2026 Reading Challenge

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Works Of Pure Genius

729 books — This list was created and voted on by Goodreads members.

Have you ever read something that completely overwhelmed you with the writer's pure genius? Vote on your favorites or even books that you hate but seemed to start a new wave of literature with their ideas.

1.

The Lord of the Rings
The Lord of the Rings
by (Illustrator)
4.54 729,730 ratings 16,488 reviews

2.

The Hobbit, or There and Back Again
The Hobbit, or There and Back Again
by (Editor), (Illustrator), (Illustrator)
4.30 4,446,072 ratings 87,131 reviews

3.

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone (Harry Potter, #1)
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone (Harry Potter, #1)
by
4.47 11,383,449 ratings 193,007 reviews

4.

To Kill a Mockingbird
To Kill a Mockingbird
by
4.26 6,868,153 ratings 132,213 reviews

5.

1984
1984
by
4.20 5,441,093 ratings 153,705 reviews

6.

Animal Farm
Animal Farm
by (Preface), (Introduction)
4.02 4,534,570 ratings 132,198 reviews

7.

Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland / Through the Looking-Glass
Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland / Through the Looking-Glass
by (Introduction), (Illustrator)
4.06 608,308 ratings 17,966 reviews

8.

The Complete Works
The Complete Works
by
4.48 57,642 ratings 1,132 reviews

9.

Crime and Punishment
Crime and Punishment
by (Translator), (Introduction)
4.29 1,076,010 ratings 51,447 reviews

10.

The Chronicles of Narnia (The Chronicles of Narnia, #1-7)
The Chronicles of Narnia (The Chronicles of Narnia, #1-7)
by (Illustrator)
4.28 706,597 ratings 13,507 reviews