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Reading Famous Writers and their Masterpieces Books/Works has a great influence on our world structure and values.
Today, the editor recommends famous literature books and their authors to everyone.
Choose a few best authors of all time and their books for yourself, which are famous authors today and their books are worth reading.
Most Influential & Famous Books and Authors of All Time
Today, the editor recommends the most famous authors and their books in the world to everyone. Choose a few good books for yourself, which are worth reading.Books have the power to transport us to different worlds, introduce us to new ideas and perspectives, and leave a lasting impact on our lives.
But which books are considered the most famous in the world? In this article, we will be taking a closer look at the most popular books of all time.
From classic literature to modern best-sellers, these best-selling books of all time have stood the test of time and continue to be read and loved by millions of people around the world.
Whether you're a book enthusiast or simply looking for some new reading material, these famous authors and their books list are sure to have something for everyone.
These Best Influential Books are a great influence. "The most influential books in history" refers to the top ten selected in 2000 based on a poll of 100,000 readers across hundreds of cities across Europe, Asia, the United States, Australia, and Africa organized by the New York Times and Reader’s Digest in the United States.
So, let's dive in and explore the world-famous authors and their books.
Famous Writers and Their Masterpieces Books/Works
These Top famous authors and their works represent the most representative world-famous writers in English literature masters of Britain, France, Russia, and the United States, and the most influential famous authors and their books in the world.
Recommended list of famous authors and their books in the world, choose a few most popular books of all time for yourself.
In the US textbooks of our elementary school or middle and high schools, there will always be excerpts from the most popular books of all time.
Reading the most famous book in history has a great influence on our world structure and values. These chicken soups for the soul can show you the way when you are lost.
So what are the world's most famous authors and their books? what is the most famous book of all time?
1. Homer and "Homer Epic"
Homer, was an ancient Greek blind poet. According to legend, the famous epics "Iliad" and "Odyssey" were written by him.
The works are rich in content and have created heroic images with different personalities and distinctive personalities. The layout of the story is clever and the language is vivid.
The artistic characteristics of Homer's epic:
- The combination of realistic factors and mythological factors.
- The originality of the structure. An interception of a whole picture reflecting the event, numerous episodes, character dialogues, and monologues make the work dramatic.
- Using objective narrative methods.
- Put the hero in a specific situation, and use exaggerated techniques and colorful verses to describe the characters' language, actions, and psychology in detail, and to show their personality characteristics.
- Use metaphors more and better. These metaphors come from nature or daily life. They are called "Homeric metaphors" in history. They play an important role in portraying characters, strengthening the image of the poem, and enriching the color of the poem.
2. Dante and "The Divine Comedy"
Dante is the founder of Italian national literature, "the last poet in the Middle Ages, and at the same time the first poet of the new era". His "Divine Comedy" expresses the contradiction between the old and the new in both ideology and art.
The poet uses the dark forest to symbolize the dark reality of Italy, the poet’s lost journey to symbolize the confusion of mankind, the three beasts to symbolize the social evil forces that hinder people from leading to the light, Virgil to symbolize reason and philosophy, and Beatrice Symbolizes theology and faith.
With an allegorical story, the poet pointed out to us an ideal way to revive Italy, to know the highest truth, and to achieve perfection. If human beings want to get out of the darkness and return to the right path, they need to be rationally guided to understand the sins committed by human beings, undergo various trials (traveling in hell), purify all kinds of sins, and correct their mistakes (traveling in purgatory).
Purify from above, and then under the guidance of theology and faith, we must understand the highest truth and reach the state of supreme beauty (heaven). What Dante pointed out to us is an "inner holy road" of moral self-improvement.
3. Shakespeare and "Hamlet"
Especially the four major tragedies, namely "Hamlet", "Othello", "King Lear" and "Macbeth" are representative works. Marx called it "the greatest drama genius of mankind."
"Hamlet" represents the highest achievement of Shakespeare's art.
- First, in terms of structure, "Hamlet" highlights the vividness and richness of Shakespeare's plot.
- Second, in terms of character creation, "Hamlet" focuses on revealing the depth of the characters through the description of inner contradictions and conflicts.
- Thirdly, in terms of language, Shakespeare showed the style of a master. He integrated the rhymeless poetry style with prose, rhyming verses, and lyric ballads.
4. Cervantes and "Don Quixote"
Cervantes is the most outstanding writer of the Spanish Renaissance, and his masterpiece is "Don Quixote". He described the adventures of Don Quixote and his servant, Sancho, in the style of knight novels and achieved the purpose of satirizing the knight system and knight literature.
On the one hand, he is obsessed with fantasy, everything is subjective, his behavior is absurd and reckless, and will not learn lessons; on the other hand, what he does is pursue a lofty principle, and he must be a chivalrous man. A knight must protect the strong and support the weak, uphold justice, work hard for this, and have a spirit of self-sacrifice.
Although he is pursuing and defending the truth subjectively, what he pursues is the "chivalry" that is divorced from reality and has long been outdated, so he is destined to only run into a wall and harm others and himself. The author also successfully used contrast.
5. Molière and "Tartuffe"
Molière was the founder and representative of French classic comedy in the seventeenth century. He brought European comedy to the level of true modern drama. "Tartuffe" is his masterpiece.
Through this image, Molière deeply exposed the hypocrisy, viciousness, shamelessness, and greed of the church and aristocratic upper class, and prominently criticized the deceptive and harmful nature of religious hypocrisy. In art, Molière not only followed the "three-in-one rule", but also broke through it, and achieved high achievements.
6. Goethe and "The Troubles of Young Werther"
Goethe is an outstanding representative of German enlightenment writers in the 18th century, a great German poet, playwright, and thinker. His creation brought German literature into the advanced ranks of world literature and had a huge impact on world literature. Representative as "Faust" and "The Troubles of Young Werther".
"The Troubles of Young Werther" is a letter-style novel, which describes the ups and downs of the protagonist Werther's emotions, and truly and detailedly shows the changes in Werther's thoughts and feelings in lyric and argumentation.
Describes Werther’s pain, longing, and despair with a strong poetic flavor and spurting passion, placing his personal love misfortune in a wide range of social backgrounds, exposing and exposing the feudal hierarchical prejudice, selfishness, and conservativeness of the petty citizens, etc.
Critically and enthusiastically promoted personality liberation and emotional freedom. The novel also bravely shouted out the voice of the young people of that era who demanded to get rid of feudal shackles, establish equal interpersonal relationships, and realize the value of life.
7. Hugo and "Notre Dame de Paris"
Hugo is the standard-bearer of French romanticism. His creations and theories laid the foundation for the development of French romantic literature and pushed romantic literature to a new peak.
His works reflect a profile of the development of French society in the 19th century. The main works include "Notre Dame de Paris", "Les Miserables", "1993" and so on.
The book spans nearly half a century. The combination of personal destiny and historical themes, majestic and magnificent, fully reflects Hugo's narrative talents. In terms of richness, depth, and complexity in content, it undoubtedly ranks first among Hugo's numerous works.
Reading "Les Miserables" seriously for the third time, the book is often read and new. The first time I read it is still small, it mainly depends on the plot. I like to imagine myself as a character in the story.
I imagine myself holding Cosette through the streets like Jean Valjean to avoid Javert’s pursuit, or hiding in the dark corner of Luxembourg Garden like Marius to catch my sweetheart. Light.
In the second reading, I mainly want to read the part of the book about revolution—from the turmoil of 1793 to the Paris riots of 1832—for historical review. Although history is still poorly understood, Jean Valjean has become the image of a saint in my heart alongside Xiao Feng.
I read it this time because I wanted to watch a movie, so I read it again. This time I tried my best to use my own heart to get close to the characters in the book, close to their hearts, to experience Jean Valjean’s anger, and to perceive Javert’s struggle.
There is a classic that makes people entangled because no one is guilty but suffers all the hardships, who is to blame? No one is blamed, but everyone is blamed.
The novel exposes the hypocrisy of religion, declares the bankruptcy of asceticism, praises the kindness, friendship, and self-sacrifice of the working people of the lower classes, and reflects Hugo's humanitarianism.
This work shows the typical characteristics of romanticism, that is, the bizarre and tortuous plot, rich imagination, exaggeration and the use of "the principle of contrast between beauty and ugliness", and strong emotional color.
8. Stendhal and "Red and Black"
Stendhal was an outstanding French author of critical realism in the nineteenth century. The masterpiece "Red and Black" created a precedent for later generations of "stream-of-consciousness novels" and "psychological novels".
Under the influence of external forces from the environment, this self-consciousness gave birth to the concept of freedom and equality. Rebellious consciousness and strong personal ambition. Julien's life struggles spurred political enthusiasm for freedom and equality, and he was also full of egoistic desires for personal happiness.
He not only embodies the spirit of the era of French society where heroism survived after the Great Revolution but also projects Stendhal's own life experience and psychological desires.
The spirit of anti-oppression, seeking freedom, and firm pursuit of self-life value demonstrated by him embodies a kind of universal survival needs of people and therefore has symbolic significance. Detail Book Reviews
9. Balzac
Balzac is one of the most outstanding writers of realism in the 19th century and a great novelist recognized in the world. His and Leo Tolstoy's creations constituted the two peaks of European and American realist literature in the 19th century.
Among them, "Custom Research" mainly describes contemporary French society and has the richest connotation. The writer divides it into six scenes: private life scenes, provincial life scenes, Paris life scenes, political life scenes, military life scenes, and rural life scenes.
This is an "encyclopedia" style work, an all-encompassing history of social customs. Artfully embodies the characteristics of realism, especially in shaping "typical characters in typical environments".
10. Charles Dickens
Dickens is an outstanding novelist of critical realism literature in the 19th century in England. He has created a rich life, including 15 novels, more than 20 novellas, hundreds of short stories and essays, an essay, two novels, and a large number of letters.
Representative works include "The Pickwick Papers", "David Copperfield", "Great Expectations", "Bleak House", "Oliver Twist", "Our Mutual Friend", and so on.
The author "David Copperfield" is the most famous novel by Charles Dickens, a very famous British writer. The life's joys and sorrows of the protagonist David, reveal the true face of society at that time on multiple levels and highlight the corrosive effect of money on marriage, family, and society.
The formation of the series of tragedies in the novel is all caused by money. Modesto lied to marry David's mother to covet her property; Emily's elopement was the temptation of not being able to withstand money; the pain of the Wakefield family and the despair of Haimu were all the consequences of money.
The despicable man Shipp also fell into the next step under the temptation of money and ended up shamelessly in life imprisonment. Dickens exposed the evil of money from humanitarian thoughts, thus unveiling the beautiful curtain of "Victoria's Flourishing Age" and revealing the hidden social truth behind it.
This is the favorite of the three Dickens novels I've read. Each character is very full and completely different, and the ending is in line with the identity. Of course, this book is so thick! The heroine is no longer just a kind and beautiful porcelain doll, she is more intelligent, wise, and courageous, and loves Ennis so much.
I didn't pay attention when I was reading. After reading the preface, I felt my aunt's teaching "Never be humble, never hypocritical, never cruel". It can really be a motto for standing up and acting alone!
The main connotation of Dickens’ humanitarian thought is to strive for the return of human nature and the harmonious relationship between people, to show strong protests against the "alienation" of human nature in a capitalist society, and to the kind-hearted and impoverished women, children, and people at the bottom of society. Have great sympathy.
The main character in "A Tale of Two Cities", Dr. Mennett, his daughter Lucie, and Calden, who has a crush on Lucie, all embody this idea.
11. Pushkin and the image of "superfluous people"
Pushkin is an important representative of Russian romantic literature and the founder of Russian realist literature. Because of his unparalleled contribution to Russian literature, Pushkin is known as the "Father of Russian Literature" and the "Sun of Russian Poetry".
The main works include the long poem "Evgeny Onegin", the fairy tale "Novels, Tales, Journeys", the novel "The Captain's Daughter" and so on.
The superfluous people are mostly aristocratic youths who want to change society, but only stay in the imaginary stage, without taking action, or in other words, the image of aristocratic youth who are unable to change society.
The images of superfluous people include Pushkin’s Yevgeny Onegin, Lermontov’s Biqiaolin, Turgenev’s Luoting, Herzen’s Berbatov, and Goncharov’s Oblomov et al.
12. Gogol and "Dead Souls"
Gogol is Russia's most outstanding satire in the first half of the 19th century, the pioneer of satirical literature, and one of the founders of critical realism literature.
Belinsky highly praised it as "an epoch-making masterpiece in the Russian literary world", "above all the works of Russian literature in the past and now", and "a work of both nationality and high art at the same time."
In the author's sharp pen, the terrifying reality of all kinds of greedy and ignorant landlords, corrupted and degraded officials, and the tragic situation of the serfs, etc., are fully exposed, thus having a profound ideological content, a clear critical tendency, and a huge artistic power.
13. Dostoevsky and "Crime and Punishment"
Dostoevsky was a novelist who enjoyed a worldwide reputation in Russian literary circles in the 19th century. His creation is extremely complex and contradictory in nature. Realist writers can absorb beneficial nutrition from his creation, while modernist writers regard his works as classics and call him their pioneer and mentor.
Western literary critics have highly regarded him. His artistic talent cannot be denied even by the revolutionary writer who criticized him most sharply. For example, Gorky, the founder of proletarian revolutionary literature, said that he was "the greatest genius."
The main works include novelettes such as "Poor Folk", "The Double and The Gambler", "The Landlady", "White Night" and "The Idiot", as well as masterpieces such as "Crime and Punishment", "Bullied and Insulted", "Idiot" and "Brother Karamazov" Wait.
The author always keeps the characters in inextricable contradiction and reveals the characters through the tragic inner conflict of the characters, and at the same time, the author's portrayal of hallucinations, nightmares, and abnormal psychology is also very good.
In addition, the scenes of this novel change quickly, and the scenes move quickly, containing a wealth of ideological content in a condensed time and space, and the novel's era and political colors are very vivid.
14. Tolstoy
Tolstoy is Russia's greatest writer and one of the most outstanding writers in the history of world literature. Representative works include the novels "War and Peace", "Anna Karenina", and "Resurrection" and the autobiographical novel trilogy "Childhood", "Juvenile" and "Youth".
Tolstoy’s thought is full of contradictions. This contradiction is a reflection of the intricate contradictions in Russian society. It is the vividness of a noble intellectual with a sense of justice who is sober and confused, struggling and hesitating, crying and depressing in the search for a new life. Portrayal.
"Anna Karenina" is the most important book read by the great Russian writer Leo Tolstoy. The protagonist Anna Karenina in the book is one of the most moving images of women in Russian literature and the most beautiful in the history of world literature. One of the plump female images.
The novel is composed of two parallel lines: one is Anna’s tragedy in pursuit of love and happiness. She doesn’t love her lifeless bureaucratic husband Karenin at all, and she falls in love with the suave young military officer Volensky at first sight he ran away from home, so Despised by the upper class, they had a relationship crisis with Volinsky, and finally committed suicide in complete despair.
This exposes the hypocrisy, coldness, and corruption of the Russian upper-class society in the 19th century; the other is that the landlord of the province, Levin, has gone through various ups and downs and finally established a happy family with his beloved aristocratic lady Ji Di, as well as his economic reforms in the face of rural bankruptcy.
Anna was beautiful and full of life before she met her love. After meeting Volensky, she abandoned her son and lost herself. She was worried about love, and finally lost, and finally gave up her life. If love is to make oneself better, then it is beautiful to love, if it is to make oneself ugly, it is evil fate, it is better to give up. At all times, you must remain independent and be a complete yourself.
"This is what I want to say to you. Women---this is a big stumbling block in a man's career. It is difficult to fall in love with a woman and to do a career. It is necessary to avoid obstacles and love one as you want. For women, there is only one way to get married.How can I tell you what I think? "Sepkhovskoy, who loves metaphors, said, "Wait a minute, wait a minute, there is it, it's like carrying it on your back I have baggage, but I have to free my hands to work. The only way is to tie the baggage to my back.This is marriage. I have this experience when I get married. My hands are freed up all at once. But if I don’t get married With such a burden on your back, you won’t be able to free up one of your hands, and you can’t do anything.”—— Quoted from page 302.
The author's large-scale coverage and overall grasp of life, and the full disclosure of the internal connections between individual phenomena and the whole of things, personal destiny, and the surrounding world, give this novel a great ideological and artistic capacity.
The author's description of the characters is both complicated and full and is often expressed by contrasting artistic methods. The genre is an innovation in the history of Russian literature, and it also surpasses the traditional norms of European novels.
Tolstoy made a fierce attack on the entire state apparatus of the time with the soberest realism. "Resurrection" is very distinctive in art. Tolstoy’s psychological depiction of characters is very famous. He is good at going deep into the hearts of characters and grasping every subtle change in thoughts and feelings.
He traces the whole process of great changes or drastic changes in the thoughts and feelings of characters and fully displays the characters. The "spiritual dialectics" of changing from one kind of thought and feeling to another kind of thought and feeling is often the opposite.
Tolstoy's creations generally show the incomparable sincerity of human existence. The deepest part of his works is beating the heart of an upright, selfless, pure, and kind-hearted giant.
15. Romain Rowland and "JEAN-CHRISTOPHE"
Romain Rolland is a French thinker, writer, critical realist writer, music critic, and social activist. Author of the ten-volume novel "JEAN-CHRISTOPHE", biographical "Biography of the Giant" and other works, and won the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1915.
At the same time, the music reflects the fusion and impact of different national spirits and vividly expresses the struggle and passion of the generation in the 20th century, which is a true portrayal of the spirit of the times. It praises such a spirit and belief that light will eventually overcome darkness. Detail Book Reviews
16. Hemingway and "The Old Man and the Sea"
Hemingway is an American novelist and the winner of the 1954 Nobel Prize in Literature. He is an original novelist whose greatest contribution is to create a refined and subtle new prose style, which has had a great influence on European and American writers. Representative works include "The Old Man and the Sea", "The Sun Still Rises", "Farewell, Arms" and so on.
Although defeated, he is honored and spiritually unmatched. Not beaten. It can be said that such an image perfectly embodies the author's thought that "you can destroy him as much as possible, but you can't defeat him".
This "tough guy" image has become a representative of Hemingway's heroes, symbolizing the indestructible spiritual power of mankind. The novel won the Pulitzer Prize that year.
17. Sholokhov and "And Quiet Flows the Don"
In 1965, Sholokhov won the Nobel Prize for Literature for his "artistic power and integrity shown in the Don epic which describes the various historical stages of the Russian people's life".
18. James Joyce
Joyce, is an Irish writer, poet, one of the greatest writers of the 20th century, and one of the founders of postmodern literature. His works and the idea of "stream of consciousness" have had a huge impact on the world's literary world.
Representative works: "Finnegan's Night Watch" and "Ulysses"
19. Maxim Gorky and "Childhood"
Childhood, the first book in Gorky's acclaimed autobiographical trilogy, depicts his early years when after his father's death he was taken to live in the home of his maternal grandfather, a violent and vindictive man who both provided the child with a rudimentary education and subjected him to savage beatings.
With remarkable freshness and candor, Gorky immerses his reader in a young child's world, recreating in dynamic prose a boy's bewilderment at the senseless cruelty that surrounds him, his solace in the quiet beauty of the natural world, and his often funny, guileless observations of the many vivid characters who enter his early life.
At the center of this story stands Gorky's grandmother, Akulina Kashirina, one of Russian literature's most remarkable heroines. Her tender love for her grandson serves as a vital antidote to the brutality that threatens to consume him.
Her buoyant faith in a merciful, loving, but limited God provides the young Gorky with a life-affirming alternative to the vengeful, omniscient deity his grandfather worships ardently.
Although often unsettling in its portrayal of the poverty and ignorance that gripped nineteenth-century Russia, Childhood is ultimately a heartening account of a young boy's formative struggle to overcome the limitations of a decaying and corrupt society, and the remarkable old woman who enabled him to succeed and instilled in him an abiding, fierce compassion for Russia's destitute and defenseless.
Childhood is freshly and beautifully translated by Graham Hettinger, lauded for his translations of Ivan Bunin.
20. Emily Bronte and "Wuthering Heights"
The first stage describes Heathcliff's childhood life with Catherine day and night, the special feelings formed by an abandoned child and a young lady in this special environment, and their resistance to Hendry's tyranny.
The second stage focuses on Catherine because vanity, ignorance, and ignorance betrayed Heathcliff, and became the mistress of Thrushcross Grange. In the third stage, a lot of words are used to describe how Heathcliff turned his hatred into revenge and revenge in despair.
In the last stage, although only the death of Heathcliff is explained, it highlights a brand-new change in his mind, the recovery of human nature, when he understands that Hareton and little Catherine love each other, which makes the tragic love with horror reveals the light of hope.
21. Margaret Mitchell and Gone With The Wind
"Gone with the Wind" is one of the most classic love masterpieces in history. The novel takes the American Civil War as the background, and the mainline is the love and hatred between several men entangled by Scarlett, a strong and willful lady of the manor.
It is accompanied by major changes in society and history. Everything familiar with the old days will never return It is not only a masterpiece of human love but also, a grand historical picture reflecting great and profound changes in social politics, economy, and morality.
22. Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte
"Jane Eyre" is the representative work of the famous British female writer Charlotte Bronte in the 19th century. It shocked the literary world and became a sensation. It has been a hundred years and has lasted for a long time.
"Jane Eyre" is a literary work with an autobiographical nature, and is a "poetic life portrayal" of the author Charlotte Bronte. It describes the touching story of the heroine Jane Eyre daring to fight against the world and bravely pursues her own dignity and love.
It has deeply affected countless people, especially female friends who pursue independence, equality, and dignity, and regard themselves as themselves, mentors, and helpful friends.
A British woman who has become an orphan since she was a child, constantly pursuing freedom and dignity, persisting in herself, and finally gaining happiness through various trials.
The novel fascinatingly showcases the ups and downs of the hero and heroine's love experience, praises freedom from all old customs and prejudices, and successfully creates an image of a woman who dares to resist and who dares to fight for freedom and equality.
"Life is too short for me to hold grudges. In this world, everyone must be at fault. But I believe that one day soon, we will get rid of our corrupt bodies and we will get rid of these faults. Fall and sin will leave us with cumbersome flesh and blood, leaving only the spark of spirit. This is the source of life and thought, just as pure as when it left the Creator and gave life to it. Where it came from and where it went, perhaps it sneaked into a creature higher than human beings; perhaps it passed through various levels of glory, first illuminating the pale soul of human beings, and then illuminating the seraph."—— Quoted from page 56
23. Madame Bovary by Gustave Flaubert
"Madame Bovary" is the representative work of Flaubert, a French critical realist novelist. It tells the story of Emma, a peasant girl who has received aristocratic education. She despised her husband Bovary, who was a township doctor and dreamed of legendary love.
However, her two cheating did not bring her happiness but made her a target of exploitation by loan sharks. In the end, she accumulated debts and desperately had no choice but to take poison and commit suicide. With a seemingly indifferent attitude, Flaubert very "objectively" revealed the causes and consequences that led to this tragedy, and stated the responsibilities that society cannot shirk.
Sure enough, it is a master classic, which pales in comparison to what I have read in the past few months. This English translation is quite good. The language is exquisite, the characters are vivid and lifelike, the poor and pathetic Bovary couple, the ruthless and greedy people of all kinds of hypocrisy!
I was like holding my breath and watching Emma step by step towards the abyss, full of the powerless feeling that I wanted to reach out and hold on to. I suddenly felt that most of us ordinary people actually live with a Bovary couple in our hearts. They are at ease in their mediocrity and in the dunny world that is not reconciled to boredom. Isn't it the way we are cautiously moving forward in our lives?
24. Robinson Crusoe by Daniel Defoe
This book can be said to be a well-known world-most famous book. This book mainly tells the story of a person who survived a shipwreck on an uninhabited island and how to spend a long time. This book tells us Don't give up hope at any time, and reasonably allocate and use the resources we have. What are world-famous books? This book was well-collected at that time.
No matter from which point of view, this book has the greatest impact on me. I finished reading this book when I was very young. The kind described in the book was a poor man who was once young but was manipulated by fate under the background of the sailing era.
Not only did he not die in a strange shipwreck. Or the barbaric natives attacked, instead of relying only on their own hands to build a small kingdom. He is struggling desperately! He didn't want to easily surrender to God's arrangement without a fight.
He worked hard every day to write a diary, teach the parrots to speak, and worked tirelessly to make his own farm. . . Is it just to survive? He can't forget to read the Bible every day, nor can he forget that he is a Christian.
25. The Lady of the Camellias by Alexandre Dumas fils
La Traviata is of course one of the world’s masterpieces. “La Traviata” is a novel created by the French writer Alexandre Dumas, and it is also his masterpiece. The story tells a tortuous and sad love story between a young man and a socialist in Parisian high society.
Through the love tragedy of a prostitute, the work exposes the corrupt life of the upper class of the French July dynasty. A bloody and tearful complaint was made against the hypocritical morality of the aristocratic bourgeoisie. This is the first time in the history of French literature that a prostitute is a protagonist.
The novel can be summed up in one sentence, "A prostitute fell in love with a person and left him for his happiness, and finally died of illness and loneliness", but in the process of reading, I can really feel the heartache of La Traviata!
26. Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
The novel describes the daughter of Bennet, the young squire, who is among the five boudoirs. The protagonist is the second daughter Elizabeth. She met Darcy at the ball, but she heard that he was arrogant and always rejected him. After some setbacks, Elizabeth lifted her prejudice against Darcy, Darcy also let go of her arrogance, and the lover finally married.
This work uses daily life as the material and uses the content of the sentimental novels popular in society at that time and the pretentious writing method. It vividly reflects the conservative and occlusive life in the English villages and towns from the end of the 18th century to the beginning of the 19th century. It has been adapted into movies and TV series many times.
It turned out to be such arrogance and prejudice. There is always a sense of familiarity when reading books, ah, Elizabeth’s mother has existed in my life, and so did Lydia. People like them only look in front of them and only look at themselves. They don’t care about ethics and morals.
There are also gentle people like the eldest sister, Bentley's sister-in-law, and Bentley's brother-in-law, snobbery, who all existed. Because of the beauty of the mother, the father had a fantasy of marrying, and he knew his nature for a year, but he could not change the marriage, so he had no choice but to treat him with cynicism.
This kind of thing is also very common nowadays. As for Elizabeth's prejudice against Darcy, which leads to bias in seeing people, this should also be true. But because of their love, they corrected the fallacies caused by prejudice and arrogance, but I didn't have the chance to get the experience of correction.
27. Berkshire Hathaway Letters to Shareholders
Warren E. Buffett first took control of Berkshire Hathaway Inc., a small textile company, in April 1965. A share changed hands for around $18 at the time.
Forty-eight letters to shareholders later, the same share traded for $134,060, compounding investor capital at just under 21% per year -- a multiplier of 7,448 times.
This book compiles the full, unedited versions of every one of Warren Buffett's letters to the shareholders from 1965 to 2012 (706 pages), including 1965-1976 letters not available on Berkshire's website.
In addition to providing an astounding case study on Berkshire's success, Buffett shows an incredible willingness to share his methods and act as a teacher to his many students.
There are hundreds of books about Buffett's life, advice, and methods. These are his actual letters -- word for word -- a "lesson plan" of his views on business and investing.
You can find most of the letters for free on Berkshire's website, but this compiles them into a well-designed, easily readable format.
A few points of interest:
- The float of an insurance company is a leverage with almost no cost.
- After the acquisition of the company, more reasonable performance incentives can be formulated for managers, and managers can set their business goals in the long term without worrying about stock price fluctuations.
- The product pricing of insurance companies also follows the optimal long-term return rather than the minimum fluctuation.
- The stocks you hold need to have excellent managers
- Recognize your own ability range (pricing range), and always consider risks and benefits when making pricing decisions
- Buy companies that are resistant to inflation and have high ROE
Related Reading: Books by Author
28. Rational Ritual by Michael Suk-Young Chwe
I recently finished listening to the book, “Rational Ritual: Culture, Coordination, and Common Knowledge” by Prof. Michael Chwe, on Audible.
Overall, I think this is a great book on using rational choice theory (specifically, common knowledge) to explain cultural phenomena (i.e., ritual).
The core idea is to use common knowledge to understand rituals. Common knowledge of p is defined as follows: a group of agents knows that they know about p, and they all know that they know p, and they all know that they know p, and so on ad infinitum.
The author interprets ritual as a device to create common knowledge and thus can assist the group to solve coordination problems.
The author also notes that the contents of the ritual are important. Usually, rituals involve repetitive and simple information, such feature helps generate common knowledge.
The author uses this framework to explain firms’ marketing strategy, the formation of national identity, etc.
Overall, the book provides a powerful framework to connect common knowledge to cultural phenomena.
In the present-day context, it is useful to apply this framework to understand people’s behaviors on social media.
Zuckerberg believes that this book can help readers learn how to best use social media.
Zuckerberg said: "This book talks about the concept of common sense and also talks about how people deal with problems not only through personal knowledge but also through what we know other people know and share knowledge."
Recommended: 23 Books Mark Zuckerberg Thinks Everyone Should Read
29. Cell by Robin Cook
George Wilson, M.D., a radiology resident in Los Angeles, is about to enter a profession on the brink of an enormous paradigm shift, foreshadowing a vastly different role for doctors everywhere.
The smartphone is poised to take on a new role in medicine, no longer as a mere medical app but rather as a fully customizable personal physician capable of diagnosing and treating even better than the real thing. It is called iDoc.
George’s initial collision with this incredible innovation is devastating. He awakens one morning to find his fiancée dead in bed alongside him, not long after she participated in an iDoc beta test. Then several of his patients die after undergoing imaging procedures. All of them had been part of the same beta test.
Is it possible that iDoc is being subverted by hackers—and that the U.S. government is involved in a cover-up? Despite threats to both his career and his freedom, George relentlessly seeks the truth, knowing that if he’s right, the consequences could be lethal.
Related Reading: 15 Best Robin Cook Books You Should Read
30. The Ocean at the End of the Lane by Neil Gaiman
Returning to his childhood home to attend a funeral, a middle-aged man is drawn back to a place once alive with monsters and magic; to a past where the impossible is all too frighteningly real . . .
A haunting meditation on memory, wonder, friendship, and sacrifice, The Ocean at the End of the Lane, which was named “Book of the Year” by the UK National Book Awards, is a groundbreaking triumph of storytelling as delicate as a butterfly’s wing and as menacing as a knife in the dark.
Related Reading: The 10 Best Mind-Blowing Neil Gaiman Books of All Time
31. How to Avoid a Climate Disaster by Bill Gates
Bill Gates has spent a decade investigating the causes and effects of climate change. With the help of experts in the fields of physics, chemistry, biology, engineering, political science, and finance, he has focused on what must be done in order to stop the planet's slide to certain environmental disasters.
In this book, he not only explains why we need to work toward net-zero emissions of greenhouse gases but also details what we need to do to achieve this profoundly important goal.
He gives us a clear-eyed description of the challenges we face. Drawing on his understanding of innovation and what it takes to get new ideas into the market, he describes the areas in which technology is already helping to reduce emissions, where and how the current technology can be made to function more effectively, where breakthrough technologies are needed, and who is working on these essential innovations.
Finally, he lays out a concrete, practical plan for achieving the goal of zero emissions—suggesting not only policies that governments should adopt, but what we as individuals can do to keep our government, our employers, and ourselves accountable in this crucial enterprise.
As Bill Gates makes clear, achieving zero emissions will not be simple or easy to do, but if we follow the plan he sets out here, it is a goal firmly within our reach.
Related Reading:
32. Poor Charlie's Almanack by Charles T. Munger
He is really a very wise old man. What is rare is that he is willing to pass on and explain his life wisdom to others.
However, he sometimes made indirect remarks and sometimes said the truth and some speeches were not easy to understand after reading them twice.
However, even a little gain from reading a book is worth the money, not to mention learning more than a little from it.
Excerpt some very inspiring words and some very useful knowledge for me:
Mistakes that everyone makes:
- Overestimating data-supported materials.
- Doesn't take into account all the potentially more important material that is difficult to weigh.
We read a lot. I don't know of a smart person who doesn't read a lot, but that's not enough: you have to have the ability to grasp ideas and act intelligently.
How can one follow in his footsteps? Try to wake up every day a little smarter than before, piously and excellently perform your duties, and take one step at a time, no need to run too fast.
But you wish you could run faster. Fight hard every time, every day. In the end, most people will get what they deserve if they live long enough.
There will be challenges at every stage of life, and I think there are three things that will help you meet these challenges:
- Keep expectations low
- Have a good sense of humor
- Psychological Misjudgment Tendencies
Related Reading: Books by Author
33. Norwegian Wood by Haruki Murakami
When I opened "Norwegian Wood" for the first time, I was immediately led into a slightly sentimental youthful charm by it.
The plot of the novel is flat, the tone is slow, and the tone is light, but there is an irresistible shock wave surging between the lines, which arouses strong tremors and resonance in my heart.
Reading "Norwegian Wood" can start from anywhere, and every time I open it, it will bring me spiritual rest and artistic infection.
For ten years, I have been addicted to it, and I can't extricate myself every time. How many times have I asked myself, why is this?
Regarding this book, I like to repeatedly explore the lonely human nature in this simple plot, and I think of the moments when I felt the "Norwegian forest" countless times in my youth.
Related Reading: 15 Best Haruki Murakami Books of All Time
About the most famous book in the world
The most famous book in the world is a topic that has been widely debated and discussed. Many literary experts and book enthusiasts have their own opinions on what constitutes the most famous book in the world. However, one book that consistently appears at the top of most lists is the Bible.
The Bible is considered the most famous book in the world for several reasons. First and foremost, it is the most widely distributed book in history. The Bible has been translated into over 2,000 languages and dialects, making it accessible to billions of people around the world.
Secondly, the Bible has had a profound impact on the world. It has served as a spiritual guide for millions of people, providing comfort, wisdom, and inspiration. It has also played a significant role in shaping Western culture and civilization. Many of the values and principles that underpin Western society, such as the concept of justice, the importance of family and community, and the belief in a higher power, can be traced back to the Bible.
Additionally, the Bible has also been the subject of countless scholarly and literary works. It has been studied, analyzed, and interpreted by scholars, theologians, and literary experts for centuries.
However, it's worth noting that "the most famous book in the world" can be interpreted in many ways, and others may argue that books such as "The Quran" or "The Bhagavad Gita" can also be considered one of the most famous books in the world.
Overall, the Bible is widely recognized as the most famous book in the world due to its wide distribution, profound impact on society, and enduring legacy. It is a book that has stood the test of time and will continue to be read and studied for generations to come.
Honorable Mentions: Most popular books of all time
When it comes to the most popular books of all time, there are a few titles that immediately come to mind. These books have stood the test of time and continue to be read, loved, and studied by people of all ages and backgrounds.
Some of the most popular books of all time include:
The Quran: Considered the most sacred text in Islam, the Quran has been widely read and studied by Muslims around the world. It is the central religious text of Islam and is considered the literal word of God by Muslims.
The Bible: The Bible is considered the most popular book of all time. It is the most widely distributed book in history and has been translated into over 2,000 languages and dialects. It has played a significant role in shaping Western culture and civilization and continues to be a spiritual guide for millions of people around the world.
The Bhagavad Gita: One of the most popular books in Hinduism, The Bhagavad Gita is considered a sacred text in Hinduism. It is a 700-verse Hindu scripture that is part of the epic Mahabharata.
The Diary of a Young Girl by Anne Frank: This is the personal diary of Anne Frank, a Jewish girl who was forced to go into hiding during the Holocaust. The book was published posthumously in 1947 and has been translated into over 60 languages and is considered a powerful documentation of the Holocaust.
The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger: This novel was published in 1951 and tells the story of teenage Holden Caulfield, who is expelled from his prep school and wanders around New York City before returning home. The book is considered a classic of modern literature and has been translated into numerous languages.
The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho: This novel is a fable about a shepherd boy named Santiago who embarks on a journey to the pyramids of Egypt after having a recurring dream about a hidden treasure. The book has been translated into over 80 languages and has sold over 150 million copies worldwide.
The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams: This comedic science fiction series is a popular cult classic. It's a satirical look at humanity, technology, and the universe.
One Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel García Márquez: This novel is a story of seven generations of the Buendía family living in the fictional town of Macondo. The novel is considered a masterpiece of magical realism and has been translated into numerous languages.
The Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown: This thriller novel is a murder mystery set in the world of secret societies and symbology. The book has sold over 80 million copies worldwide and has been adapted into a film and video game.
The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry: This novella is a philosophical children's story that has been translated into over 250 languages. The book tells the story of a young prince who leaves his home planet to explore the galaxy.
Frankenstein by Mary Shelley: This novel is a classic of gothic literature, it tells the story of a scientist who creates a monster from dead body parts. It has been adapted into numerous film and stage productions and is considered one of the most important works of science fiction in history.
Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling: The Harry Potter series is one of the most popular book series of all time. It has sold over 500 million copies worldwide and has been translated into over 80 languages. The series has become a cultural phenomenon and has spawned a successful film franchise, video games, and theme parks.
The Lord of the Rings trilogy by J.R.R. Tolkien: The Lord of the Rings trilogy is a classic fantasy novel that has gained a cult following. The series has been adapted into a film, video games, and stage productions, and is widely considered a masterpiece of fantasy literature.
To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee: To Kill a Mockingbird is a classic American novel that has been widely read and studied. It explores themes of racism, prejudice, and injustice, and has been adapted into a film, stage productions, and an opera.
The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien: The Hobbit is a prequel to Lord of the Rings, it was written by J.R.R. Tolkien as a children's book. However, its popularity is such that it's read by all ages, it's a classic fantasy novel that has gained a cult following.
The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald is another classic novel that has stood the test of time. Published in 1925, the novel is considered a masterpiece of American literature. It explores themes of wealth, love, and the American Dream during the Roaring Twenties. The novel has been adapted into multiple film and stage productions and continues to be widely read and studied today.
1984 by George Orwell. This dystopian novel, published in 1949, is set in a totalitarian society where the government exerts total control over its citizens. The novel explores themes of government surveillance, censorship, and the dangers of totalitarianism. The novel's popularity has not waned over time and its themes continue to be relevant today.
These books have captured the imaginations of readers around the world and have left a lasting impact on literature and culture. They are considered classics that continue to be read and enjoyed by people of all ages.
It's worth noting that this is not a comprehensive list and there are many other books that can be considered the most popular books of all time, depending on personal preferences, cultural significance, and other factors.
FAQs for "Most Famous Books in the World"
Q: What are the most famous books in the world?
A: The most famous books in the world can vary depending on the criteria used to define "fame." Some commonly cited examples include the Bible, the Quran, the Bhagavad Gita, the works of William Shakespeare, and the Harry Potter series.
Q: What are the most popular books of all time?
A: The most popular books of all time can vary depending on factors such as cultural significance, critical acclaim, and sales. Some examples of popular books include the Bible, the Harry Potter series, the Lord of the Rings trilogy, and To Kill a Mockingbird.
Q: Why are these books considered to be famous?
A: These books are considered famous for a variety of reasons. Some are famous for their literary merit, while others have become cultural phenomena. The Bible, for example, is considered the most widely distributed book in history and has had a profound impact on society. The Harry Potter series, on the other hand, has become a cultural phenomenon and has sold over 500 million copies worldwide.
Q: Are there any other books that could be considered famous?
A: Absolutely! The list of famous books is constantly evolving and can depend on personal preferences. Other books that could be considered famous include To Kill a Mockingbird, Pride and Prejudice, The Great Gatsby, and 1984.
Q: Are these books only famous in certain countries or cultures?
A: Some of the books on this list have global fame, such as The Bible and the Harry Potter series. Others may be more famous in certain countries or cultures. For example, the Bhagavad Gita is considered one of the most famous books in India.
Q: How can I read these famous books?
A: Many of these books are available in libraries, bookstores, and online retailers. Some of them may be available in digital formats or as audiobooks. Some libraries also offer e-book and audiobook lending services.
Q: How can these books be used in education?
A: Many of these books are considered classic literature and are often studied in schools and universities. They can be used to teach students about different time periods, cultures, and literary techniques. Additionally, these books can also be used to spark discussions about important social and political issues.
Q: What are the best-selling books of all time?
A: The best-selling books of all time are often measured by the number of copies sold. Some examples of best-selling books include the Bible, the Harry Potter series, the Quran, and the book "Think and Grow Rich" by Napoleon Hill.
Q: Is the Bible the best-selling book of all time?
A: Yes, the Bible is widely considered the best-selling book of all time. It has been translated into over 2,000 languages and dialects and has sold billions of copies worldwide.
Q: What is the best-selling book series of all time?
A: The Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling is widely considered the best-selling book series of all time. It has sold over 500 million copies worldwide and has been translated into over 80 languages.
Q: What is the most-read book in the world?
A: The Bible is considered the most-read book in the world. It is estimated that over 3.9 billion copies of the Bible have been sold worldwide, and it is the most translated book in history.
Q: What is the most famous book in the world?
A: The most famous book in the world can be interpreted in different ways. However, the Bible is considered the most famous book in the world due to its wide distribution, profound impact on society, and enduring legacy.
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