Do You Know What Are The Most Read Books In The World?
All of us love to read a good book, but could you name the 10 most read books in the world? Over the last half century hundreds of thousands of books have been produced, but only a select few have become the most popular and most read books in the world. Here you will discover some of the greatest pieces of literary work by highly talented authors.
This is a list of the 10 most read books in the world over the last fifty years. The figures show the number of books printed and sold but does not take into account multiple readings of the same book.
There are a few book titles that have had more copies printed than some of these books, but a vast number of those books were not sold, which of course means that they did not get read.
Most Read Books Review
My name is James Chapman, I am your host at A Passion For Writing and I have compiled this list of the 10 Most Read Books In The World after completing a long project of research to establish exactly which are the most read books in the world.Over many years I have been a writer and avid reader of books, so it gave me great pleasure to undertake this task of the most read books review.
You will find in this list a varied array of subject matter, covering a considerable number of years of some truly talented author's work.
Some of the authors are no longer with us, but the majority are still producing their masterpieces for our ongoing delight.
In this modern fast paced world that we all now live in it is good to see that the enjoyment of reading is still firmly a part of our everyday activities.
Browse through the most read books review and if there are any books that you have not read, but would like to, just click and buy.
Then you can sit back in a comfortable chair with a full glass and do your own personal review of some wonderful literature.
Enjoy your reading.
Number Ten Most Read Book
Hitchhikers Guide to The Galaxy - 17 Million Copies
Hitchhikers Guide to The Galaxy
The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, 25th Anniversary Edition
Avg. Customer Rating: 
Amazon Price: $10.20 (as of 11/20/2009) 
The Ultimate Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy
Avg. Customer Rating: 
Amazon Price: $13.60 (as of 11/20/2009)
The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Primary Phase (Original BBC Radio Series)
Avg. Customer Rating:
Amazon Price: $16.47 (as of 11/20/2009)
Number Nine Most Read Book
Diary of Anne Frank - 27 Million Copies
Diary of Anne Frank
Anne Frank: Diary of a Young Girl - Student Packet by Novel Units, Inc
Avg. Customer Rating:
Amazon Price: $12.99 (as of 11/20/2009)
Number Eight Most Read Book
Think and Grow Rich - 30 Million Copies
Think and Grow Rich
Think and Grow Rich: The Landmark Bestseller--Now Revised and Updated for the 21st Century
Avg. Customer Rating:
Amazon Price: $8.00 (as of 11/20/2009)
Number Seven Most Read Book
Gone With the Wind - 33 Million Copies
Gone With the Wind
The novel won the coveted Pulitzer Prize and was adapted into a film of the same name that won an Academy Award.
Number Six Most Read Book
Twilight - The Saga - 43 Million Copies
Twilight - The Saga
She says 'First, he was a vampire. Second, there was a part of him that thirsted for my blood. And third, I was unconditionally and irrevocably in love with him'.
Breaking Dawn (The Twilight Saga, Book 4)
Avg. Customer Rating: 
Amazon Price: $9.50 (as of 11/20/2009)
Number Five Most Read Book
The Da Vinci Code - 57 Million Copies
The Da Vinci Code
He discovers an intriguing possibility that Jesus Christ may have been married to Mary Magdalene and fathered a child with her. The Da Vinci Code has been made into a movie starring Tom Hanks.
Number Four Most Read Book
Lord of the Rings - 103 Million Copies
Lord of the Rings
The Lord of the Rings has been made into a film trilogy that consists of three live action fantasy epic films; The Fellowship of the Ring, The Two Towers and The Return of the King.
Number Three Most Read Book
Harry Potter - 400 Million Copies
Harry Potter
Children and adults alike have been fascinated by this fiction character and cannot get enough of the young hero's adventures.
Harry Potter Paperback Box Set (Books 1-7)
Avg. Customer Rating: 
Amazon Price: $46.93 (as of 11/20/2009)
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (Book 7)
Avg. Customer Rating:
Amazon Price: $10.19 (as of 11/20/2009)
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (Book 6)
Avg. Customer Rating:
Amazon Price: $9.35 (as of 11/20/2009)
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone: 10th Anniversary Edition (Harry Potter)
Avg. Customer Rating:
Amazon Price: $19.80 (as of 11/20/2009)
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (Book 2)
Avg. Customer Rating:
Amazon Price: $7.91 (as of 11/20/2009)
Number Two Most Read Book
Quotations from the Works of Mao Tse-tung - 820 Million Copies
Quotations from the Works of Mao Tse-tung
Number One Most Read Book
The Bible - 3.9 Billion Copies
The Bible
The Bible still remains at the top as the most read book in the world.
The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Classic Pew and Worship Edition, Black)
Avg. Customer Rating: 
Amazon Price: $10.87 (as of 11/20/2009)
GNT Holy Bible, Good News Translation, Catholic Edition
Avg. Customer Rating:
Amazon Price: (as of 11/20/2009)
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The Books Barack Obama Reads
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Below are all the books and authors that have contributed to the shaping of Barack Obama. Obama is a devourer of books, and that means that he has gleaned insights from thousands of books over his lifetime. As a young man in Chicago, Obama characteris...
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The Exciting Story of A Book's Life
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Books, they are everywhere you look, no matter where you go you will see a book. Books are an integral part of our everyday lives. Even if you don't read much you will have a selection of books in your house, either in a bookcase, on a shelf, in...
Some 'Must Read' Short Stories
- Discover the Secrets of the Night
- You would be surprised if you knew what the secrets of the night were. Under the cover of darkness and while most of our world is asleep, there are secret things happening. Come with us and discover the secrets of the night now.
- When the Past Comes Back to Bite You
- The friendship of Rebecca and Anna had lasted over many years, they kept in constant contact, even though they did not have many chances to meet each other, but that was all to change when an unexpected turn of fate occurred.
- Looking into the Eyes of an Orang-utan
- Our expedition party had finally arrived at the location that we had been directed to find. It was deep in the jungle and after we had travelled by jeep for nearly half of the way, we knew that the remainder of our long journey would have to be covered on foot.
- Only Six Hours Before the World Ends, What Would You Do?
- You only have six hours left before the world as you know it will end. So what would you do? Is there anything that immediately comes to mind, or would you like to think about it for a while? Take your time you have six hours, which is enough time to do many things. What would you do?
- The Coffins That Kept Moving
- The Waldicotts were a rich family of planters, who had lived for most of their lives in Jamaica. They had decided a long time ago that when they died, they would all stay together in the rock-hewn tomb that had been built specifically for that purpose.
- Standing at Destinys Door
- Jonathan was a quiet soul, his calmness had a strong affect on all the people that he met, giving them an instant feeling of relaxation. He loved to talk to people and to listen to how they spoke and the expressions he would see them make while they were speaking.
- Shining Light on a Sea of Darkness
- This spectacular sight, for many mariners over hundreds of years, has been likened to the gateway to Hell. And laying just beyond it was the Sea of Darkness, which they truly believed was infested with monsters and the spirits of dead sailors; it was to them the end of the world and through it they could not pass.
- Do Ants Dream?
- Negre was tired, he did not want to work anymore, he just wanted to rest and relax his aching limbs, before he completely collapsed. In the distance he could hear the chattering of the colony, as they were going about their work, occasionally he thought that he heard his name being called, but maybe it was the wind in the trees.
- Footsteps into the Unknown
- The winter was the coldest in anyone's living memory and snow covered the whole area, even the rivers were frozen over and nobody wanted to venture out for many days, until the icy cold winds subsided and it was all beginning to thaw.
- Windows on the World That Was
- The view was spectacular and panoramic, it was a place for people to meet, that was quite unique, because it was located a quarter of a mile above the earth. It was for that reason the exclusive club was so rightly named, Windows On The World.
- The Mysterious Mists Around Mount Waialeale
- There have been many tales of unsuspecting people just disappearing when these mysterious mists drift over them. And the walkers on the mountain have talked of the fear that they feel when the path beneath them is shrouded by the mists and there is a chill in the air.
Future Contenders For This List
These Are The Books That Are Selling Fast And Will Possibly Earn A Place In The Most Read Books List In The Future
The Audacity of Hope: Thoughts on Reclaiming the American Dream (Vintage)
Avg. Customer Rating:
Amazon Price: $7.99 (as of 11/20/2009)
Three Cups of Tea: One Man's Mission to Promote Peace . . . One School at a Time
Avg. Customer Rating:
Amazon Price: $9.36 (as of 11/20/2009)
Can't See A Book That Interests You, Just Click Any Title And Make Your Choice At Amazon
Recommended Reading Resources
- A Writer's Latest Work
- You can read, review and comment here on a very good selection of some of the latest work from this writer. A very interesting site that you will want to return to again and again.
- A Sharing of Knowledge
- If you are looking for knowledge on how to do the things that are needed in your life or your business, this is the place for you. An impressive collection of informative articles covering various interesting topics.
- Where Authors and Readers Come Together
- AuthorsDen is a writers and readers community that receives over one and a half million vistors every month.
"Great lens! You've obviously put a lot of work into putting this together and it shows."
Let Us Know What You Like About 10 Most Read Books In The World
Take a few moments and tell us what you think of 10 Most Read Books In The World.
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Reply
- science_fiction_novels_cyberpunk science_fiction_novels_cyberpunk Nov 2, 2009 @ 12:38 pm
- Before reading your lens, I tried to guess... Some titles were a surprise to me... Excellent job satisfying my curiosity. 5 stars.
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Reply
- starfox starfox Oct 26, 2009 @ 6:35 pm
- Very interesting. However I am surprised that "Dune" is not included in the list.
It must be in the top 20 for sure...
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Reply
- mbgphoto mbgphoto Oct 19, 2009 @ 1:29 pm
- Excellent lens! Blessed by a SquidAngel!
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Reply
- Aqeeq Aqeeq Oct 16, 2009 @ 8:15 am
- it's kind of weird to judge books by "number of copies" and not even mentioning the Qur'an in the list. Probably the author is biased in thie religious views. There are tens of millions of people in the world who have memorized the Qur'an by heart, most of them read it everyday, with a percentage finishing one Qur'an in upto 3 days. Oh well, you may need to do some research.
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- tandemonimom tandemonimom Oct 2, 2009 @ 7:21 pm
- This is a great list! I've read them all, except Da Vinci Code and Think & Grow Rich. (Yes, I've read the whole Bible!) Lensrolled to The Reader's Shop: T-shirts, Book Bags, Gifts for Book Lovers.
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- Heath_Daniels Heath_Daniels Sep 27, 2009 @ 10:28 pm
- Great list! Thanks for putting it together. I'd love for you to visit my lens when you have the chance.
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- Geir Sakseid Geir Sakseid Sep 1, 2009 @ 6:21 am
- Well, although I am a Christian and prefer the Bible, we must admit that the Qur'an probably competes in numbers, and most surely beats some of those on the top ten list.
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- Artemus-Gordon Artemus-Gordon Aug 27, 2009 @ 3:13 pm
- Interesting list. I knew the Bible was #1 but I was a little surprised that some of the newer books that were on the list.
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- Steve_Lundin Steve_Lundin Aug 12, 2009 @ 11:23 pm
- Great lens! You've obviously put a lot of work into putting this together and it shows. When you get a chance, I'd love it if you'd drop by my lens and say hi.
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- lostinfiction lostinfiction Aug 10, 2009 @ 4:05 pm
- Just did a search on Infloox to generate a list of most *influential* books in the world throughout time. (lol yeah,that's a pretty broad search) It came up with: The Bible and Shakespeare in the #1 and 2 spots, but that's not a huge surpise. Following that is.... Dostoyevsky! Here's the link for the full list: http://www.infloox.com/collective?region=&activity=&group=&start=&end=&=
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