The
book, printed in English by moveable type, has been around for nearly six
centuries. Digital books have been
around for just a decade or so, with other versions dating back to the late 20th
century. So which books have impacted
the world -- and which ones have sold huge numbers of copies? How many books will be on both lists?
The
world has been penning books for thousands of years, though many of these
earlier scrolls and tablets did not survive war, disaster, nature, accidents,
politics, weather, or religion. But of all the
books ever written, published, and sold, the biggest sellers have come mainly
from writers of the 20th century.
Why is
that? Simple, more people are alive now
-by far – than in other eras. The
marketplace, via store, mail, and Internet has never been bigger. Literacy rates have never been higher than
now. Thus, we live in an era of inexpensive,
readily available books by great writers so of course some authors will sell
over 100 million copies of their books, worldwide.
Five
of the best-selling novelists alive today have sold huge sums of books. Danielle Steele, James Patterson, Stephen
King, Dean Koontz, and Jeffrey Archer are machines. Now dead, but not forgotten, these writers
are mega sellers: Agatha Christie, Barbara Cortland, Sidney Sheldon, Harold
Robbins, and Georges Simenon.
I
didn’t even discuss people like E.L. James (50 Shades of Grey) or J.K. Rowling
(Harry Potter), both of whom have successful book and movie franchises
that will mint money for years to come.
But
a lot of these books are entertainment and don’t leave our society or culture
much different than before. However,
here are some HUGE books that have shaped nations and society:
·
King James Bible of 1611
·
The Koran of 632.
·
First Folio – William Shakespeare of 1623.
·
The Wealth of Natias by Adam Smith of 1776
·
Philosophia Naturalis Principia Mathematica by Sir Isaac
Newton of 1687.
·
The Communist Manifesto by Karl Marx in
1848.
·
On the Origin of Species by Charles Darwin
1859.
·
The Interpretation of Dreams by Sigmund Freud
in 1900.
More
recent books to impact society would be 1984, The Handmaid’s Tale, The 7 Habits of Highly Successful People,
A Brief History of Time and Men Are From Mars, Women Are From Venus.
Just
imagine. So many important books – and
popular ones – have been circulating for many generations. Our lists will change over time, of course,
but it’s nice to know that some books and authors have truly left their mark
long after the time they were penned has passed.
There
are plenty of lists out there – and books – that list dozens and hundreds of
books that are popular, important, or historically crucial to society, but we
don’t all agree on all entries. Reading
is a personal experience and each of us will decide which books and authors
shaped our views, impacted our lives, and created the world we occupy.
Which
ones are the most meaningful to you?
Which ones do you enjoy the best?
Perhaps the book that will mean the most to you hasn’t been read by you
yet – or it hasn’t even been written.
Maybe you will write it!
Did You
Know?
The
English alphabet in America comes from England. The English took their alphabet
from the Greek alphabet, which was derived from the Phoenician alphabet, which
has been around since the 11th century B.C. How will our language
continue to evolve and what impact will the world, technology and cultural
diversity have on it?
“Life must be lived forward, however, it can only be understood backward.”
--Soren Kierkegaard
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