Top-selling Literary Works Throughout History Unveiled

Despite endless debates over the "best" book of all time, determining which titles have enjoyed the most commercial success can offer a more concrete insight. However, this task proves challenging as there's no central repository or current list for book sales. Publishers may not disclose sales numbers for individual books, while reported figures may be inaccurate. The complicated scenario is further muddled when considering popular books released in multiple editions, sometimes by different publishers, and those in the public domain being published by several companies simultaneously.

Older books with worldwide sales figures beyond a few years are often educated guesses at best. This is more so true for religious texts like the Bible, Quran, Book of Mormon, and Mao's "Quotations," which are difficult to verify due to their frequent distribution to followers or in public places. For this reason, these books have been excluded from this list.

With these caveats in mind, here's a current compilation of the 22 best-selling books of all time, as far as can be ascertained:

"Xinhua Zidian" - 567 million A Chinese-language dictionary, "Xinhua Zidian" is believed to be the best-seller of the bunch. First published in 1953, it became the standard dictionary among Chinese schoolchildren, giving it a unique position on our list, as China, with a population of 1.4 billion as of 2022, contributes to its sales. For the first time, "Xinhua Zidian" surpassed "Don Quixote" for the top spot in 2016 when Guinness World Records heralded it for selling 567 million copies during its lifetime.
"Don Quixote de la Mancha" - 500 million Miguel de Cervantes' 1605 and 1615 novel about an individual so infatuated with knightly tales that he decides to become one is estimated to have sold 500 million copies. Although it enjoys surges in popularity, especially in Spain, its sales number remains debatable due to the challenges in calculating historic sales figures from the 1600s.
"A Tale of Two Cities" - 200 million First published in 1859, Charles Dickens' novel reflects on class struggles leading to the French Revolution. Since "A Tale of Two Cities" is in the public domain, has been published in numerous editions over the last 150 years, and is regularly included on required reading lists, it is believed that it has sold 200 million copies.
"The Lord of the Rings" - 150 million J.R.R. Tolkien's high-stakes fantasy trilogy, first published in the 1950s, is thought to have established the modern fantasy genre. Its lifelong sales are estimated at 150 million.
"The Little Prince" - 140 million Originally published in 1943, Antoine de Saint-Exupéry's novella about a lonely prince travelling across planets, including Earth, resonates with readers worldwide, making it one of the most enduring publications on this list. Lifetime book sales of "The Little Prince" are reported between 140 and 142 million.
"Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone" - 120 million J.K. Rowling's 1997 debut of her best-selling series about young wizards immersing the reader in an epic magical world has sold 120 million copies, making it the first book benefitting from modern sales tracking methods.
"And Then There Were None" - 100 million Agatha Christie's 1939 murder mystery is estimated to have sold 100 million copies.
"Dream of the Red Chamber" - 100 million "Dream of the Red Chamber," a Chinese novel chronicle the rise and fall of a family during the Qing dynasty, is considered one of the four great classic novels of Chinese literature. Its sales are estimated at 100 million.
"The Hobbit" - 100 million Written in 1937, J.R.R. Tolkien's introduction to the Hobbit race adventure has sold at least 100 million copies.
"Think and Grow Rich" - 100 million Written by Napoleon Hill in 1937, during the Great Depression, "Think and Grow Rich" boasts sales of over 100 million copies, making it not only one of the best-selling books of all time but also one of the most widely read self-help books ever published.
"The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe" - 85 million Published in 1950, C.S. Lewis' religious-themed fantasy has sold 85 million copies over the years.
"The Da Vinci Code" - 80 million Dan Brown's 2003 novel about a conspiracy hiding dark secrets of the Catholic Church has sparked renewed cultural interest in the historical underpinnings of well-known organizations. Its sales are reported to be over 80 million.
"The Alchemist" - 80 million Paulo Coelho's mystical story of Santiago, an Andalusian shepherd boy, surpassed 80 million copies in sales.
"Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets" - 77 million

15-19. "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince," "Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire," "Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix," "Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban," and "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows" all sell around 65 million copies.

"The Catcher in the Rye" - 60 million J.D. Salinger's 1951 story of teen disillusionment has long captivated adolescents and is a must-read during high school years. It is believed to have sold 60 million copies.
"Ben-Hur" - 50 million Published in 1880, this biblical tale discusses Christ's life indirectly using the protagonist, Judah Ben-Hur, to observe historical context. Sales are estimated to be over 50 million.
"Lolita" - 50 million This controversial novel by Vladimir Nabokov, first published in 1955, has often been banned due to its troublesome subject matter. Despite the controversy, sales have surpassed 50 million copies.

In the given list of best-selling books, "The Little Prince" has reported sales between 140 and 142 million copies, while "Ben-Hur" is estimated to have been sold over 50 million times. These titles offer a fusion of entertainment and literary value, contributing to the joy and education of readers worldwide.