Books play an important part in our lives. Likewise, religion is one of the most vital things associated with civilization, thus, most of the greatest books ever written were about it. Things regarding religious beliefs were written down as a reference and guidelines for believers and/or as a manifestation on the existence of a superbeing or creator. A book is considered great if it is popular and widely read. The extent of its influence is also highly considered. Here are some the greatest books in the world.
To start with, here's a trivia about books. The world's largest book stands upright, set in stone, in the grounds of the Kuthodaw pagoda at the foot of Mandalay Hill in Mandalay, Myanmar. It has 730 leaves and 1460 pages; each page is three and a half feet wide, five feet tall and five inches thick.
- Bible
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Undeniably, Bible is the greatest book in the world. Christianity is the largest religion in the world and has more or less 2 billion adherents, representing about a quarter to a third of the world's population. Naturally, the Bible, which is refers to respective collections of religious writings of Christianity (and Judaism) is read and owned and have a tremendous influence on the lives of Christians.
- Koran
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Islam is the second largest religion in the world with about 1.5 billion followers. The religious book of Muslims is the Koran. Muslims believe the Koran to be the book of divine guidance and direction for mankind, and consider the original Arabic text to be the final revelation of God.
- Vedas and Upanishads
Hinduism is the 3rd largest religion in the world and has an estimated 1 billion followers worldwide most of which are from India. There are two Holy Scriptures which are highly regarded by Hindus - the Vedas and Upanishads.
Vedas
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Another book that is widely read is the Vedas (knowledge). These are a large body of texts originating in Ancient India. They form the oldest layer of Sanskrit literature and the oldest sacred texts of Hinduism.
Upanishad
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The Upanishads are Hindu scriptures that constitute the core teachings of Vedanta. The Upanishads realize monist ideas, some of which were hinted at in the earlier texts, and they have exerted an important influence on the rest of Hindu and Indian Philosophy, and are considered one of the 100 Most Influential; Books Ever Written.
- Analects
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One of the most influential books in the Orient is the Analects, also known as the Analects of Confucius. These are record of the words and acts of the central Chinese thinker and philosopher Confucius and his disciples, as well as the discussions they held. This book was written during the Spring and Autumn Period through the Warring States Period about 479 BCE - 221 BCE. The Analects is the representative work of Confucianism and continues to have a tremendous influence on Chinese and East Asian thought and values today.
- Pali Canon
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The Pāli Canon is the standard collection of scriptures in the Theravada Buddhist tradition, as preserved in the Pali Language. It is the only completely surviving early Buddhist canon, and one of the first to be written down. The Pali Canon was first printed in the nineteenth century, and is now also available in electronic form and on the Internet. The Pāli Canon falls into three general categories, called pitaka (piṭaka, basket) in Pali. Because of this, the canon is traditionally known as the Tipitaka (Tipiṭaka; three baskets).
- Talmud
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An influential book for Jews is the Talmud. It is a record of rabbinic discussions pertaining to Jewish law, ethics, customs, and history. It is a central text of Rabbinic Judaism, second only to the Hebrew Bible in importance.
- American Spelling Book
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American Spelling Book which was written by the famous Author Noah Webster has sold an estimated 100 million copies. It was first published in 1828 as An American Dictionary of the English Language.
- Guinness World Records
One book that provides weird and bizarre records is the Guinness World Records, known until 2000 as The Guinness Book of Records (and in previous U.S. editions as The Guinness Book of World Records). It is a reference book published annually, containing an internationally recognized collection of world records, both human achievements and the extreme of the natural world. The book itself holds a world record, as the best-selling copyrighted series of all-time.
- The World Almanac
The World Almanac and Book of Facts is an American-published reference work and is the bestselling almanac conveying information about such subjects as world changes, tragedies, sports feats, etc. The almanac can be found in homes, libraries, schools, businesses, and media outlets throughout the US and to a more limited degree in other parts of the world. It has been published yearly since 1886.
- The Little Red Book
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The book called Quotations from Chairman Mao Zedong, better known in the West as The Little Red Book is regarded as the second most popular book. It was published by the Government of the People's Republic of China from April 1964 until approximately 1976. As its title implies, it is a collection of quotations excerpted from Mao Zedong's past speeches and publications. The book's alternative title The Little Red Book was coined by the West for its pocket-sized edition, which was specifically printed and sold to facilitate easy carrying. Possibly the most printed book in history, Quotations had an estimated 5 to 6.5 billion copies printed during Mao's attempt to transform Chinese society. The book's phenomenal popularity may be due to the fact that it was essentially an unofficial requirement for every Chinese citizen to own, to read, and to carry it at all times during the later half of Mao's rule, especially during the Cultural Revolution. At the height of the period, for people out of favor with the Communist party, the punishment for failing to produce the book upon demand ranged from being beaten on the spot by Red Guards to being given years of hard-labor imprisonment
