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Cover of Sophie's World by Jostein GaarderSophie's World
Modern · Fiction, Philosophy, Classics

Sophie's World

by Jostein Gaarder
1991 · 435 pages · Fiction
64.0Must-Read
Score Modern
Lifetime bestseller
≈ 11 hours to read · about 3 weeks at 30 minutes a day

What it's about

Fourteen-year-old Sophie meets a mysterious mentor who introduces her to the history of philosophy, from Socrates to Sartre. Meanwhile, the mysteries in her own life deepen: why does she keep getting postcards addressed to another girl?

Why it's worth reading

It's one of the best-selling books ever, with about 60 million copies sold, and it's on the BBC's Big Read.

You'll love it if you liked

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Good to know

It's a novel and a philosophy course at once, written for young adults. It's translated from Norwegian.

By the numbers

64.0Must-Read Score
  • Readers24 out of 100 · counts 42%
  • Critics0 out of 100 · counts 14%
  • Bestseller64 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
  • Buzz0 out of 100 · counts 10%

Critics and Bestseller are two ways to earn a place: a book's stronger one counts more. Buzz rewards recent bestseller weeks and prizes, so older books start at zero. The parts combine into the Must-Read Score, shown on a scale where the best book we found scores 99 and the last book to make the ranking scores 50.

Where it ranks

Why it made the list

Bestseller
One of the best-selling books ever (about 60 million copies)
On the lists
BBC's The Big Read

Reads as

Thought-provoking

How we rank

Already read it? Upload your Goodreads or StoryGraph history and get the 50 best books you haven't read, tuned to your taste.Get my 50

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Explore the best-of lists

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Quick answers

Is Sophie's World worth reading?

Yes. It's one of the best-selling books ever, with about 60 million copies sold, and it's on the BBC's Big Read. It ranks #1,995 of the 2,816 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 64.0 (the best book we found scores 99).

What is Sophie's World about?

Fourteen-year-old Sophie meets a mysterious mentor who introduces her to the history of philosophy, from Socrates to Sartre. Meanwhile, the mysteries in her own life deepen: why does she keep getting postcards addressed to another girl?

How long does it take to read Sophie's World?

About 11 hours (435 pages), or about 3 weeks at 30 minutes a day.

What should I read after Sophie's World?

If you liked it, try The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho, The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry or Meditations by Marcus Aurelius.