25 Greatest Books of All Time (GBOAT) Posts

Dec. 23, 2025

#5 Greatest Book of All Time

The masterpiece One Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel García Márquez is #5 on the History of Literature's list of the 25 Greatest Books of All Time. In Episode 758, Jacke takes a look at this novel, which received global praise and …

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Dec. 16, 2025

#6 Greatest Book of All Time

At #6 on the History of Literature's list of 25 Greatest Books of All Time is George Orwell's novel 1984, which was first published on June 8, 1949. Undeniably, it is a compelling and devastating dystopian narrative, and one that persists in its rel…

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Dec. 16, 2025

#7 Greatest Book of All Time

The Sound and the Fury is #7 on the History of Literature list of 25 Greatest Books of All Time. In Episode 749, Jacke explores the strengths of Faulkner's narrative style in this novel, in which a single day of a family, told from four different pe…

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Dec. 8, 2025

#8 Greatest Book of All Time

There is a lot to praise about Herman Melville's Moby Dick, which comes in at #8 on the History of Literature's list of 25 Greatest Books of All Time. In Episode 747, Jacke considers this tale that is so much more than a story about a whale. Eager t…

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Dec. 5, 2025

#9 Greatest Book of All Time

In the History of Literature's list of the 25 Greatest Books of All Time, Don Quixote by Miguel de Cervantes comes in at #9. In Episode 746, Jacke makes the case for the enduring delight of Don Quixote, which Harold Bloom called the first modern nov…

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Dec. 2, 2025

#10 Greatest Book of All Time

At #10 on the History of Literature's Greatest Books of All Time is Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy. Among the most memorable opening lines of any novel is the one that opens Anna Karenina: Happy families are all alike; every unhappy family is unhap…

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Nov. 18, 2025

The 25 Greatest Books of All Time: The List Continues

The History of Literature's countdown of the greatest books of all time continues! Here's Jacke's list of books 19 to 11, with opening lines that craftily establish the tone and wonder of what comes next. For more about why these works made Jacke's…

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Nov. 10, 2025

The 25 Greatest Books of All Time: From 25 to 20

What are the qualities of a great book? The History of Literature host Jacke Wilson considers this question as he creates his list of the 25 greatest books of all time. As a teaser, here are the first lines of Jacke's top books, from 25 to 20: …

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Sept. 5, 2025

The 25 Greatest Books of All Times Series: #24 The Odyssey

Check out Episode 720 in which Jacke takes a special look at The Odyssey, which ranks #24 on his list of the 25 Greatest Books of All Time. The story continues to resonate with new and old readers, with its many different translations. Most recentl…

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Aug. 29, 2025

The 25 Greatest Books of All Time Series: #25 The Grapes of Wrath

What are your top 25 greatest books of all time? On Jacke's list at #25 is The Grapes of Wrath (1939) by John Steinbeck. Steinbeck's portrayal of the Joad family during the Great Depression is among America's finest literary narratives. In Episode …

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