The Waste Land by T. S. Eliot
"The Waste Land" is a long poem that presents a bleak and despairing view of the world following the devastation of World War I. The poem is divided into five parts and uses a wide range of literary and cultural references, as well as multiple narrators, to depict a world in ruins. It explores themes of disillusionment, despair, and the decline of civilization, and is often considered a seminal work of modernist literature.
The 158th 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.
Total Points: 1307
This book was first published in 1922
15 Lists
- score: 148 -- Biblioteca - 2008 (Weight: 135)
- score: 137 -- El Pais Favorite Books of 100 Spanish Authors - 2008 (Weight: 135)
- score: 127 -- Daily Telegraph's 100 Books of the Century, 1900-1999 - 1999 (Weight: 127)
- score: 112 -- The Guardian's Essential Library - 2002 (Weight: 112)
- score: 105 -- The New York Public Library's Books of the Century - 1996 (Weight: 105)
- score: 86 -- The Celebrity Reading List - 2007 (Weight: 82)
- score: 80 -- 100 Essential Books - 2009 (Weight: 78)
- score: 78 -- The 100 Best Nonfiction Books of All Time - 2017 (Weight: 78)
- score: 78 -- Masterpieces of World Literature - 1991 (Weight: 78)
- score: 71 -- A Century of Reading - 2018 (Weight: 71)
- score: 67 -- Recommended Books - 2017 (Weight: 67)
- score: 63 -- How to Read Literature Like a Professor: A Reading List - 2003 (Weight: 63)
- score: 63 -- 110 Best Books: The Perfect Library - 2008 (Weight: 63)
- score: 63 -- The Graphic Canon - 2012 (Weight: 63)
- score: 26 -- Great Books of the Western World - 1990 (Weight: 26)