: 60 -- What’s the Best Book of the Past 125 Years? We Asked Readers to Decide. - 2021 (Weight: 60)
- score: 55 -- The 50 Best Horror Novels of All Time - 2018 (Weight: 50)
- score: 54 -- 100 Must-Read Classics, as Chosen by our Readers - 2022 (Weight: 50)
- score: 53 -- 150 Great Reads - 1988 (Weight: 50)
- score: 51 -- The Big Read - 2003 (Weight: 50)
- score: 42 -- Inteliquest's World's 100 Greatest Books of All-Time - 1993 (Weight: 40)
- score: 42 -- The New York Public Library's Books of the Century - 1996 (Weight: 40)
- score: 42 -- Horror Literature: A Core Collection and Reference Guide - 1981 (Weight: 40)
- score: 34 -- Top 50 Irish Novels - 2003 (Weight: 30)
- score: 31 -- Harenberg Buch der 1000 Bücher - 2005 (Weight: 30)
- score: 30 -- Entertainment Weekly's Top 100 Novels - 2013 (Weight: 30)
- score: 30 -- The 500 best books of all time from Culture Café users - 2008 (Weight: 30)
- score: 21 -- The Great Books Podcast from John J. Miller - 2025 (Weight: 20)
- score: 11 -- Top 25 Pre-20th Century Classics - 2000 (Weight: 10)
- score: 10 -- Masterpieces of World Literature - 1991 (Weight: 10)
- score: 10 -- The 100 Greatest Novels - 2008 (Weight: 10)
- score: 1 -- The Complete 500: OCLC - 2024 (Weight: 1)
- score: 1 -- Top 100 Killer Thrillers - 2010 (Weight: 1)
- score: 1 -- Click If You Dare: 100 Favorite Horror Stories - 2018 (Weight: 1)
- score: 1 -- The 25 Greatest Horror Books Of All Time - 2024 (Weight: 1)
- score: 1 -- 500 Must Read Books - 2013 (Weight: 1)
- score: 1 -- 100 Main Fantasy and Science-Fiction Books - 2008 (Weight: 1)
- score: 1 -- The Books You've Always Meant to Read - 2020 (Weight: 1)
- score: 1 -- Harold Bloom's The Western Canon - 1994 (Weight: 1)
- score: 1 -- 100 Best Novels Written in English - 2015 (Weight: 1)
- score: 1 -- The Best Classics - 2006 (Weight: 1)
- score: 1 -- The 100 Greatest Books Ever Written - 1979 (Weight: 1)
- score: 1 -- 1,000 Books to Read Before You Die: A Life-Changing List - 2018 (Weight: 1)
- score: 1 -- How to Read Literature Like a Professor: A Reading List - 2003 (Weight: 1)
- score: 1 -- 50 Books to (Re-)Read at 50 - 2012 (Weight: 1)
- score: 1 -- Great Books - 2006 (Weight: 1)
- score: 1 -- Haycraft-Queen Cornerstones - 1955 (Weight: 1)
- score: 1 -- The Novel 100: A Ranking of the Greatest Novels of All Time - 2004 (Weight: 1)