To be an author and be able to say that your work is among the best selling books of all time is an accomplishment that certainly many aspiring writers dream of. Aside from the obvious monetary benefits that follow after having hundreds of millions of copies distributed worldwide, you essentially change history. So, which ones are the titles that currently stand proudly at the top of the list? Is it Harry Potter? Maybe it’s Fifty Shades of Grey, given how tremendously successful the series was? Let’s move on and find out the Top 10 Best Selling Books of All Time.
#10 “Think and Grow Rich” by Napoleon Hills
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Estimated sales: 70 million
Think and Grow Rich is, without a doubt, Napoleon Hills’ best-selling volume. As the title implies, it’s a self-improvement book that focuses on tips and innovative (at the time) tricks to increase income. Hills got the suggestion for this book from business mogul and philanthropist Andrew Carnegie. The book was published during the Great Depression, so there’s no wonder that a book that was essentially helping people earn more money was so successful.
#9 “The Da Vinci Code” by Dan Brown
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Estimated sales: 80 million
One way for a book to receive attention is through controversies, as was the case of the famous The Da Vinci Code. The story follows symbolist Robert Langdon, for the second time after Angels & Demons, and cryptologist Sophie Neveu as they investigate a mysterious murder inside of the Louvre Museum. The title is a reference to the position the body was found in, which was made to resemble Da Vinci’s Vitruvian Man.
More than that, Langdon and Neveu get stuck in the middle of a conflict between the Priory of Sion and Opus Dei, ignited because of theories that Jesus Christ might have been married to Mary Magdalene.
#8 “The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe” by C.S. Lewis
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Estimated sales: 85 million
The first fantasy entry on this list, The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe is the first volume of Lewis’ Chronicles of Narnia series. Following the adventures of four siblings who discover a realm hidden inside their wardrobe, the book was a tremendous success. A movie adaptation was made too; however, just like in the case of the book series, the only successful installment was the first one.
#7 “She: A History of Adventure” by H. Rider Haggard
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Estimated sales: 100 million
Haggard’s book has been insanely popular at the time of its release, and it remains popular even today. She tells the story of Horace Holly and Leo Vincey, his ward, as they venture into a lost kingdom on African grounds. There, they discover a woman named Ayesha, who reigns over a primitive tribe as “She” or “She-who-must-be-obeyed.” She launched the Lost World craze that has been emulated by plenty of authors after its release.
#6 “Dream of the Red Chamber” by Cao Xueqin
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Estimated sales: 100 million
Considered to be one of China’s Four Great Classical Novels, Dream of the Red Chamber is a staple of Chinese literature, even having a whole science dedicated to the analysis of its content. Written during the reign of the Qing Dynasty, it’s a semi-autobiographical work that depicts the rise and fall of the author’s own family, in a mirror to the Qing Dynasty. The book is highly appreciated for its impressive cast of characters, as well as for the in-depth presentation of 18th century China.
#5 “And Then There Were None” by Agatha Christie
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Estimated sales: 100 million
Agatha Christie is undoubtedly one of the world’s greatest authors, but her peak was definitely And Then There Were None. Initially published in the United Kingdom with the title Ten Little Niggers, it depicts an array of characters who have been summoned to a deserted island to pay for the various crimes they have committed, managing to elude justice. In turns, seemingly mirroring the nursery rhyme, all of them are killed off.
#4 “Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone” by J.K. Rowling
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Estimated sales: 107 million
Although all of the books in the series are among the top twenty best selling books of all time, Philosopher’s Stone has sold the most copies. The tale about a young boy who discovers he has magical powers and goes to attend the famed Hogwarts has won the hearts of hundreds of millions of people.
#3 “The Little Prince” by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry
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Estimated sales: 140 million
This children’s story was a worldwide phenomenon, but not just to its niche. It was highly praised for its philosophical undertones and the hidden messages intertwined with this unique tale. The Little Prince also managed to stand out through the remarkable achievement of being a bestseller despite its original language not being English. Although the manuscript was in French, it was published solely in English.
#2 “The Hobbit” by J.R.R. Tolkien
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Estimated sales: 140.6 million
Tolkien’s second most successful work has been in the top ten bestsellers for a while now, but the release of the movie adaptations boosted it straight to number two. Conceived as a children’s book, The Hobbit is a prequel to The Lord of the Rings in which we follow Bilbo Baggins, Gandalf, and a group of dwarves on their journey to recover their home from the infamous dragon Smaug.
#1 “The Lord of the Rings” by J.R.R. Tolkien
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Estimated sales: 150 million
The Lord of the Rings established the fantasy genre as we know it and people have never grown tired of it. Unlike Harry Potter, though, The Lord of the Rings was intended to be a single volume, but this idea was dismissed by the publisher for economic reasons. Therefore, the book was split into three volumes, which together have sold 150 million copies worldwide since their release.
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