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The Most Popular Books of the Past 50 Years

At least 3 of the most popular books published in the years 1975-2025. Rankings are according to the number of shelving on Goodreads.
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990 users · 2,610 views
 
made by Shannon
avg. score: 60 of 213 (28%)
required scores: 1, 35, 50, 65, 83 
type to search

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Salem's Lot (Stephen King)
Salem's Lot
1
Stephen King
Tuck Everlasting (Natalie Babbitt)
Tuck Everlasting
2
Natalie Babbitt
Shogun (James Clavell)
Shogun
3
James Clavell
Interview With a Vampire (Rice, Anne)
Interview With a Vampire
4
Rice, Anne
The Selfish Gene (Richard Dawkins)
The Selfish Gene
5
Richard Dawkins
Dune (Frank Herbert)
Dune
6
Frank Herbert
Roots (Alex Haley)
Roots
7
Alex Haley
Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry (Mildred D. Taylor)
Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry
8
Mildred D. Taylor
The Shining (Stephen King)
The Shining
9
Stephen King
Bridge to Terabithia (Katherine Paterson)
Bridge to Terabithia
10
Katherine Paterson
The Silmarillion (J.R.R. Tolkien)
The Silmarillion
11
J.R.R. Tolkien
The Thorn Birds (Colleen McCullough)
The Thorn Birds
12
Colleen McCullough
Song of Solomon (Toni Morrison)
Song of Solomon
13
Toni Morrison
The Amityville Horror (Jay Anson)
The Amityville Horror
14
Jay Anson
The Stand (Stephen King)
The Stand
15
Stephen King
The Long Walk (Stephen King)
The Long Walk
16
Stephen King
The Westing Game (Ellen Raskin)
The Westing Game
17
Ellen Raskin
The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy (Douglas Adams)
The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy
18
Douglas Adams
Kindred (Octavia Butler)
Kindred
19
Octavia Butler
The New Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain (Betty Edwards)
The New Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain
20
Betty Edwards
The Name of the Rose (Umberto Eco)
The Name of the Rose
21
Umberto Eco
A People's History of the United States (Howard Zinn)
A People's History of the United States
22
Howard Zinn
The Bourne Identity (Robert Ludlum)
The Bourne Identity
23
Robert Ludlum
A Confederacy of Dunces (John Kennedy Toole)
A Confederacy of Dunces
24
John Kennedy Toole
A Light in the Attic (Shel Silverstein)
A Light in the Attic
25
Shel Silverstein
Red Dragon (Thomas Harris)
Red Dragon
26
Thomas Harris
Cujo (Stephen King)
Cujo
27
Stephen King
The Color Purple (Alice Walker)
The Color Purple
28
Alice Walker
The Gunslinger (Stephen King)
The Gunslinger
29
Stephen King
The BFG (Roald Dahl)
The BFG
30
Roald Dahl
The House of the Spirits (Isabel Allende)
The House of the Spirits
31
Isabel Allende
Pet Sematary (Stephen King)
Pet Sematary
32
Stephen King
The Color of Magic (Terry Pratchett)
The Color of Magic
33
Terry Pratchett
The Witches (Roald Dahl)
The Witches
34
Roald Dahl
Christine (Stephen King)
Christine
35
Stephen King
The Queen's Gambit (Walter Tevis)
The Queen's Gambit
36
Walter Tevis
The Unbearable Lightness of Being (Milan Kundera)
The Unbearable Lightness of Being
37
Milan Kundera
Neuromancer (William Gibson)
Neuromancer
38
William Gibson
Influence (Robert Cialdini)
Influence
39
Robert Cialdini
The Hunt for Red October (Tom Clancy)
The Hunt for Red October
40
Tom Clancy
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