This page provides lists of best-selling books and book series to date and in any language. "Best-selling" refers to the estimated number of copies sold of each book, rather than the number of books printed or currently owned. Comics and textbooks are not included in this list. The books are listed according to the highest sales estimate as reported in reliable, independent sources.
According to Guinness World Records, the Bible is the best-selling book of all time with an estimated 5 to 7billion copies sold and distributed as of 2021. Sales estimates for other printed religious texts include at least copies for the Qur'an and 200 million copies for the Book of Mormon. Additionally, a single publisher has produced more than 162.1 million copies of the Bhagavad Gita. Among non-religious texts, the Quotations from Chairman Mao Tse-tung, also known as the Little Red Book, has produced a wide array of sales and distribution figures—with estimates ranging from 800million to over 6.5 billion printed volumes. Some claim the distribution ran into the "billions" and some cite "over a billion" official volumes between 1966 and 1969 alone as well as "untold numbers of unofficial local reprints and unofficial translations".Alexander C. Cook, Mao's Little Red Book: A Global History, Cambridge University Press 2014, p. xiii Mao's Little Red Book: A Global History Exact print figures for these and other books may also be missing or unreliable since these kinds of books may be produced by many different and unrelated publishers, in some cases over many centuries. All books of a religious, ideological, philosophical or political nature have thus been excluded from the lists of best-selling books below for these reasons.
Many books lack comprehensive sales figures as book selling and reselling figures prior to the introduction of point of sale equipment was based on the estimates of book sellers, publishers or the authors themselves. For example, one of the one-volume HarperCollins editions of The Lord of the Rings was recorded to have sold only 967,466 copies in the UK by 2009 (the source does not cite the start date), but at the same time the author's estate claimed global sales figures in excess of 150 million. Accurate figures are only available from the 1990s and in western nations such as the US, UK, Canada and Australia, although figures from the US are available from the 1940s. Further, e-books have not been included as out of copyright texts are often available free in this format. Examples of books with claimed high sales include The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas, Don Quixote by Miguel de Cervantes, Journey to the West by Wu Cheng'en and The Lord of the Rings by J. R. R. Tolkien—which has been sold as a three volume series; as a single combined volume; and as a six volume set. Hence, in cases where there is too much uncertainty, they are excluded from the list.
Having sold more than 600 million copies worldwide, Harry Potter by J. K. Rowling is tied with or has slightly more copies than One Piece for best-selling book series in history. The first novel in the series, Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, has sold in excess of 120 million copies, making it one of the best-selling books of all time. As of June 2017, the series has been translated into 85 languages, placing Harry Potter among history's most translated literary works. The last four books in the series consecutively set records as the fastest-selling books of all time, and the final installment, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, sold roughly 15 million copies worldwide within 24 hours of its release.Forbes on Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: "The final one, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, has sold 44 million since it was published last July, including 15 million in the first 24 hours." (19 December 2008) With 12 million books printed in the first US run, it also holds the record for the highest initial print run for any book in history.BBC on Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: "The book had a print run of 12 million in the US, compared with 10.8 million for the last book, according to Lisa Holton of the book's US publisher Scholastic." (23 July 2007)Inshorts on Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: "The final instalment of the Harry Potter series, 'The Deathly Hallows' is recognised by Guinness World Records as 'the fastest selling book of fiction in 24 hours' with a total of 15 million books sold. With 12 million books printed in the first run, it also holds a record for the 'highest initial print run for a fiction book'." (4 July 2016)
Legend
List of best-selling individual books
More than 100 million copies
Book Author(s) Original language First published Approximate salesGenreA Tale of Two CitiesCharles Dickens English 1859 >200 millionHistorical fictionThe Little Prince (Le Petit Prince)Antoine de Saint-Exupéry French 1943 200 millionFantasy The Alchemist (O Alquimista) Paulo Coelho Portuguese 1988 150 millionFantasyHarry Potter and the Philosopher's StoneJ. K. Rowling English 1997 120 millionFantasyAnd Then There Were NoneAgatha Christie English 1939 100 millionMysteryDream of the Red Chamber (紅樓夢)Cao Xueqin Chinese 1791 100 millionFamily sagaThe HobbitJ. R. R. Tolkien English 1937 100 millionFantasy, children's fictionAlice's Adventures in WonderlandLewis CarrollEnglish1865100 millionFantasy, absurdist fiction
Between 50 million and 100 million copies Book Author(s) Original language First published Approximate sales GenreShe: A History of AdventureH. Rider Haggard English 1887 83 millionAdventureThe Da Vinci Code Dan Brown English 2003 80 millionSan José Mercury News on The Da Vinci Code: "That earlier book has sold more than 80 million copies worldwide, was adapted into a movie and made hits out of Brown's previous novels, including "Angels & Demons," whose film version is now in theaters." (5 June 2009)Mystery thrillerHarry Potter and the Chamber of SecretsJ. K. RowlingEnglish199877 millionFantasyThe Catcher in the Rye J. D. Salinger English 1951 65 millionComing-of-ageSophie's World (Sofies verden)Jostein GaarderNorwegian199160 millionThe National: Sophie's World author turns from philosophy to climate change on Sophie's World: "The novel has now been translated into 59 languages, and has sold an estimated 40 million copies." (14 March 2011)Philosophical novel, Young adultThe Bridges of Madison County Robert James Waller English 1992 60 million Romance One Hundred Years of Solitude (Cien años de soledad) Gabriel García Márquez Spanish 1967 50 million April 26, 2014The Walrus December 2007 issuegranma.cu March 6, 2007Magic realismLolita Vladimir Nabokov English 1955 50 millionNovel Heidi Johanna Spyri German 1880 50 millionABC Australia on Heidi: "Johanna Spyri's story has been translated into fifty languages and sold fifty million copies, but the marketing juggernaut shows no signs of slowing down – fat from it. Heidi now has her own theme park." (5 August 2002)Children's fictionThe Common Sense Book of Baby and Child Care Benjamin Spock English 1946 50 millionThe Top 10 of Everything 2002 by Russell AshManualAnne of Green Gables Lucy Maud Montgomery English 1908 50 millionReuters on Anne of Green Gables: ""Anne of Green Gables" has sold more than 50 million copies and been translated into 20 languages, according to Penguin." (19 March 2008)Children's novelBlack Beauty Anna Sewell English 1877 50 millionThe Times on Black Beauty: "Fifty million copies of Black Beauty have been sold in the years since Anna Sewell's publisher paid her £20 for the story." (29 February 2008)Children's literature The Name of the Rose (Il Nome della Rosa) Umberto Eco Italian 1980 50 millionLibrary Journal (no date)Historical novel, mysteryThe Eagle Has Landed Jack Higgins English 1975 50 millionWar, thrillerWatership Down Richard Adams English 1972 50 millionBBC News – Watership Down author Richard Adams criticises homes plan on Watership Down: "Watership Down sold more than 50 million copies." (13 December 2011)Children's fictionThe Hite Report Shere Hite English 1976 50 millionThen & Now: Shere Hite, sexologist, The Irish Times. "The report went on to sell more than 50 million copies".nonfictionCharlotte's Web E. B. White English 1952 50 millionPocono Record on Charlotte's Web: " It has sold over 50 million copies, been translated into 23 languages, and shown in three major movie versions." (06 July 2007)Children's fictionThe Ginger Man J. P. Donleavy English 1955 50 millionSunday World on The Ginger Man: "Donleavy, who lives near Mullingar, has previously rejected repeated attempts by Hollywood to make a film version of his book, which has sold 50 million copies worldwide and been translated into 18 languages." (5 August 2008)NovelThe Purpose Driven Life Rick Warren English 2002 50 millionSimon and Schuster on The Purpose Driven Life: "Rick Warren is the founding pastor of Saddleback Church, one of the largest churches in the world, with campuses in the US and around the globe. He is the author of The Purpose Driven Life, one of the bestselling nonfiction books in publishing history. It has been translated into 137 languages and sold more than 50 million copies in multiple formats." (11 August 2024)Bible study
Between 20 million and 50 million copies