Best Novels According to the BBC: A Top 10 List

We are always trying to find out the best books ever written and see where our favorite books rank. And today, we will be looking at The British Broadcasting Corporation’s (BBC) list to see what books made their list!

The list by the BBC was made in 2003 and they wanted to find out the nation, the United Kingdom, to see what novels were the most beloved. That was done by a survey carried out by the BBC which received over three-quarters of a million votes over the course of a year.

This is still the biggest single survey of public reading taste and even led to programs hosted by celebrities talking about their favorite books. People were able to cast a vote by going on the web, texting, and even just calling in. For some reason, it is funny imagining someone waiting for calls all day for a year of people just telling them their favorite books.

The survey did have some people wondering if the BBC was sensationalizing literature for views. But supporters praised the BBC for raising public awareness of reading.

Voters were allowed to vote for any novel in the first survey. After this round was done, a list of 200 books was made and the highest 21 made it to the next round of voting. Only one novel from an author was allowed in the top 21 and Shakespeare’s works were not a part of the survey.

Now that you know how the survey was done, we can look at the list of the ten best books according to the United Kingdom. You can see the winners down below!

BBC’s Big Read 10 Best Books

• 1. The Lord of the Rings by J. R. R. Tolkien
• 2. Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen 
• 3. His Dark Materials by Philip Pullman
• 4. The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams 
• 5. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire by J. K. Rowling
• 6. To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee   
• 7. Winnie the Pooh by AA Milne
• 8. Nineteen Eighty-Four by George Orwell   
• 9. The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe by CS Lewis
• 10. Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë   

The Lord of the Rings

It should come as little surprise that J. R. R. Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings topped the list. Since Tolkien is from The U.K, he is a lot more popular there. I don’t think Tolkien would top the list if it was conducted in the United States.

Another interesting thing to note is that The Hobbit wasn’t allowed to be in the top 21 because only one book was allowed per author. It easily would have cracked the top ten considering how popular both books are in the U.K.

Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen

Coming just behind The Lord of the Rings on the list is Pride and Prejudice. The American novel has been a fan favorite since publication in 1813. Seeing it this high on BBC’s list is an amazing achievement and I wouldn’t be surprised if this novel was the most beloved in the U.S.

Elizabeth Bennett is one of five daughters and the novel follows her and Mr. Darcy, who moves near the Bennetts. Elizabeth’s older sister Jane falls in love with Bingley who is a close friends with Mr. Darcy.

Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth interact at a party and while Mr. Darcy falls for Elizabeth, she insults him after he is rude to her. Jane and Bingley seem like they are made for each other but suddenly, things go awry. Elizabeth guesses that somebody doesn’t want them to get married.

A turn of events scares the Bennett family and Elizabeth turns to Mr. Darcy to help. Will Jane and Bingley get married? And how does Elizabeth feel about Mr. Darcy? Jane Austen spins a tale like no other that has remained relevant centuries later and is considered one of the best historical fiction books ever written.

His Dark Materials by Philip Pullman

In third place comes one of my favorite series and another classic fantasy written by a British author, His Dark Materials. And while I love this novel, I don’t think it should be this high.

This is when home field advantage skews the results of this list and proves that no list is ever truly unbiased. But then again, this is a list of the most beloved books and this what the public chose.

The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams

One of my all-time favorite novels and series on the list has to be The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy. The writing is brilliant and the humor is timeless. The fate of planet Earth is at stake yet Adams has the reader laughing throughout the book.

This novel changed the way I saw sci-fi novels and became a lifelong fan after reading the series. I do think this novel reimagined what a sci-fi novel can look like for many readers and authors alike.

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire by J. K. Rowling

In fifth place is Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. The two common reactions I expect are “Finally, Harry Potter makes an appearance!” and “How did Goblet of Fire get voted as the most beloved Harry Potter book?”

To answer the first question, the main reason I think it doesn’t top the list is that the audience that read the Harry Potter books was still very young and not the typical voter. If this survey was done a decade later, Harry Potter is topping the list.

And for the second question, you have to remember that this the most recent Harry Potter book that was released at that time. This was the book that was on everyone’s mind.

I would have loved to have seen how high the other three Harry Potter books made the list. But since only one novel from an author was allowed, they were excluded.

To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee   

I wasn’t an avid reader until I read To Kill a Mockingbird. After reading this novel, I fell in love with reading and had a new appreciation for books. And I haven’t stopped reading since.

For many readers, there is usually a moment that helps them discover their love for books and reading. And for me, it was my sophomore English class. Even to this day, I remember that day clearly and ended up finishing the book days before it was assigned to be read. 

To Kill a Mockingbird made me appreciate the classics and started my journey of reading all the time. without this novel, I don’t think I would love reading or classic novels as much as I do. It only takes only one amazing book to make you fall in love with reading!

1984 by George Orwell

1984 is a classic dystopian novel by Orwell that imagines a future where the government watches and controls our every movement.

The novel is based on Soviet Union in the era of Stalinism, and Nazi Germany. But when Americans realized that their government was secretly spying on them, this novel soared in popularity.

As digital media has taken over the world, many people have seen their privacy invaded. Orwell’s novel was a grim prediction that has come to become a reality. The trust in governments has been eroded and has led to many people turning to this novel for its accuracy.

The Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis

A classic fantasy novel that should be on everyone’s to read list is The Chronicles of Narnia. It is a timeless series and a great way for children to get into reading. I can see why this novel would make the BBC’s list and I do recommend readers to read it at least once.

The series follows the story of four children named Ann, Martin, Rose and Peter. While playing hide and seek, they accidentally end up going to Narnia, a world where animals can talk and magic is real.

The children get caught up in a battle between animals and the witch that rules Narnia. It is up to the children to save their friend and the residents of Narnia with the help of a lion and new friends they make. But if they fail, all of Narnia will fall as a result.

Conclusion

That is all for this list of the BBC’s Big Read 10 best books of all time. The list includes some amazing classics and memorable novels. Most readers have heard of these novels and have probably read them in school.

What did you think of the top ten books of the list? How many of these novels have you read? And what did you think of the United Kingdom bias? Let us know in the comments below. Until next time, happy reading!

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