TOP 5 MOST SOLD BOOKS IN THE WORLD
Ever wondered which are the best selling books of all time? The top 5 most sold books in the world are listed here, although it should be noted that this does not include any religious books or texts as it is impossible to count how many copies of them have been sold, published or distributed.
It’s also worth noting that these are based on modern day calculations – as digital copies start to be the main source of books as opposed to printed text, these figures could quickly change.
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1. Don Quixote – Miguel de Cervantes – Most Sold Books In the World
Hailed as the first modern novel, Don Quixote by Miguel de Cervantes has sold over 500 million copies. Not only is it the most sold book of all time, it is also the most translated.
Despite it being more than 400 years since its publication Don Quixote is still readable, although adaptations do exist for the modern reader who prefers their texts updated.
Nonetheless, it’s an age old tale of a knight who reads so many romance stories that he decides to become a knight and revive chivalry. Surprisingly funny, it is still relatable to the modern reader.
2. A Tale Of Two Cities- Charles Dickens
“”It was the best of times, it was the worst of times” opens Charles Dickens seminal novel about the French Revolution. Having sold over 200 million copies it easily makes it into any list of the most sold books in the world. Published serially, and also in a single instalment, it was published for the first time in 1859.
Vividly depicting scenes of large scale violence and political tyranny it contrasts scenes of unadulterated mob violence and revolution with small details that highlight the excess of the times.
Dickens researched the novel using his friend Thomas Carlyle’s History Of The French Revolution as the basis for his historical knowledge and it is this that gives many scenes their grim realism.
3.The Fellowship Of The Ring – J.R.R Tolkien
J.R.R Tolkien’s The Fellowship Of The Ring is the third most sold book in the world, having sold more than 150 million copies.
This is the first book in the Lord Of The Rings series and introduces us to the world of Middle Earth in which the whole series is set.
The Fellowship of the Ring is the tale of how Frodo Baggins must journey across Middle Earth in an attempt to destroy the ring and thwart the evil plans of The Dark Lord. Full of intricate detail that brings the world vividly to life, it reads more like history than fiction.
4. Le Petit Prince – Antoine de Saint-Exupéry
Better known as The Little Prince than Le Petit Prince, in English speaking countries at least, this charming french children’s tale has sold a surprising 140 million copies and been translated into over 70 languages.
Published only a year before the author was himself lost during a war time reconnaissance mission, it tells the story of a little prince and a pilot who meet.
Gently profound, the book has a sweetness that children and adults alike can relate to. It makes the perfect gift for a child, but their parents will love reading it too.
5. Harry Potter & The Sorcerer’s Stone
It’s no surprise that a Harry Potter book makes it into the list of the top 5 most sold books in the world.
Despite being the most recent entry on the list by a substantial margin, this is a book that will be around for centuries.
Written for children, it’s just as enthralling a read for adults and there should be no child who leaves childhood not having read this amazing series.
The story is of a boy enduring the most miserable of childhood’s, who discovers something unusual and amazing about himself that transforms his life.