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 11/08/2009) 
The Ultimate Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy
Avg. Customer Rating: 
Amazon Price: $13.60 (as of 11/08/2009)
The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Primary Phase (Original BBC Radio Series)
Avg. Customer Rating:
Amazon Price: $16.47 (as of 11/08/2009)
Number Nine Most Read Book
Diary of Anne Frank - 27 Million Copies
Diary of Anne Frank
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 11/08/2009)
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: $13.17 (as of 11/08/2009)
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 and the Deathly Hallows (Book 7)
Avg. Customer Rating:
Amazon Price: $9.47 (as of 11/08/2009)
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (Book 6)
Avg. Customer Rating:
Amazon Price: $9.16 (as of 11/08/2009)
Harry Potter Paperback Boxed Set (Books 1-7)
Avg. Customer Rating: 
Amazon Price: $45.99 (as of 11/08/2009)
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone: 10th Anniversary Edition (Harry Potter)
Avg. Customer Rating:
Amazon Price: $19.80 (as of 11/08/2009)
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (Book 2)
Avg. Customer Rating:
Amazon Price: $7.75 (as of 11/08/2009)
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 11/08/2009)
Holy Bible, Giant Print Presentation Edition: King James Version
Avg. Customer Rating:
Amazon Price: $13.59 (as of 11/08/2009)
Check Out These Great Titles As Well
-
10 Most Listened To Popular Songs Of All Time
-
Foot tapping, sing along or just relax and listen popular music has really brought us some great songs, but can you remember them all and name the 10 most listened to popular songs of all time? Over the past century thousands of songs have been prod...
-
The Sometimes Exciting Life of a Book
-
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 the...
-
10 Most Watched Movies On The Planet
-
We all like to sit back and watch a great movie, but can you remember them all and name the 10 most watched movies on the planet? During this last century thousands of movies have been produced, but only a select few have become the most watched movi...
-
The Books Barack Obama Reads
-
Below are all the books and authors that have contributed to the shaping of 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 characteristica...
-
What Is The #1 Best Seller?
-
The dictionary definition for Best Seller is; a book that has had a large and rapid sale. And that is how many books over the years have been able to get into the New York Times #1 Best Selling list. But the term, #1 Best Seller, nowadays does not...
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 11/08/2009)
Three Cups of Tea: One Man's Mission to Promote Peace . . . One School at a Time
Avg. Customer Rating:
Amazon Price: $9.47 (as of 11/08/2009)
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.
science_fiction_novels_cyberpunk wrote...
Before reading your lens, I tried to guess... Some titles were a surprise to me... Excellent job satisfying my curiosity. 5 stars.
Posted November 02, 2009
starfox wrote...
Very interesting. However I am surprised that "Dune" is not included in the list.
It must be in the top 20 for sure...
Posted October 26, 2009
Aqeeq wrote
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.
Posted October 16, 2009
tandemonimom wrote...
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.
Posted October 02, 2009
Heath_Daniels wrote...
Great list! Thanks for putting it together. I'd love for you to visit my lens when you have the chance.
Posted September 27, 2009
Geir Sakseid wrote
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.
Posted September 01, 2009
Artemus-Gordon wrote...
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.
Posted August 27, 2009
Steve_Lundin wrote...
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.
Posted August 12, 2009
lostinfiction wrote...
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=&=
Posted August 10, 2009
Do You Love This Lens?
- Rate this lens:
- Email it
- Favorite it
- Lensroll it
Some Other Interesting Places To Visit
If you have enjoyed 10 Most Read Books in the World, then take a look at these excellent sites and enjoy more.
-
Exploring The Paradise Destinations of The World
-
Many of us at one time or another have dreamed of just picking up our bags and flying away to a tropical island, a luxury exotic resort or to go exploring in the numerous locations of the world that have incredibly beautiful breathtaking landscapes....
-
Do You Love Short Stories? Read On
-
Many of us love to read a good book, that is if we have the time available to us to dedicate to the entire story that is being presented to us on the numerous pages that it contains. With the continous pace of life around us sometimes it is more ap...
-
A Passion For Writing (Helping Writers To Succeed)
-
A place to find inspiration, hints, tips and all the writers resources that you need to become a good writer. All that any writer really needs to become a good writer is a mentor who will guide them as to how they can better use the talent that they...
-
Jim Reeves - The Country Music Legend
-
The most comprehensive coverage of Jim Reeves, The country music legend. Few artists have produced so many beautiful songs and brought them into our homes for our continuing enjoyment. Jim Reeves recorded a total of 444 songs in his 11 year career in...
-
Tiger Woods - One In A Million
-
These days Tiger Woods is the ambassador of golf with his ever growing influence on the game. He is the highest paid athlete in the world and now he is on the way to being the Greatest in the history of Golf. His 14 PGA major championships are getti...
Just Click And Explore
-
The Absolutely Fascinating History of Bags
-
A combination of fashion and history with absolutely fascinating content and incredibly beautiful pictures, that will fill you with a wonderfully enjoyable feeling of temptation. Bags have been essential to our daily life ever since pe...
-
Visit The Wonderful Modern World of Bags
-
The Wonderful Modern World of Bags now has a huge array of different designs, some of the most famous are the bags produced by Kate Spade, Gucci, Coach, Louis Vuitton, Hermes, Chanel and Dior. Come and discover some really beautiful as well as practi...
-
More Success For Business Leaders
-
Business Coaching, Sales Training and Motivational Speaker services for small, medium and large companies who want to increase their market share and profitability. Success in business is about being well informed in regard to the essential aspects...
-
The ‘Key’ to Health and Vitality
-
Each person is unique, needing different forms of nourishment to be able to sustain their health and overall well being. To enjoy a nice meal is one of the pleasures that life brings to us, but before that meal is presented to us it has to go throug...
Pick One To View And Enjoy The Visit
-
The Secret To A Healthy Body And Mind
-
A person's general health is determined by a combination of their physical health, their attitude of mind and their overall well being. When you are feeling good about your life, it will show in how you look and in your attitude of mind towards...
-
X-Files - Watch All Nine Seasons
-
David Duchovny, Gillian Anderson, and producer Chris Carter have been amenable to the idea of doing another X-Files feature film ever since the hit TV series ended. But until now, they've never mentioned any specific plans. Carter has in the past sai...
-
Faith Is Needed On Our 'Journey'
-
Do we think often about our soul's need for nourishment? Are we conscientious that the soul is the flame of our being? And if it is fact how much time do we allocate to daily feed our soul? A lot of us are living as if we were under anaesthesia, we...
-
Improve Your Golf Swing To Shoot Lower Scores
-
Here at Golfers Heaven we are fanatical about golf, we have a passionate mission to bring you all that is great in the game of golf. Golf is a mental game and by carefully educating your mind with what Golfers Heaven brings to you, it will not be l...
-
Pleasantly Breastfeeding Your Baby
-
Having a good starting point with successful breastfeeding and for it to only be for a relatively reasonable period of time is the strong wish of any mother, who is thinking that breastfeeding is the most marvellous, valid and healthy way to feed the...
And Remember To Visit These
-
Extra Easy Homemade Recipes
-
As a woman, wife and mother I am aware that every woman knows instinctively how to cook and as well I am conscious of the fact that there are millions of wonderful recipes available to us. But all of us are curious to try new things. I would like to...
-
Women And Family Harmony
-
"The man lives heroically, struggling to make history. A woman does not need such a thing, because she is history", said Spengler. I find it to be a stupendous compliment!! When a man and a woman are married, both make the promise to take care of e...
-
Be Better Informed With Business Leadership Articles
-
Business articles that you can just click and read, no registration is required. And if you want to keep up with the regular updates then you can subscribe to receive them free, either via email or RSS feed, whichever suits you best. The articles co...
