The Refined Reader aims to take a look at the journey to where we are as readers today. It's part history, part commentary - providing a brief, conversational summary of various aspects of our bookish past and comparing it to how it has affected us in modern times. I love history, but I am no historian, and while I plan to do my research, if there are any errors, please let me know! This is as much a learning venture for me as I hope it is for my blog visitors!
Le Petit Prince (The Little Prince)
by Antoine de Saint Exupéry
First published in France in 1943
This poetic novella is otstensibly a children's book while also making quite profound comments on life in general. I'm sorry to say I have not read this one yet though I do have the book to read on my bookshelf!
Approximate Book Sales: 200 Million
by Charles Dickens
First published in England in 1859
Charles Dickens's complex tale of love, sacrifice and revolution is truly a masterpiece. I read this book in high school and after getting through the dense first few chapters, I was in complete awe of how well Dickens meshed the stories of two different casts of characters in two very different cities. This is well worth a read, especially for it's heartbreaking conclusion.
Approximate Book Sales: 200 Million
by J. R. R. Tolkien
First published in England in 1954-1955
It is no wonder that The Lord of the Rings is such a blockbuster bestseller - the sheer scope and genius of the world and the characters demand it. It's a truly breathtaking achievement in writing, and it definitely helps that the film adaptations were just as brilliant!
Approximate Book Sales: 150 Million
I should add that The Hobbit also reached more than a 100 million in sales, but I'm just going to let Tolkien take up one space in this post!
by J. K. Rowling
First published in England in 1997
It's kind of ridiculous how many of J.K. Rowling books are big bestsellers, but it is fitting because this is an amazing series. I first read them when I was in college as well, and devoured each book as it came out. This is the most recent book on this list to hit such a milestone in book sales which is a testament to it's enduring popularity.
Approximate Book Sales: 107 Million
by Agatha Christie
First published in England in 1939
Oh this book. I'd seen the film adaptation a few years before I actually read it, and I still couldn't put it down. It's compelling character study and suspenseful page-turner and if you haven't read it, you really need to! Ten people are stuck on an island and someone is killing them off one by one...
Approximate Book Sales: 100 Million
by Cao Xuegin
First published in China in 1791
This is one of two books in this list that I was completely unfamiliar with. This Romeo and Juliet type story is a soap opera-ish narrative of courtly intrigue, romance and drama. It is complex and episodic and it is one of the great novels of Chinese literature. This is a book I want to read someday!
Approximate Book Sales: 100 Million
by H. Rider Haggard
First published in England in 1887
The main characters in this novel journey to a lost African kingdom and encounter the mysterious white queen "She" or "She-who-must-be-obeyed." Such a strange story to be a best seller. And incidentally the other book I've never even heard of! This sounds really interesting though and I hope to read it one day as well!
Approximate Book Sales: 100 Million
It's interesting that all the English language books are all by English authors! At least France and China have a showing to make this list more international. It's also interesting how varied this list is - two children's books, one mystery, two Classics, and two speculative fiction. Of the books listed I've only read 4 (or 5 including The Hobbit) -
How many of the top best-selling novels have you read?
Source:
Wikipedia
