This list was compiled after a long project research carried out by some experts to ascertain the most read books in the world. Note however, that the list only shows the number of books printed and sold but did not take into account multiple readings of the same book.
#1. The Holy Bible.
By Various Authors.
3.9 Billion Copies.
With 3.9 Billion Copies printed and sold, the Holy Bible remains the most read book in the world. It is the account of God’s action in the world and his purpose with all creation. The writing of the Bible was accomplished over sixteen centuries and is a quite amazing collection of sixty six books containing the messages of God.
#2. Quotations from the Works of Mao Tse-tung
By Mao Tse-Tung.
820 Million Copies.
The Quotations from the works of Mao Tse-tung, or as it was commonly called,the ‘little red book’ of Mao Tse-tung, was a personal explanation to the people of China on the ideology of the Chinese Communist Party.
#3. Harry Porter
By J.K Rowling.
400 Million Copies.
The Harry Potter books are a fantasy series of seven novels by British writer J. K. Rowling with 400 Million Copies sold. The majority of it have been made into action packed movies. Children and adults alike have been fascinated by this fiction character and cannot get enough of the young hero’s adventures.
#4. Lord Of The Rings
By J.R.R Tolkien.
103 Million Copies.
The Lord of the Rings is an epic fantasy story written by the philologist J. R. R. Tolkien. The novel started out as a sequel to his earlier, far less complex children’s fantasy story The Hobbit, but evolved into a much larger work. The Lord of the Rings has been made into a film trilogy that consists of three live action fantasy epic films; The Fellowship of the Ring, The Two Towers and The Return of the King.
#5. The Alchemist
By Paulo Coelho.
65 Million Copies.
The Alchemist was published in 1987 and became a Brazilian bestseller, it has gone on to sell 65 million copies world-wide, becoming one of the best selling books in history. The Alchemist has been translated into more than 67 languages, winning the Guinness World Record for most translated book by a living author. Paulo Coelho is not only one of the most widely read, but also one of the most influential authors writing today.
#6. The Da Vinci Code
By Dan Brown.
57 Million Copies
The Da Vinci Code is a mystery fiction novel written by American author Dan Brown. The story follows the investigations of Robert Langdon after a murder in the Louvre Museum in Paris. He discovers an intriguing possibility that Jesus Christ may have been married to Mary Magdalene and fathered a child with her. The Da Vinci Code has been made into a movie starring Tom Hanks.
#7. Twilight – The Saga
By Stephenie Meyer.
43 Million Copies.
Twilight is the first book in an extremely popular young adult novel series written by Stephenie Meyer. The story is about a young girl who falls in love with a vampire. This is a saga that is full of romance and action.
#8. Gone With the Wind
By Margaret Mitchell.
33 Million Copies.
Gone With the Wind, a romantic drama by Margaret Mitchell. It is set in Georgia during the American Civil War and follows the life of Scarlett O’Hara, the daughter of an Irish immigrant plantation owner. The novel won the coveted Pulitzer Prize and was adapted into a film of the same name that won an Academy Award.
#9. Think and Grow Rich
By Napoleon Hill.
30 Million Copies.
Think and Grow Rich is a motivational book written by Napoleon Hill. It is a personal development and self improvement novel that was inspired by a suggestion that he received from the Scottish-American billionaire Andrew Carnegie.
#10. Diary of Anne Frank
By Anne Frank.
27 Million Copies.
The Diary of a Young Girl is the English version book that is based on the writings from a diary, which was written by Anne Frank while she was in hiding for two years with her family during the Nazi occupation of the Netherlands. The book is now considered one of the key texts of the twentieth century.
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Dis is an interesting list.. I've only read three though.

babz007:
This list was compiled after a long project research carried out by some experts to ascertain the most read books in the world. Note however, that the list only shows the number of books printed and sold but did not take into account multiple readings of the same book.
#1. The Holy Bible.
By Various Authors.
3.9 Billion Copies.
With 3.9 Billion Copies printed and sold, the Holy Bible remains the most read book in the world. It is the account of God’s action in the world and his purpose with all creation. The writing of the Bible was accomplished over sixteen centuries and is a quite amazing collection of sixty six books containing the messages of God.
#2. Quotations from the Works of Mao Tse-tung
By Mao Tse-Tung.
820 Million Copies.
The Quotations from the works of Mao Tse-tung, or as it was commonly called,the ‘little red book’ of Mao Tse-tung, was a personal explanation to the people of China on the ideology of the Chinese Communist Party.
#3. Harry Porter
By J.K Rowling.
400 Million Copies.
The Harry Potter books are a fantasy series of seven novels by British writer J. K. Rowling with 400 Million Copies sold. The majority of it have been made into action packed movies. Children and adults alike have been fascinated by this fiction character and cannot get enough of the young hero’s adventures.
#4. Lord Of The Rings
By J.R.R Tolkien.
103 Million Copies.
The Lord of the Rings is an epic fantasy story written by the philologist J. R. R. Tolkien. The novel started out as a sequel to his earlier, far less complex children’s fantasy story The Hobbit, but evolved into a much larger work. The Lord of the Rings has been made into a film trilogy that consists of three live action fantasy epic films; The Fellowship of the Ring, The Two Towers and The Return of the King.
#5. The Alchemist
By Paulo Coelho.
65 Million Copies.
The Alchemist was published in 1987 and became a Brazilian bestseller, it has gone on to sell 65 million copies world-wide, becoming one of the best selling books in history. The Alchemist has been translated into more than 67 languages, winning the Guinness World Record for most translated book by a living author. Paulo Coelho is not only one of the most widely read, but also one of the most influential authors writing today.
#6. The Da Vinci Code
By Dan Brown.
57 Million Copies
The Da Vinci Code is a mystery fiction novel written by American author Dan Brown. The story follows the investigations of Robert Langdon after a murder in the Louvre Museum in Paris. He discovers an intriguing possibility that Jesus Christ may have been married to Mary Magdalene and fathered a child with her. The Da Vinci Code has been made into a movie starring Tom Hanks.
#7. Twilight – The Saga
By Stephenie Meyer.
43 Million Copies.
Twilight is the first book in an extremely popular young adult novel series written by Stephenie Meyer. The story is about a young girl who falls in love with a vampire. This is a saga that is full of romance and action.
#8. Gone With the Wind
By Margaret Mitchell.
33 Million Copies.
Gone With the Wind, a romantic drama by Margaret Mitchell. It is set in Georgia during the American Civil War and follows the life of Scarlett O’Hara, the daughter of an Irish immigrant plantation owner. The novel won the coveted Pulitzer Prize and was adapted into a film of the same name that won an Academy Award.
#9. Think and Grow Rich
By Napoleon Hill.
30 Million Copies.
Think and Grow Rich is a motivational book written by Napoleon Hill. It is a personal development and self improvement novel that was inspired by a suggestion that he received from the Scottish-American billionaire Andrew Carnegie.
#10. Diary of Anne Frank
By Anne Frank.
27 Million Copies.
The Diary of a Young Girl is the English version book that is based on the writings from a diary, which was written by Anne Frank while she was in hiding for two years with her family during the Nazi occupation of the Netherlands. The book is now considered one of the key texts of the twentieth century.
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Lies. Do you care to find out how many copies of the Holy Quran are in this world and how often is it read? Your list is not well thought out.

Everfrank:

Lies. Do you care to find out how many copies of the Holy Quran are in this world and how often is it read? Your list is not well thought out.

Translate Quran to other languages and see how many people will read it. Perhaps it can come up to No. 20.

Why the Quran is not there is because it's mostly shared out for free and not sold. I have about 7 copies of the Quran, and its only 1 I bought myself.

So my nieger, don't bother yourself please

Everfrank:


Lies. Do you care to find out how many copies of the Holy Quran are in this world and how often is it read? Your list is not well thought out.

Topic says 'most read books' not most translated .... So I guess the Quran should make the list!

How about Adolph Hittler's 'Mein Kampf' I know it's about racial bullcrap, but it's still selling since 1925...on code though.

have you read ur bible today and if I may ask how many christians reading this post have read the bible today.

Interesting

Holy Bible. I knew without doubt that it would top the list. Would have said the list was void if it didn't.

So Quran is not there? No wonder there are lots and lots of misguided Muslims. Its now obvious they only listen to the dictate of their selfish imams.

Henrodah:
How about Adolph Hittler's 'Mein Kampf' I know it's about racial bullcrap, but it's still selling since 1925...on code though.

Mein Kampf was only a best seller to Germans themselves and even they didn't read it cover to cover.
Though I saw a news article about its resurgence, I dunno whether it is the same old one or an edited one.

I found the book......intresting sha...

OP; how the mess did Twilight and the Alchemist make it to that list

I refuse to believe it can enter the top 50; talkless of top ten

Double post

And where's Things fall Apart That book is, I believe, regarded as a masterpiece

otimize:
Topic says 'most read books' not most translated .... So I guess the Quran should make the list!

How many people in the world can read Arabic??.... Can u compare with the number dat can read English?

Perhaps, that's why Quran hasn't been read by as many pple.

If you haven't read any of these books then you are dumb and ask your school to refund you if you are graduate

[s]

chumakk:
If you haven't read any of these books then you are dumb and ask your school to refund you if you are graduate

[/s]
Thank you. Education is overrated in this part of the world.

poor editing

SirWere:
OP; how the mess did Twilight and the Alchemist make it to that list

I refuse to believe it can enter the top 50; talkless of top ten

Alchemist yes but no twilight

SirWere:
And where's Things fall Apart That book is, I believe, regarded as a masterpiece

there's nothing in things fall apart that makes it a masterpiece

where's is IFEANYI AND OBI? huh

Edenoscar:


Alchemist yes but no twilight

Both of them are crappy in my opinion.

In fact, twilight is crappier to me;
but then mebbe it was because there was a comparison between Stephanie Meyer and JK Rowling. Kinda like comparing a serf to a god .

there's nothing in things fall apart that makes it a masterpiece

Indeed? How many books deal with the colonial enroachment into Nigeria and highlights the ibo traditional systems like that??

How many books have such elegantly written proses and uses simple diction and not so much words yet reveals the nature of characters to the reader like that??

How many books can be reread 50 years later and still ring true in the mind of the reader, no matter how mordern he/she is??

Tell me one book like that that ain't a masterpiece

So 'Things Fall Apart' an african prose has been read world wide? Definitely not recognised outside Africa bro.

SirWere:


Both of them are crappy in my opinion.

In fact, twilight is crappier to me;
but then mebbe it was because there was a comparison between Stephanie Meyer and JK Rowling. Kinda like comparing a serf to a god .



Indeed? How many books deal with the colonial enroachment into Nigeria and highlights the ibo traditional systems like that??

How many books have such elegantly written proses and uses simple diction and not so much words yet reveals the nature of characters to the reader like that??

How many books can be reread 50 years later and still ring true in the mind of the reader, no matter how mordern he/she is??

Tell me one book like that that ain't a masterpiece

mrdashing10:
So 'Things Fall Apart' an african prose has been read world wide? Definitely not recognised outside Africa bro.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Things_Fall_Apart

Things Fall Apart is a milestone in African
literature. It has come to be seen as the
archetypal modern African novel in
English, and is read in Nigeria and
throughout Africa. Of all of Achebe's
works, Things Fall Apart is the one read
most often, and has generated the most
critical response, examination, and literary
criticism. It is studied widely in Europe,
India and North America, where it has
spawned numerous secondary and
tertiary analytical works. It has achieved
similar status and repute in India,
Australia and Oceania. Considered
Achebe's magnum opus, it has sold more
than 8 million copies worldwide. Time
Magazine included the novel in its TIME
100 Best English-language Novels from
1923 to 2005. The novel has been
translated into more than fifty languages,
and is often used in literature, world
history, and African studies courses
across the world.

Next time; be sure of what you're saying

11) Hitchiker's Guide to the Galaxy :

If you never read it; then you are in no way fit to tackle the existential problems that cloud and befuddle human existence.

Oh; and bring your towel along when reading it

The Holybible is not the Most Read book in History yes The Bible is the Top selling book up till date. People just buy it and throw it at home then take it to Church on Sunday But.... They hardly read it!!

If you ask me I'll say The Quran should take the top spot Muslims have this tradition of reading the Quran even as little kids Even though they don't understand what they are reading but they do read it from beginning to End!! In a form of recitation...

SirWere:
11) Hitchiker's Guide to the Galaxy :

If you never read it; then you are in no way fit to tackle the existential problems that cloud and befuddle human existence.

Oh; and bring your towel along when reading it

I have it but I haven't read it.

I smell front page.

EyeHateGod:
I have it but I haven't read it.

Whaa
Such arrant perfidy!
I hope the mice aren't watching you

The only ppu that won't agree to this are the followers of that religion that preach peace..

SirWere:
Whaa

Such arrant perfidy!

I hope the mice aren't watching you

I have so many books and so little time

While i wouldn't want to dispute the OP or his source, I for some reason believe Don Quixote (name of author forgotten ) should be at the top of the list of most read books even ahead of the bible and this i remember hearing from a BBC documentary long ago! That the book is a relative unknown in Nigeria doesn't negate this assertion!