Our Most “Rated” Books on Goodreads
When looking up a book on Goodreads one can see how many people have “rated” it. We’ll assume this means read. The other thing that Goodreads does is “combine” editions, so if you look up a hardcover edition and somebody else has reviewed a paperback edition they will all be together (for example The War of the Worlds has 139 editions). Which is fine for English-language books, but a bit problematic when it comes to translations, plus the original language book is combined with translations as well. Keeping these points in mind here is a look at our ten most “rated” books on Goodreads.
1. The War of the Worlds by H.G. Wells (our edition has an Edward Gorey cover and illustrations)
2. The Inferno by Dante, translated by Ciaran Carson
3. Pinocchio by Carlo Collodi, translated by Geoffrey Bock
4. The Chrysalids by John Wyndham
5. Chess Story by Stefan Zweig, translated by Joel Rotenberg
6. The Enchanted April by Elizabeth von Arnim
7. The Invention of Morel by Adolfo Bioy Casares, translated by Ruth L.C. Simms
8. Stoner by John Williams
9. A High Wind in Jamaica by Richard Hughes
10. The Life of Lazarillo de Tomes by anonymous, translated by W.S. Merwin
And finally, if you are interested, we do have an NYRB Classics Goodreads bookclub. This month we’re doing J.L. Carr’s A Month in the Country.
