Top 20 Best Books of All-Time
Do you have a hard time deciding which book to read next? With so many options to choose from, it can seem downright overwhelming to make what should be a simple decision.
I find myself wasting a good 20 minutes looking over my book shelves debating which book I want to read. If I could read them all simultaneously, that would be great, but I prefer to devote my time and attention to one book at a time.
Usually, I’ll pick a book that a friend recommended or that received fabulous online reviews. And guess what? I’m giving you some book recommendations to help you with the conundrum of what to read next!
I’ve been a bookworm for almost my entire life. My mom said I was a fussy baby and toddler and the only thing that would calm me down was when she read to me. To this day, I still find solace in the pages of a good book.
Books are subjective. What one person may love, another may be bored to tears reading.
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Friends of mine raved about The Time Traveler’s Wife. I read about 1/2 way through before abandoning it. I just could not get into the story.
The way I judge a book is how it makes me feel. Am I drawn into the story so much that I don’t even notice what is going on around me? Do I care about the characters? Does it evoke emotions – good or bad? Do I think about the book long after it ends?
These are all factors that play into how I personally judge a book and decide whether its mediocre or a spectacular read.
Though I’m not doing as many book reviews as I used, I am still plowing through the books on my bookshelf. Once in a while, a true gem comes along.
I’m sure you have your own list of favourite books and today I’m sharing mine. I imagine that this list will evolve as I continue to devour more books. If you are looking for some book recommendations, this is a great list to refer to!
Top 20 Best Books of All-Time
Check out my top 20 books of all-time (in random order).
- The Bronze Horseman by Paullina Simons
- Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery
- The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins
- Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn
- Wildflower Hill by Kimberley Freeman
- The Map of Time by Felix J. Palma
- Outlander by Diana Gabaldon
- Memoirs of a Geisha by Arthur Golden
- The Great Gatsby F. Scott Fitzgerald
- You by Caroline Kepnes
- I Am Pilgrim by Terry Hayes
- Twilight by Stephenie Meyer
- Not Without My Daughter by Betty Mahmoody
- Left Neglected by Lisa Genova
- White Oleander by Janet Fitch
- Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone by JK Rowling
- Anne Frank: The Diary of a Young Girl by Anne Frank
- Flowers in the Attic by VC Andrews
- And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie
- The Memory Keeper’s Daughter by Kim Edwards
For the list people out there, I have a free Books to Read printable to help you keep track of the books you are coveting. The neat freak in me gets pleasure from checking the boxes on the list. (Is that weird!?).
Fill out the form below to get the free printable sent to your inbox.
Have you read any of my top picks? If so, which ones? Also, let me know YOUR favourite book because I’m always looking for books to add to my list!
You might also like Books to Read in 2022.
Happy Reading!
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Perhaps the “best books of all time” is a lofty name for this list.
When I think of the best books for inclusion to the list, only classics that have survived the test of time are worthy. Books like Gulliver`s Travels, Robinson Crusoe, Tom Sawyer, To Kill a Mockingbird, Treasure Island, Silas Marner, come to mind.
Oops auto correct error”Sigrid Undset”
The Diaries of Adam and Eve, by Mark Twain, get the illustrated edition, first graphic novel ever printed. West with the Night, by Beryl Markham, Kristin Lavrensdatter, by Sigrid Under, I Capture the Castle, Dottie Smith (also wrote 101 Dalmatians and helped Hitchcock!)
“The Bronze Horseman” ranks right up there in probably my top 5 favorite books of all time. “Memoirs of a Geisha” “Girl on a Train”, “Gone girl”, & “Memory Keeper’s Daughter” were all fantastic.
I am reading “The Nightingale” right now and am enthralled, as usual with the struggles death an despair of life during World War II. A couple more worth reading are “Hansel and Gretyl” and “Orphan Train”. Thanks for the list.
Why is Twilight on this list?
Because this is a list of greatest books of all times according to the author, and there is nothing wrong with it being one of her favorites.
I have read most of those and the Twilight Saga and I am Pilgrim would make my top 20 also. Top of my list would be Daughter of Smoke and Bone trilogy, Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett which is my all time favourite book, The Hunger Games series, the Divergent series, The Lovely Bones, Me Before You, The Nightingale and if I want an easy fluffy read, The Black Dagger Brotherhood is very entertaining as is The King trilogy. Happy reading, I will be looking at all your suggestions as I’m always on the lookout for a great book, I do so love to read
Love the list. Even though, “Twilight” is not a top pick for me, personally, I respect your choices.
“Outlander” all time favourite. I read it when it was first published. “Gone Girl” was a very good read as well. I have read some on the list. I have most in my collection. You have introduced me to some, which I am looking forward to reading!
I would like to suggest: “Me Before You” by Jojo Moyes, “Still Missing” by Chevy Stevens, “Ready Player One” by Ernest Cline.
I tend to like Jen Lancaster, Lisa Scottoline (with daughter), Mary Kay Andrews, and Jane Green for some good humour.
Happy Reading from a fellow Ontarioian? Ontarioite? from Ontario. =)
I have read 5 and half books from your list. Twilight (Finnish: Houkutus) was huge thing to me, it was just a normal book when I read it. Not anything big and my friends didn’t know it etc.. Good book, but not so good movie.
Anne Frank, sadly I read only half of it. It’s really good and I enjoy reading it. But when i didn’t read it I was like no, I don’t feel like reading it. Some books are like that to me :/
Harry Potter, my friends are always like “you read a lot, but you haven’t read Harry Potter?!”. I have read only two of them, but someday someday. Movies are good…
Memoirs of Geisha (Finnish Geishan muistelmat) was so good. Anne of Green Gables (Finnish: Annan nuoruusvuodet), Anne series is on my this year reading list. Next is going to be Anne’s house of dreams.
And then there were none (Finnish: Eikä yksikään pelastunut) was good, it was my first Agatha Christie (read it this summer). My second was Murder on the Orient Express but it wasn’t so good, nice to read but feeling were like yep, next book.
And then, my favorites. So many books. I can’t say which is the best, number one, because stories are always different and my mood is different etc.. But on my favorite shelf I have Daughter of Smoke and Bone – Laini Taylor (also the sequel Days of Blood and Starlight), The Inheritance Cycle – Christopher Paolini (I would read them like every year, but too much pages, take too much time which I can use to read new books), The Night Circus – Erin Morgenstern (so good), Pride and Prejudice – Jane Austen and the last Jane Eyre – Charlotte Brontë.
So those are in my favorite list. Then I have so much good books. Host by Stephenie Meyer, Selection by Kiera Cass (was my books obsession hmm about 5 months ago), Howl’s moving castle by Diana Wynne Jones (I read it when I was younger and I really like that little love story, so it stays in my heart). And I could go on and on and on… 😀
Have you read any of these?
I’m sorry, but I cannot respect a list that considers “Twilight” as one of the top 20 books ever written. Come on, people!
It is her list….and she can put whatever she wants on it. Just as you are entitled to your opinion, she is entitled to hers.
I agree with you, Lauren.
I love your list! Have you read Water for Elephants by Sarah Gruene? GREAT book, definitely in my top 5.
Some interesting choices.I’ve read six.I’m going to look up the others and see if they are something I would enjoy.
Thanks for these great suggestions!!
I’ve read Memoirs of a Geisha, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, Outlander, Anne of Green Gables, And Then There Were None but I believe those are the only ones from this list that I’ve read so far.
I love a lot of these books! I have read I am the Pilgrim and the Great Gastby. I need to check out some of these other books. Thanks for an awesome list.
Though i love all of Stephen King’s books…all the way back to when he published the 6 under the name Richard Bachman…I have indeed read 6 of the classics on your list…You are indeed historical reader
So many of these are one of my favorites too!! I’m a huge bookworm as well and have a big huge book shelf stuffed full of to be read books because like you I like a wide variety. I though get very excited when it’s time to pick out a new book to read, in fact half way through the book I am reading my mind gets really excited and starts browsing my books on what I’ll be reading next. lol
I’ve only read three on this list, but looks like I am missing a few great ones! Thanks for this list!
Awesome list, have read many! I didn’t get into “You” – maybe I should give it another chance.
Anne of Green Gables is one of my favorite series of all time, followed by harry Potter and Hunger Games. Some other books I love are history of Love, Gravity of Birds, Cold Mountain, Gone with the Wind, Alice’s Tulip’s, Winter Soltice, and Madonnas of Leningrad.
Some great books on that list. I haven’t read them all but a lot of them.