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best-selling single-volume books

Wed, 08/04/2010 - 08:32 — bass_t

List of best-selling single-volume books

More than 1 billion copies

Book Author(s) Original language First published Approximate sales
The Bible (all versions combined)[1] (Koine Greek τὰ Βιβλία -hebrew " התנ"ך " ) Authors of the Bible Hebrew, Koine Greek, Aramaic, Latin 300 BC- 95 AD,
Further information: dating of the Bible
 2.5 billion[2] to more than 6 billion[3]

Between 100 million and 1 billion copies

Book Author(s) Original language First published Approximate sales
毛主席语录 (Quotations from Chairman Mao) (the Little Red Book) Quotations from Mao Zedong; collected by the PLA Daily of the People's Liberation Army and signed by Lin Biao Chinese

& 50 other languages		 1964 800 million[4]-900 million[5]

(6.5 billion copies were printed and shipped according to one source[6])
القرآن ‎(The Qur’ān) (Koran) see History of the Qur'an Classical Arabic 610-632 A.D 800 million[5]
新华字典 (Xinhua Zidian) (Xinhua Dictionary) Chief editor: Wei Jiangong Chinese 1957 400 million[7]
毛主席诗词 (Chairman Mao's Poems) Mao Zedong Chinese 1966 400 million[6]
毛泽东选集 (Selected Articles of Mao Zedong) Mao Zedong Chinese 1966 252.5 million[8]
A Tale of Two Cities Charles Dickens English 1859 200 million[9]
Scouting for Boys: A Handbook for Instruction in Good Citizenship Robert Baden-Powell English 1908 150 million[10]
The Lord of the Rings J. R. R. Tolkien English 1954–1955 150 million[11]
Book of Mormon Multiple Authors; translated by Joseph Smith, Jr. English[12] 1830 150 million[13]
The Truth That Leads to Eternal Life Jehovah's Witnesses

(Watchtower Bible and Tract Society of New York)

 English 1968 107 million[14]
论三个代表 (On the Three Representations) Jiang Zemin Chinese 2001 100 million[8]
And Then There Were None Agatha Christie English 1939 100 million[15]
The Hobbit J. R. R. Tolkien English 1937 100 million[16]
紅樓夢 (Dream of the Red Chamber) Cao Xueqin Chinese 18th century 100 million [17]

Between 50 million and 100 million copies

Book Author(s) Original language First published Approximate sales
The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe C. S. Lewis English 1950 85 million[18]
She H. Rider Haggard English 1887 83 million[19]
Le Petit Prince (The Little Prince) Antoine de Saint-Exupéry French 1943 80 million[20]
The Da Vinci Code Dan Brown English 2003 80 million [21]
The Catcher in the Rye J. D. Salinger English 1951 65 million[22]
O Alquimista (The Alchemist) Paulo Coelho Portuguese 1988 65 million[23]
Steps to Christ Ellen G. White English 1892 60 million[24]
Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary Merriam-Webster English 1898 55 million[25]
Heidis Lehr- und Wanderjahre (Heidi's Years of Wandering and Learning) Johanna Spyri German 1880 50 million[26]
The Common Sense Book of Baby and Child Care Dr. Benjamin Spock English 1946 50 million[3]
Anne of Green Gables Lucy Maud Montgomery English 1908 50 million[27]
Black Beauty: His Grooms and Companions: The autobiography of a horse Anna Sewell English 1877 50 million[28]
Il Nome della Rosa (The Name of the Rose) Umberto Eco Italian 1980 50 million[29]

Between 30 million and 50 million copies

Book Author(s) Original language First published Approximate sales
The Hite Report Shere Hite English 1976 48 million[30]
Charlotte's Web E.B. White; illustrated by Garth Williams English 1952 45 million[31]
The Tale of Peter Rabbit Beatrix Potter English 1902 45 million[32]
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows [33] J.K. Rowling English 2007 44 million [34][35][36]
Jonathan Livingston Seagull Richard Bach English 1970 40 million[37]
A Message to Garcia Elbert Hubbard English 1899 40 million[3]
Roget's Thesaurus Peter Mark Roget English 1852 - 40 million[38]
Angels and Demons Dan Brown English 2000 39 million[39]
Better Homes and Gardens New Cook Book various authors English 1930 - 38 million [40]
Как закалялась сталь (Kak zakalyalas' stal'; How the Steel Was Tempered) Nikolai Ostrovsky Russian 1932 36.4 million copies in USSR[41]
Война и мир (Voyna i mir; War and Peace) Leo Tolstoy Russian 1869 36.0 million copies in USSR[41]
Le avventure di Pinocchio. Storia di un burattino (The Adventures of Pinocchio) Carlo Collodi Italian 1881 35 million[42]
You Can Heal Your Life Louise Hay English 1984 35 million[43]
Kane and Abel Jeffrey Archer English 1979 34 million[44]
Het Achterhuis (The Diary of a Young Girl,The Diary of Anne Frank) Anne Frank Dutch 1947 30 million[45]
In His Steps: What Would Jesus Do? Charles M. Sheldon English 1896 30 million[3]
Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary A. S. Hornby English 1948 30 million[46]
To Kill a Mockingbird Harper Lee English 1960 30 million [47]
Valley of the Dolls Jacqueline Susann English 1966 30 million[3]
Gone with the Wind Margaret Mitchell English 1936 30 million [48]
Cien Años de Soledad (One Hundred Years of Solitude) Gabriel García Márquez Spanish 1967 30 million[49][50]
The Purpose Driven Life Rick Warren English 2002 30 million[51]
The Thorn Birds Colleen McCullough English 1977 30 million[52]
Think and Grow Rich Napoleon Hill English 1937 30 million[53]
Alcoholics Anonymous Big Book Bill Wilson English 1939 30 million [54]
The Revolt of Mamie Stover William Bradford Huie English 1951 30 million [55]
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (original title: Män som hatar kvinnor) Stieg Larsson Swedish 2005 30 million[56]
The Very Hungry Caterpillar Eric Carle English 1969 30 million[57]

Between 20 million and 30 million copies

Book Author(s) Original language First published Approximate sales Genre
The Late, Great Planet Earth Hal Lindsey, C. C. Carlson English 1970 28 million[58] Religion/Spirituality
Betty Crocker Cookbook various authors as Betty Crocker English 1955- 27 million [59] Cookery
Who Moved My Cheese? Spencer Johnson English 1998 26 million[60] Self-help / motivational
The Wind in the Willows Kenneth Grahame English 1908 25 million[61] Children's Fiction
Nineteen Eighty-Four George Orwell English 1949 25 million[62] Dystopian
The Celestine Prophecy James Redfield English 1993 23 million[63] Religious Fiction
The Godfather Mario Puzo English 1969 21 million [64] Crime
Love Story Erich Segal English 1970 21 million[65]
新明解国語辞典 (Shin Meikai kokugo jiten) Tadao Yamada Japanese 1972 20.4 million[66] Dictionary
狼图腾 (Wolf Totem) Jiang Rong Chinese 2004 20 million[67] Fiction
English Grammar Lindley Murray English 1795 20 million[68] General Reference
The Happy Hooker: Her Own Story Xaviera Hollander English 1971 20 million[69] Autobiography
Jaws Peter Benchley English 1974 20 million[70] Thriller
Love You Forever Robert Munsch English 1986 20 million[71] Children's literature
Sophie's World Jostein Gaarder Norwegian 1991 20 million[72] Philosophical novel
The Women's Room Marilyn French English 1977 20 million[73] Feminist fiction

Between 10 million and 20 million copies

Book Author(s) Original language First published Approximate sales
Where the Wild Things Are Maurice Sendak English 1963 19 million [74]
The Secret Rhonda Byrne English 2006 19 million[75]
Fear of Flying Erica Jong English 1973 18 million [76]
The Joy of Cooking various authors English 1936 18 million [77]
英語基本単語集 (Eigo Kihon Tangoshu) "Compilation of basic English vocabulary" Yoshio Akao Japanese, English 1942 17.2 million[78]
Goodnight Moon Margaret Wise Brown English 1947 16 million[79]
Guess How Much I Love You Sam McBratney English 1994 15 million[80]
The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People Stephen R. Covey English 1989 15 million[81]
Shōgun James Clavell English 1975 15 million[82]
試験に出る英単語 (Siken Ni Deru Eitango) "English vocabulary in examinations" Ichiro Mori Japanese, English 1967 15 million[83]
The Poky Little Puppy Janette Sebring Lowrey English 1942 15 million[84]
The Pillars of the Earth Ken Follett English 1989 15 million[85]
How to Win Friends and Influence People Dale Carnegie English 1936 15 million [86]
Das Parfum (Perfume) Patrick Süskind German 1985 15 million [87]
What to Expect When You're Expecting Arlene Eisenberg and Heidi Murkoff English 1984 15 million[88]
The Horse Whisperer Nicholas Evans English 1995 15 million[89]
La sombra del viento (The Shadow of the Wind) Carlos Ruiz Zafón Spanish 2001 15 million[90]
The Shack William P. Young English 2007 15 million[91]
The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy Douglas Adams English 1979 14 million [92]
Tuesdays with Morrie Mitch Albom English 1997 14 million [93]
God's Little Acre Erskine Caldwell English 1933 14 million [94]
Va' dove ti porta il cuore (Follow Your Heart) Susanna Tamaro Italian 1994 14 million [95]
The Outsiders S. E. Hinton English 1967 13 million [96]
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory Roald Dahl English 1964 13 million[97]
新英和中辞典 (Shin Eiwa Chu Jiten) "New English-Japanese-Chinese Dictionary" Shigeru Takebayashi Japanese, English 1967 12 million[98]
Peyton Place Grace Metalious English 1956 12 million [99]
Dune Frank Herbert English 1965 12 million[100]
La Peste (The Plague) Albert Camus French 1947 12 million [101]
人間失格 (No Longer Human) Osamu Dazai Japanese 1948 12 million[102]
The Naked Ape Desmond Morris English 1968 12 million[103]
The Bridges of Madison County Robert James Waller English 1992 12 million[104]
旺文社古語辞典 (Obunsha Kogo Jiten) "Obunsha Dictionary of Archaisms" Akira Matsumura Japanese 1960 11 million[105]
Things Fall Apart Chinua Achebe English 1958 11 million[106]
広辞苑 (Kōjien) Izuru Shinmura Japanese 1955 11 million[66][107]
The Prophet Khalil Gibran English 1923 11 million[108]
The Exorcist William Peter Blatty English 1971 11 million [109]
The Gruffalo Julia Donaldson English 1999 10.5 million[110]
Catch-22 Joseph Heller English 1961 10 million[111]
三省堂国語辞典 (Sanseido Kokugo Jiten) "Sanseido Dictionary of the Japanese Language" Kenbō Hidetoshi Japanese 1960 10 million[112]
Eye of the Needle Ken Follett English 1978 10 million[113]
A Brief History of Time Stephen Hawking English 1988 10 million [114]
The Cat in the Hat Dr. Seuss English 1957 10 million [115]
The Lovely Bones Alice Sebold English 2002 10 million [116]
Wild Swans Jung Chang English 1992 10 million [117]
Santa Evita Tomás Eloy Martínez Spanish 1995 10 million [118]
家庭に於ける實際的看護の秘訣 (Katei Ni Okeru Jissaiteki Kango No Hiketsu) "Key to Practical Personal Care at Home" Takichi Tsukuda Japanese 1925 10 million[119]
Night Elie Wiesel Yiddish 1958 10 million[120]
The Kite Runner Khaled Hosseini English 2003 10 million[121]
于丹《论语》心得 (Yu Dan's gain from the Analects) Yu Dan Chinese 2006 10 million[122]
The Total Woman Marabel Morgan English 1974 10 million[123]
知価革命 (Knowledge-value Revolution) Taichi Sakaiya Japanese 1985 10 million[124]
Mein Kampf Adolf Hitler German 1925–1926 10 million[125]
Manifest der Kommunistischen Partei (The Communist Manifesto) Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels German 1848 10 million[126]
中国社会主义经济问题研究 (Problems in China's Socialist Economy) Xue Muqiao Chinese 1979 10 million[127]
What Color is Your Parachute? Richard Nelson Bolles English 1970 10 million[128]

List of best-selling book series

At least 100 million copies

Book series Author Original language No. of installments First published Approximate sales
Harry Potter J.K.Rowling English 7 + 3 companion books 1997-2007 more than 400 million for the 7 main books alone[129][130]
毛泽东选集 (Selected Works of Mao Zedong, Selections of Mao Zedong's Works) Mao Zedong Chinese 4 1966

326.22 million[8] to 3.36 billion[6]
Goosebumps R.L.Stine English 62 1992-1998 300 million[131]
Perry Mason Erle Stanley Gardner English 82 1933 — 1970 300 million[132]
Berenstain Bears Stan and Jan Berenstain English over 300 1962 — present 260 million [133]
Choose Your Own Adventure various authors English 185 1979 — 1998 250 million [134]
Sweet Valley High Francine Pascal and ghostwriters English 400 1983 - 250 million [135]
Noddy Enid Blyton English 24 1949–present 200 million[136]
Nancy Drew various authors as Carolyn Keene English 175 1930 — present 200 million[137]
The Railway Series

(spawned Thomas the Tank Engine & Friends)		 Rev. W. Awdry, Christopher Awdry English 41 1945–2007 200 million[138]
The Baby-sitters Club Ann Martin English 335 1986 — present 172 million[139]
Star Wars various authors English over 200 1977 — present 160 million [140]
Peter Rabbit Beatrix Potter English 6 1902–1930 150 million[141]
Chicken Soup for the Soul Jack Canfield, Mark Victor Hansen English 105 1997 — present 130 million[142]
The McGuffey Readers William Holmes McGuffey English 1853 125 million[143]
Frank Merriwell Gilbert Patten English 209 1896 - 125 million[144]
Dirk Pitt Clive Cussler English 19 1973 — present 120 million[145]
宮本武蔵 (Musashi) Eiji Yoshikawa Japanese 7 1935–1939 120 million[146]
American Girl various authors English 1986 — present 120 million[147]
The Chronicles of Narnia C. S. Lewis English 7 1949–1954 120 million[148]
Clifford the Big Red Dog Norman Bridwell English 1963 — present 110 million[149]
James Bond Ian Fleming English 14 1953–1966 more than 100 million[150]
Twilight Stephenie Meyer English 4 2005–2008 more than 100 million [151]
Mr. Men Roger Hargreaves, Adam Hargreaves English 43 1971 — present 100 million[152]
Guinness World Records (published every year) various authors English 53 1955 — present 100 million[153]
American Spelling Book (Webster's Dictionary) Noah Webster English 1783 100 million[3]

Between 50 million and 100 million copies

Book series Author Original language No. of installments First published Approximate sales
Nijntje (Miffy) Dick Bruna Dutch 119 1955 — present 85 million[154]
World Almanac (published every year) various authors English 121 1868 — 1876; 1886–present 80 million[155]
Fear Street R. L. Stine English 114 1989 — present 80 million[156]
六星占術によるあなたの運命 (Rokusei Senjutsu (Six-Star Astrology) Tells Your Fortune) Kazuko Hosoki Japanese 159, until 2009 edition 1986 — Present 79 million[157]
OSS 117 Jean Bruce French 265 1949–1992 75 million[158]
Winnie-the-Pooh A. A. Milne; illustrated by E. H. Shepard English 4 1926–1928 70 million[159]
Left Behind Tim LaHaye, Jerry B. Jenkins English 16 1996 — 2007 65 million[160]
A Series of Unfortunate Events Lemony Snicket aka Daniel Handler English 13 1999–2006 60 million[161]
Little House on the Prairie Laura Ingalls Wilder English 12 1932–2006 60 million[162]
Arch Books (Lantern Books) various authors English 1958 — present 58 million[163]
Discworld Terry Pratchett English 37 1983–present 55 million[164]
Magic Tree House series Mary Pope Osborne English 43 1992–present 53 million[165]
Men Are from Mars, Women Are from Venus John Gray English 15 1992–present 50 million[166]
The Hardy Boys various authors as Franklin W. Dixon English 58 1927-79 50 million[167]
The Bobbsey Twins various authors as Laura Lee Hope English 72 1904-79 50 million[168]
アンパンマン (Anpanman) Takashi Yanase Japanese more than 678 1970 — present 50 million[169]
Tarzan Edgar Rice Burroughs English 26 1914–1995 50 million[170]

Between 30 million and 50 million copies

Book series Author Original language No. of installments First published Approximate sales
Where's Wally?[171] Martin Handford English 13 1987–present 46 million[172]
A Child's First Library Of Learning various authors English 1980 - 45 million[173]
Junie B. Jones Barbara Park English 1992 - 44 million[174]
The Wheel of Time Robert Jordan English Currently 12. 14 planned 1990 - 44 million[175]
수학의 정석 (數學의 定石) (The principle of Mathematics - Mathematics reference book) Hong Sung-dae Korean currently 12 1966–present (current edition since 1997) 40 million[176]
できるシリーズ (Dekiru Series) Impress Dekiru Series Editorial Desk Japanese 1994–present 40 million[177]
Millennium Trilogy Stieg Larsson Swedish 3 2005–2007 40 million[178]
连环画 铁道游击队 (Picture-and-story book Railway Guerrillas) original author: Liu Zhixia Chinese 10 1955–1962 36.52 million[179]
Paddington Bear Michael Bond English 70 1958–present 35 million[180]
徳川家康 (Tokugawa Ieyasu) Sohachi Yamaoka Japanese 26 1950–1967 30 million[181]
Le guide Michelin France (The Michelin Guide France) (published every year) various authors French 109 1900–present 30 million[182]
Ramona Beverly Cleary English 8 1955-1999 30 million[183]

Between 20 million and 30 million copies

Book series Author Original language No. of installments First published Approximate sales
ノンタン (Nontan) Sachiko Kiyono Japanese 25 1976–2006 28 million[184]
Curious George Hans Augusto Rey and Margret Rey English 58 1941–present 27 million[185]
グイン・サーガ (Guin Saga) Kaoru Kurimoto Japanese 118 1979–2009 26 million[186]
Captain Underpants Dav Pilkey English 1997–present 26 million[187]
三毛猫ホームズシリーズ (Mike-neko Holmes series) Jirō Akagawa Japanese 43 1978–present 26 million[188]
Rich Dad, Poor Dad Robert Kiyosaki Sharon Lechter English 18 1997- 26 million [189]
超図解シリーズ (Cho-Zukai series) X media Japanese 1996–2007 25 million[190]
Kurt Wallander Henning Mankell Swedish 10 1991–2002 25 million[191]
鬼平犯科帳 (Onihei Hankachō) Shōtarō Ikenami Japanese 24 1968–1990 24.4 million, only bunkobon[192]
自由自在 (Jiyu Jizai) various authors Japanese 1953–present 24 million[193]
Brain Quest series various authors English 1992–present 23.7 million[194]
かいけつゾロリ (Kaiketsu Zorori) Yutaka Hara Japanese 41 1987–present 23 million[195]
South Beach Diet Arthur Agatston English 6 2003–present 22 million[196]
竜馬がゆく (Ryoma ga Yuku) Ryōtarō Shiba Japanese 5 1963–1966 21.5 million[197]
ズッコケ三人組 (Zukkoke Sanningumi) Masamoto Nasu Japanese 50 1978–2004 21 million[198]
Shannara Terry Brooks English 20 1977–present 21 million[199]
The Inheritance Cycle Christopher Paolini English 3 2002–present 20 million [200]
Maisy Lucy Cousins English 23 1990–present 20 million[80]
Dragonlance various authors English more than 150 1984 — present 20 million[201]
幻魔大戦 (Genma Taisen) Kazumasa Hirai Japanese 20 1979–1983 20 million[202]
青春の門 (The Gate of Youth) Hiroyuki Itsuki Japanese 1970–present 20 million[203]
The Foundation Trilogy Isaac Asimov English 3[204] 1950–1953 20 million[205]
Horrible Histories Terry Deary English 24 1993–present 20 million[206]
Artemis Fowl Eoin Colfer English 7 2001–present 20 million[207]

Between 15 million and 20 million copies

Book series Author Original language No. of installments First published Approximate sales
科学のアルバム (Kagaku no album) various authors Japanese 1970–present 19 million[208]
スーパーマップル (Super Mapple) various authors Japanese 1991–present 18 million[209]
剣客商売 (Kenkaku Shobai) Shotaro Ikenami Japanese 18 1972–1989 18 million[210]
Erast Fandorin Boris Akunin Russian 12 1998–present 18 million[211]
チャート式 (Chart Shiki) various authors Japanese 1927–present 17.44 million, only for the first grade of high-school[78]
吸血鬼ハンターD (Vampire Hunter D) Hideyuki Kikuchi Japanese 17 1983–present 17 million[212]
The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy Douglas Adams, plus a final book by Eoin Colfer English 6 1979–2008 16 million[213]
Bridget Jones Helen Fielding English 2 1996–present 15 million [214]
The Riftwar Cycle Raymond E. Feist English 25 1982–present 15 million [215]
The No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency Alexander McCall Smith English 9 1999–present 15 million[216]
ぼくらシリーズ(Bokura series) Osamu Soda Japanese 36 1985–present 15 million[217]
His Dark Materials Philip Pullman English 3 1995–2000 15 million [218]
銀河英雄伝説 (Legend of the Galactic Heroes) Yoshiki Tanaka Japanese 14 1982–1989 15 million[219]
Der Regenbogenfisch (Rainbow Fish) Marcus Pfister German 1992–present 15 million[220]

Notes

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