The list below contains the top 7 best selling novels of all time.
Published in 1887 Published in 1754-1791 Published in 1939 Published in 1997 Published in 1943 Estimated sales: 140.6 million Estimated sales: 150 million Source:
Estimated sales: 100 million
Haggard’s book was insanely popular at the time of its release, and it remains popular even till today. She tells the story of Horace Holly and Leo Vincey, his ward, as they venture into a lost kingdom on African grounds. There, they discover a woman named Ayesha, who reigns over a primitive tribe as “She” or “She-who-must-be- obeyed.” She launched the Lost World craze that has been emulated by plenty of authors after its release.
Estimated sales: 100 million
Written during the reign of the Qing Dynasty, Dream of the Red Chamber is a semi-autobiographical work that depicts the rise and fall of the author’s own family, in a mirror to the Qing Dynasty. The book is highly appreciated for its impressive cast of characters, as well as for the in-depth presentation of 18th century China.
Estimated sales: 100 million
Agatha Christie is undoubtedly one of the world’s greatest authors, but her peak was definitely “And Then There Were None”. Initially published in the United Kingdom with the title Ten Little Niggers, it depicts an array of characters who have been summoned to a deserted island to pay for the various crimes they have committed, managing to elude justice. In turns, seemingly mirroring the nursery rhyme, all of them are killed off.
Estimated sales: 107 million
Although all of the books in the series are among the top twenty best selling books of all time, Philosopher’s Stone has sold the most copies. The tale is about a young boy who discovers he has magical powers and goes to attend the famed Hogwarts. Since its release, the book has won the hearts of hundreds of millions of people, including mine.
Estimated sales: 140 million
This children’s story was a worldwide phenomenon, but not just to its niche. It was highly praised for its philosophical undertones and the hidden messages intertwined with this unique tale. The Little Prince also managed to stand out through the remarkable achievement of being a bestseller despite its original language not being English. Although the manuscript was in French, it was published solely in English.
Published in 1937
Tolkien’s second most successful work has been in the top ten bestsellers for a while now, but the release of the movie adaptations boosted it straight to number two. Conceived as a children’s book, The Hobbit is a prequel to The Lord of the Rings in which we follow Bilbo Baggins, Gandalf, and a group of dwarves on their journey to recover their home from the infamous dragon Smaug.
Published in 1955
The Lord of the Rings established the fantasy genre as we know it and people have never grown tired of it. Unlike Harry Potter, though, The Lord of the Rings was intended to be a single volume, but this idea was dismissed by the publisher for economic reasons. Therefore, the book was split into three volumes, which together have sold 150 million copies worldwide since their release.
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