10 Novels Considered the “Greatest Book Ever Written” (part 1)
Each reader will have a different opinion on which novel is truly the “greatest book ever written.” It may be a novel with beautiful, figurative language, one with gritty realism, or one that has had an immense social impact. Here is a list of ten novels that have been considered some of the greatest books ever written.
- Anna Karenina
Anyone who prefers to stories that involve juicy subjects such as gambling, adultery, marriage plots, would place Anna Karenina at the top of their greatest novels list. That’s exactly the ranking that the novel has been ranked by many publications like Time magazines since it was published in 1878. Written by Leo Tolstoy, a Russian novelist, this eight-part fiction tells the story of two major characters: a tragic, disenchanted housewife, Anna, who runs off with her young lover, and a love-struck landowner, Konstantin Levin, who struggles in faith and philosophy. Tolstoy molds discussions on love, pain, and family in Russian society with a sizable cast of characters regarded for their realistic humanity. The novel was a revolution in its treatment of women, depicting prejudices and social hardships of the time.
- To Kill a Mockingbird
Harper Lee is believed to be one of the most influential authors to have ever existed. She famously published only a single novel, To Kill a Mockingbird. The novel published in 1960 shows the American South’s racism through the innocent eyes of a clever young girl, Jean Louise (“Scout”) Finch. In 1961, it earned the Pulitzer Prize for fiction. Then, in 1962, it was made into an Academy Award-winning film. That gives the novel and its characters further life and influence over the American society.
- The Great Gatsby
The Great Gatsby, a novel written by F. Scott Fitzgerald, is considered one of the greatest books that introduce the art of reading literature critically to students. The story is told from the perspective of a young man, Nick Carraway, who has moved to New York recently. He is befriended by a rich neighbor with mysterious origins, Jay Gatsby. The Great Gatsby gives an insider’s looks into the Jazz Age of the 1920s in the United States while critiquing the idea of the “American Dream.”