Since novels emerged in the 18th century, certain stories have made it the most popular literary form today. The novel has altered the way we think about stories and has captured millions of people since the modernization of publishing. Thanks to present-day film adaptations and translations, these novels remain of interest spreading their characters and messages around the world. From Pride and Prejudice and Beloved to Anna Karenina, here are the 10 most popular novels of all time.
10. Lolita by Vladimir Nabokov
Lolita is a 1955 novel by Russian-American novelist Vladimir Nabokov that follows a French literature professor who moves to New England and writes under the pseudonym of Humber Humber. He writes about his obsession with a young 12-year-old girl, Dolores Haze, whom he privately calls Lolita when he kidnaps her and sexually abuses her after becoming her stepfather.
Despite the quite controversial content matter of the novel, Lolita has received much critical acclaim. It has been included in lists such as “Times List of the 100 Best Novels,” “Le Monde’s 100 Books of the Century,” “Modern Library’s 100 Best Novels,” and “The Big Read.” The novel has also been adapted into both film and stage adaptations.
9. Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen, known as one of “the most loved books” of all time by the reading public and scholars alike, follows the tumultuous relationship between Elizabeth Bennet, the daughter of a country gentleman, and Fitzwilliam Darcy (Mr. Darcy), a wealthy landowner.
Pride and Prejudice has become one of the most popular novels in English literature, selling over 20 million copies and inspiring many novels in modern literature. It has also received many adaptations in both film and television starring different actors and actresses, most notably Colin Firth in the BBC’s television version as Mr. Darcy and Keira Knightly in the 2005 film version as Elizabeth Bennet.
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8. The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger
The Catcher in the Rye is a novel by American author J.D. Salinger, following two days in the life of 16-year-old Holden Caulfield as he wanders New York City after being expelled from prep school.
Though the novel was originally intended to be read by adults, the novel is often read by younger readers for its themes of angst and social alienation. Holden Caulfield has become a literary icon for teenagers as he represents teenage rebellion, critiquing the superficiality of society and providing his strong opinions of a wide variety of social constructs.
The Catcher in the Rye sells around one million copies a year with a total of more than 65 million books sold. The novel was written up in Time’s 2005 list of the 100 best English-language novels written since 1923, along with being named by Modern Library as one of the 100 best English-language novels of the 20th century. Catcher in the Rye was also listed as number 15 on the BBC’s “The Big Read.”
7. Beloved by Toni Morrison
Beloved by Toni Morrison is a 1987 novel set in the period after the American Civil War. The novel is centered around a dysfunctional, formerly enslaved family whose Cincinnati home is haunted by a malignant spirit. The narrative is told by Margaret Garner, a slave in Kentucky who escaped to the free state of Ohio in 1856.
Beloved has found resounding success, winning The Pulitzer Prize for Fiction a year after it was published and was a finalist for the National Book Award in 1987. Toni Morrison is known as one of the greatest writers of all time. She has made a remarkable contribution and impact on Black literature, with Beloved being her most popular novel and one of the most popular novels of all time.
6. Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë
Jane Eyre is an 1847 novel by English author Charlotte Brontë which tells the story of a plain and simple girl named Jane. As a child, Jane is abused by her Aunt, faces harsh conditions at the Lockwood School, and then becomes a Governess for a man named Mr. Rochester. The novel tells the story of Jane and Mr. Rochester’s romance.
Jane Eyre is known for revolutionizing prose fiction as it was the first novel to use the first-person narrative. This created a newfound psychological intensity within novels as it examines a storyline through the eyes of the protagonist. Jane Eyre, along with Pride and Prejudice, is known as not only one of the most famous romance novels but also as one of the most popular novels ever written.
5. One Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel García Márquez
One Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel García Márquez, a Colombian author, is a 1967 novel that tells the story of a multi-generational family whose patriarch founded the fictional town, Macondo.
One Hundred Years of Solitude has been translated into over 46 languages and sold over 50 million copies. The novel is not only recognized as one of the most significant works in the Hispanic literary canon but is also cited as one of the highest achievements of global literature ever.
4. Don Quixote by Miguel de Cervantes
Don Quixote is a Spanish novel by Miguel de Cervantes, originally published in two parts in 1605 and 1615. The epic novel follows a middle-aged man of the lowest nobility in the region of La Mancha in central Spain. He is obsessed with the chivalrous ideals he has read in books and decides to take up his lance and sword to help defend the helpless and destroy evil.
Don Quixote is considered a founding work of Western literature and is often thought of as the first modern novel along with one of the greatest works of literature ever written. As one of the most translated books in the world and one of the best-selling novels, Don Quixote is universally known and one of the most popular reads to this day.
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3. The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald
The Great Gatsby is a 1935 novel written by American author F. Scott Fitzgerald set in the Jazz Age on Long Island. The novel follows the narrator Nick Carraway and his interactions with mysterious millionaire neighbor Jay Gatsby who is obsessed with reuniting with his former lover, Daisy Buchanan.
The novel did not find immediate success but during World War II, when the Council on Books in Wartime distributed free copies to soldiers overseas, the novel experienced a surge in popularity. After this surge, the novel was reevaluated by critics and scholars and thus became known as the masterpiece it is known as today.
With numerous stage and film adaptations, The Great Gatsby is not only known as one of the great American novels but also as one of the most popular novels of all time.
2. To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee
To Kill a Mockingbird is a 1960 novel written by American author Harper Lee. The novel is a coming-of-age story set in a small town in Alabama, chronicling the childhood of Scout Finch and her brother Jem as their father Atticus defends a Black man falsely accused of rape by a white woman.
After being published in 1960, To Kill a Mockingbird became instantly successful. A year after its release, the novel won the Pulitzer Prize, making it a modern American classic and highlighting its resounding success and popularity.
1. Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy
Finally, Anna Karenina earns its spot as the most popular novel. From 1878, Russian author Leo Tolstoy writes against the backdrop of the liberal reforms initiated by Emperor Alexander II of Russia. The story is centered on an affair between Anna and cavalry officer Count Alexei Kirillovich Vronsky, scandalizing the social circles of Saint Petersburg and forcing the two to flee to Italy. However, when returning to Russia, their lives unravel.
Anna Karenina has been adapted into many different kinds of media such as theater, opera, film, television, ballet, and more. It is widely known to be the greatest work of literature ever written and therefore, one of the most popular novels of all time.
