ART AND CULTURE.

What are the best-selling novels in history? Here is the Top 10

Fantasy, educational novels and thrillers: the Top 10 best-selling novels ever offers some surprises, but also many very famous works, which have often been turned into movies.

Among the best-selling books in history are many sacred texts such as the "Bible" and the "Koran," for which making an estimate of sales is very difficult (but we are talking about billions of copies).

Excluding sacred texts and literary works initially published peridically in several separate volumes (such as "Lord of the Rings" and "Don Quixote"), here are what are the best-selling novels in history.

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Here are the best-selling novels in history
Fantasy, educational novels and thrillers: the Top 10 best-selling novels ever offers some surprises, but also many very famous works that have often been turned into movies. Among the best-selling books in history are many sacred texts such as the "Bible" and the "Koran," for which making an estimate of sales is very difficult (but we are talking about billions of copies).Excluding sacred texts and literary works initially published in several separate volumes (such as "Lord of the Rings" and "Don Quixote"), here are what are the best-selling novels ever.
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She: A History of Adventure, 1887 - H. Rider Haggard: 83 million copies sold
This novel initiated the historic literary genre called the lost world, which consists of the discovery of a distant and unexplored place left out of modernity, thus able to preserve its original characteristics. As many as 10 films have been made from this book: the first even in 1899, the last in 2001.
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The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, 1950 - C.S. Lewis: 85 million copies sold
This is the first book from the saga "The Chronicles of Narnia" and is the best known, partly due to the 2005 film that was a worldwide success. Lewis wrote this book and subsequent ones inspired mainly by Christian allegories, but also by ancient Greek and Roman mythology (fauns, centaurs) and Scandinavian mythology (e.g., giants).
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The Da Vinci Code, 2003 - Dan Brown: 90 million copies sold
"The Da Vinci Code" is the fourth thriller novel written by Dan Brown. This work is rich in symbolism and legends, which helped make the book very famous and also criticized by some readers because of how part of the Catholic Church is described in the novel.
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The Dream of the Red Chamber, 1791 - Cao Xueqin: 100 million copies sold
This literary work was written in China during the reign of Emperor Qianlong. The book has 120 chapters in which there are a large number of intertwining characters and stories, moving away from the main plot. The novel is important not only for the characters featured (mostly female) and psychological value, but also for its detailed description of 18th-century Chinese aristocratic society.
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The Alchemist, 1988 - Paulo Coelho: 100 million copies sold
Through this celebrated coming-of-age novel Paulo Coelho won the prestigious award Grinzane Cavour. The book was initially received lukewarmly by the public, only to become a commercial success in the 1990s.
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And Then There Were None, 1939 - Agatha Christie: 110 million copies sold
With 110 million copies sold worldwide, "Ten Little Indians" is the best-selling mystery book ever. This successful novel has been adapted into so many versions: from movies to cartoons, video games and comic books.
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Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, 1997 - J. K. Rowling: 120 million copies sold
The first book in the Harry Potter saga is the best-selling book ever, but the other six books have also enjoyed planetary success by placing at Top 20 (with numbers ranging from 60 to 80 million copies sold).
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The Hobbit, 1937 - J.R.R. Tolkien: 140 million copies sold
"The Book of the Lord of the Rings" (1955) was to be published in one large volume, but the economic crisis following World War II forced the publication of this serialized work in three volumes, each divided into two books: that is why we have not considered this work in the ranking, which nevertheless collectively has sold about 150 million copies. "The Hobbit" on the other hand was published in 1937 and today has experienced a new surge in sales thanks to the film adaptations of the saga.
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The Little Prince, 1943 - Antoine de Saint-Exupéry: 150 million copies sold
"The Little Prince" is not really considered a novel in its own right, but it is nonetheless a coming-of-age tale for children that deals with many existential themes such as the meaning of life, love and friendship. From its first publication until today, this moving tale has enchanted so many generations and has been translated into more than 500 languages and dialects.
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A Tale of Two Cities, 1859 - Charles Dickens: 200 million copies sold
Set in Paris and London, this is one of only two historical novels written by Charles Dickens together with Barnaby Rudge. Although it is the best-selling book ever, it ranks only 63rd among the best-loved books of all time according to a BBC survey.
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