Click through this gallery to take a look at the bestselling books of all time. Is fifty shades of grey really the uks best selling book. It was previously suggested that the best selling book in the world was a tie between the bible and the quran. Satire on the best selling book of all time, exposing crazy verses you wont hear in church. Writer james chapman created a list of the most read books in the world based on the number of copies each book sold over the last 50 years he found. May 25, 2017 sometimes the one book collecting dust on the bookshelf is the bible. Best selling refers to the estimated number of copies sold of all fiction books written or cowritten by an. Many copies of the holy bible have been freely given away during missionary work.
It became the standard dictionary among chinese schoolchildren. Fourhundred years ago in a small london neighborhood residents burrowed deep in their beds enjoying the luxury of the last hour before dawn, unaware of the furious activity a few doors down at the printing shop. The huffington post article actually named 16 books that have sold the most copies worldwide, noting that the bible is the top seller in the world. First, harry potter sold 450 million copies as a series, not as a single book. Smith has said, if all the christians were to dust their bibles at the same time, we would have the greatest dust storm in history. See how it compares to the top 100 bestsellers of all time. Bible far outsold any other book, with a whopping 3. The bestselling book of all time marginal revolution. April 29, 2018 july 18, 2018 admin by daniel lattier. However, its also perhaps the most unread or neglected book of all time as well. For a long time, it was one of the very few printed books available for purchase. This page includes a list of the 25 bestselling books of alltime as well as the 25. While finding precise sales numbers for any given author is nearly impossible, the list is based on approximate numbers provided or repeated by reliable sources. Just to remind some of the commentators, this is number of books sold in all time according to sources of wikipedia.
Written by the editors of gq, 21 books you dont have to read is an exercise in pretentious millennial book burning, where very beloved. Overview this volume contains the authorized king james version kjv holy bible. The book s phenomenal popularity may be because it was essentially an unofficial requirement for every chinese citizen to own, to read, and to carry it at all times during the latter half of maos rule, especially during. As 2020 begins, im using a great new app to read through.
In todays video john dickson, author of a doubters guide to the bible, explains two possible reasons. The bible is easily one of the bestselling books of all time, but exact sales. I feel that goodreads should sponsor its own list of best selling books of all time. The second bestselling book of all time crisis magazine. It seems that no list of best selling books of all time yes, those are all different links can exclude a tale of two cities and its supposed200 million copies. The 30 biggest selling books of all time might surprise. This is a list of best selling fiction authors to date, in any language. The best any other book can hope for is second place and a very distant second place at that. One group claimed the bible as the worlds best selling book. The holy bible, the book upon which all of western morality rested for the past 2,000 years, is the most overrated book of all time, according to an essay in gq. Also, it is worth noting that some religious and political books such as the bible, quran. A survey by the bible society concluded that around 2. Although it is impossible to obtain exact figures, there is little doubt that the bible is the worlds best selling and most widely distributed book. Australian womens weekly content brought to you by now to love.
The most popular book of all time christian universities online. These are the 12 most popular books of all time indy100. The 21 bestselling books of all time howstuffworks. Could it be true that the bible is the bestselling book in. This chineselanguage dictionary was first published in 1953. The bible is one of the most overrated books of all time. Oct 10, 2016 sure, the bestselling book of alltime is, of course, the bible. Whether its best selling or real doesnt matter in the case of the sentence above. Sep 07, 2010 the bible and quotations from chairman mao still vie for the top spot, with more than 6 billion published copies each. Best selling books of all time 100 books goodreads. Not only is the bible the best seller of all time it continues to be the best seller every year even when compared to the astounding sales figures.
I think thatll tell you how valuable something can be based on its sales. The bible is the worlds bestselling book, having sold more than five billion copies. Apr 20, 2020 spend a minute with one of the best selling books of all time with the book from museum of the bible. In the september the huffington post published an article by alexander carr listing the 15 top selling books of all time. The bible tells a story from the first book, genesis, to the last book, revelation, that people long to be true. Researchers have collated the figures for the number of editions, translations and copies sold of the worlds most popular books these are the most loved tomes. The only reason the bible sells so much is because the catholic church prints thousands of copies to give out for free, and the same with other protestant churches. If someone asks you to name the all time bestselling book, youd most likely answer the bible.
According to the new yorker even books with harry potter stature dont compete well with the bible. Sure, the best selling book of all time is, of course, the bible. Jun 24, 2012 the harry potter series, which has enjoyed high volume sales in recent years, is a good example. It is also the most widely and given some of the liberties taken, wildly translated book of all time, too. Although it is impossible to obtain exact figures, there is little doubt that the bible is the worlds bestselling and most widely distributed book. What is the bestselling book of all time please exclude.
Just as the sentence above doesnt assert that capital by marx isnt a real book. Is bible the worlds bestselling or mostread or most. Book minute museum of the bible museum of the bible. Thursday, february 3, 2011 worlds best selling book by donald l. More than 2,100 languages have at least one book of the bible in that language.
The bible is widely believed to be the best selling book of all time but it has in fact been pitted for first place. The third group considered it as the mostprinted and mostdistributed book. However in the 21st century we know this is in fact not true. Excluding the bible, business insider did a great chart on this as of 2012 thats unfortunately not quite right, but well get to that in a moment. However, i do not know when this list was last updated. Despite the uncertainty about exact figures, it is a common consensus that the bible is the number 1 bestselling book of all time. From biography to literature, history to spirituality, the list includes something for everyone.
Bible introduction the bestselling book of all time is. This page provides lists of bestselling individual books and book series to date and in any. Also, it is worth noting that some religious and political books such as the bible, quran, and quotations from chairman mao are believed to. Further translation into other languages is also underway. Jan 11, 2015 it was previously suggested that the best selling book in the world was a tie between the bible and the quran. Stockbyte getty images scholars can debate endlessly over which book is the best of all time, but finding out which ones have enjoyed the most commercial success should be a more concrete endeavor. In the old testament, it discusses the history of the hebrew people from abraham to moses, the judges, the prophets, and the kings, etc. But according to this page, the best selling books of all time are. The bible is without question the best selling book of all time. Similarly, many notable book series that sold very widely are poorly documented or consist of multiple subseries. The familiar observation that the bible is the best selling book of all time obscures a more startling fact. Best selling books are ranked by number of copies sold, not my personal ratings. Not only is the bible the best seller of all time it continues to be the best seller every year even when compared to the astounding sales figures of a series like harry potter. A tale of two cities, charles dickens, 200 million copies.
Youll find more details about how we counted the books, in the main overview of the best kindle books of all time. As 2020 begins, im using a great new app to read through the. Aug 28, 2015 as journalist daniel radosh observed, the familiar observation that the bible is the bestselling book of all time obscures a more startling fact. Unsurprisingly, the most popular book of all time has an interesting history. #1 don quixote 500 million copies sold 2 by miguel de cervantes.
Quotations from chairman mao tsetung little red book. The top 100 kindle books of all time, based on annual. According to guinness world records as of 1995, the bible is the bestselling book of all time, with an. Sep 04, 2016 click through this gallery to take a look at the bestselling books of all time. The top ranking, best selling christian book of all time for all christians, beginner to advanced. This page includes a list of the 25 best selling books of all time as well as the 25 best selling book series of all time. As journalist daniel radosh observed, the familiar observation that the bible is the best selling book of all time obscures a more startling fact. This page includes a list of the 25 best selling books of alltime as well as the 25 best selling book series of all time. Another group upheld it as the worlds mostread books.
The bible has sold billions of copies and is the best selling book of all time. We can just look at the sales numbers and rank them. These powerful videos will deliver the history, narrative and impact of the bible straight to your inbox every monday. The bible has been translated into more than 2000 languages and dialects. Source this article, while i cannot find a date, has a few differences, but the last website update was this year. What is the second best selling book of all time after.
Add to that, for a few hundred years your family was nothing if they didnt have their ow. According to guinness world records as of 1995, the bible is the bestselling book of all time, with an estimated 5 billion copies sold and distributed. Jun 11, 2018 the bible receives its alltime bestseller title mainly by cheating. The bible is widely believed to be the bestselling book of alltime but it has in fact been pitted for first place. If a book is present on more than one annual list, its points are added. Other than the bible itself, pilgrims progress is said to be the best selling christian book of all time. The king james bible the bestselling book of all time, the most quoted book in the english languageis celebrating its 400th anniversary this year with conferences and exhibits in museums and. Satire on the best selling book of all time, exposing crazy verses. Hes an opus dei priest and fellow book lover, and hes put together what he calls the catholic lifetime reading plan including the best catholic books of all time the late fr. With thousands of translations, over forty original authors, and a two millennium history, lets take a look at the trails, tribulations, changes, and status of the worlds most popular book. According to guinness world records as of 1995, the bible is the best selling book of all time, with an estimated 5 billion copies sold and distributed.
The bible and quotations from chairman mao still vie for the top spot, with more than 6 billion published copies each. In the september the huffington post published an article by alexander carr listing the 15 topselling books of all time. Many devout christians are quick to assert that the holy bible is the worlds best selling book, for all time. The best selling book of all time is also the least read. Harper lees new novel go set a watchman, the followup to to kill a mockingbird, is set to become one of the fastest selling books of all time. Hal lindseys book takes a look at prophecies given in the bible and. Each book in the annual bestseller list gets points. The bible is the alltime bestselling book but do you know what the nextbestselling book is. Many people accept the gospel of hollywood, the gospel of the media, the gospel of macroevolution, the gospel of false religion, or the gospel of materialism, but they reject the bible, even though they have seldom or never even read it. Numbers of books sold is a good thermometer to guide book readers.
Jul 15, 2015 harper lees new novel go set a watchman, the followup to to kill a mockingbird, is set to become one of the fastestselling books of all time. The bible is taken out of running in that it falls into the second clause a book about religion. Best selling christian book of all time, for all christians. Yet this need to own at least one copy of the inspired word of god drives the bible to being a top selling book every year whether it is opened or not. The bible is easily one of the best selling books of all time, but exact sales numbers are hard to nail down. Other than the bible, which is the far and away the best selling christian book of all time with sales in the billions, here is my list for your consideration. Scholars can debate endlessly over which book is the best of all time, but finding out which ones have enjoyed the most commercial success should be a more concrete endeavor.
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