100 Books, 100 Companions
This is one of the 759 lists we use to generate our main The Greatest Books list.
About this list
Zeit Online, 99 Books
The book list, curated by the editorial team of the German publication ZEIT, features 100 influential books categorized by themes such as Fear, Night, Sorrow, Lost, Sex, Identity, and Departure. Each book was chosen to provide readers with companionship and guidance through various stages and challenges of life.
The list includes a diverse range of works from world literature spanning different time periods and cultures.
Please visit the original list, because it's really well done. Alongside each book, there are texts including reviews and personal reflections from the authors, offering readers a deeper connection to the literary works. Each category in the list is designed to address a central life question or emotion, providing a comprehensive reading experience that reflects the human condition.
Note: This list contains 99 books. I double and triple checked. I am not sure where that 100th book went.
Who voted?
roughly 80–90 writers and critics fed suggestions into the process, while a three-person editorial core made the final call. The names of the critics are available.
This list was originally published in 2023 and was added to this site almost 2 years ago.