The 25 best books of the 1990s
The 25 highest-ranked books first published in the 1990s in our ranking of 2,819, scored on how much readers love them, their prize, best-list and bestseller record, and current buzz. We rank 273 books of the 1990s in all. How we rank
- 1
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone96.8Must-Read ScoreHarry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone
It's the book that turned a generation into readers, and it's still pure magic: funny, warm, inventive and with a mystery that keeps you turning pages.
- 2A Game of Thrones96.2Must-Read Score
A Game of Thrones
It's the book that remade modern fantasy: grown-up politics, characters you love who aren't safe, and a world that feels as solid as history.
- 3
On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft87.2Must-Read ScoreOn Writing: A Memoir of the Craft
It's on the Guardian's list of the best books of the century and is one of the most popular books on writing ever published.
- 4
The Eye of the World86.4Must-Read ScoreThe Eye of the World
It was voted onto PBS's Great American Read and begins The Wheel of Time, one of the best-selling fantasy series ever written.
- 5
Outlander85.9Must-Read ScoreOutlander
It's one of the best-selling novels ever, about 25 million copies, and a PBS Great American Read pick.
- 6
Angela's Ashes85.7Must-Read ScoreAngela's Ashes
It's a miracle of a memoir: harrowing poverty told with such humor and wonder that you laugh on nearly every page.
- 7
The Prize: The Epic Quest for Oil, Money, and Power85.2Must-Read ScoreThe Prize: The Epic Quest for Oil, Money, and Power
It's the definitive history of oil and won the Pulitzer Prize, and it explains a remarkable amount of twentieth-century history along the way.
- 8
Into Thin Air: A Personal Account of the Mount Everest Disaster84.3Must-Read ScoreInto Thin Air: A Personal Account of the Mount Everest Disaster
It's one of the greatest adventure books ever written, gripping, terrifying and morally serious, and it changed how the world sees high-altitude climbing.
- 9A Deepness in the Sky83.7Must-Read Score
A Deepness in the Sky
It won the Hugo Award and was a Nebula Award finalist.
- 10
Tuesdays with Morrie83.5Must-Read ScoreTuesdays with Morrie
It spent more than a year at #1 on the New York Times list and is one of the best-selling memoirs ever.
- 11Barrayar82.8Must-Read Score
Barrayar
It won the Hugo Award for Best Novel and was a Nebula Award finalist.
- 12
Infinite Jest82.7Must-Read ScoreInfinite Jest
It's on TIME's list of the best novels and is one of the most influential novels of its generation.
- 13
Annals of the Former World82.5Must-Read ScoreAnnals of the Former World
It won the Pulitzer Prize.
- 14
Parable of the Sower82.5Must-Read ScoreParable of the Sower
It was a Nebula Award finalist and has become one of the most talked-about novels of the century because so much of it now feels prophetic.
- 15Voices From Chernobyl: The Oral History of a Nuclear Disaster81.8Must-Read Score
Voices From Chernobyl: The Oral History of a Nuclear Disaster
It won the National Book Critics Circle Award, and Alexievich won the Nobel Prize in Literature in 2015.
- 16
Embracing Defeat: Japan in the Wake of World War II81.8Must-Read ScoreEmbracing Defeat: Japan in the Wake of World War II
It won the Pulitzer Prize and the National Book Award.
- 17The Golden Compass81.7Must-Read Score
The Golden Compass
It opens His Dark Materials, which was voted one of the nation's best-loved novels in the BBC's Big Read, and whose final book was longlisted for the Booker Prize.
- 18
Truman81.5Must-Read ScoreTruman
It won the Pulitzer Prize for biography and became a bestseller and an HBO film.
- 19
The Coldest Winter Ever80.9Must-Read ScoreThe Coldest Winter Ever
It was voted onto PBS's Great American Read and became one of the most influential urban fiction novels ever written.
- 20
Kitchen Confidential: Adventures in the Culinary Underbelly80.9Must-Read ScoreKitchen Confidential: Adventures in the Culinary Underbelly
It was a #1 New York Times bestseller and made Bourdain famous, launching his television career.
- 21Mirror Dance80.8Must-Read Score
Mirror Dance
It won the Hugo Award, and many readers consider it the best book of Bujold's Vorkosigan Saga.
- 22
Stalingrad80.6Must-Read ScoreStalingrad
It won the Samuel Johnson Prize, now the Baillie Gifford Prize, and became an international bestseller.
- 23
Interpreter of Maladies80.6Must-Read ScoreInterpreter of Maladies
It won the Pulitzer Prize, a rare win for a debut story collection, and has sold millions of copies.
- 24Good Omens80.6Must-Read Score
Good Omens
It's on the BBC's Big Read and has become a cult favorite, adapted for television.
- 25The Vor Game80.2Must-Read Score
The Vor Game
It won the Hugo Award for Best Novel.