Best selling fiction authors to date in any language
This is a list of best-selling fiction authors to date, in any language. While finding precise sales numbers for any given author is nearly impossible, the list is based on approximate numbers provided or repeated by reliable sources. "Best selling" refers to the estimated number of copies sold of all fiction books written or co-written by an author. To keep the list manageable, only authors with estimated sales of at least 100 million are included. Authors of comic books are not included unless they have been published in book format (for example, comic albums, mangatankōbon volumes, trade paperbacks, or graphic novels).
^Bruxelles, Simon (September 14, 2005). "Agatha Christie's favourite plot". The Times. ISSN0140-0460. Archived from the original on January 24, 2021. Retrieved June 13, 2019. Christie sold more than two billion books, translated into 103 languages. Only the Bible and Shakespeare's works are said to have sold more.
^ ab"'Agatha Christie's secret tapes discovered". The Times. September 15, 2008. ISSN0140-0460. Archived from the original on December 15, 2019. Retrieved June 13, 2019. Christie wrote 80 detective novels mostly featuring Poirot or Marple and it has been suggested that only the Bible and Shakespeare's canon have outsold an estimated 4 billion copies of her books.
^The TelegraphArchived June 16, 2008, at the Wayback Machine on Barbara Cartland: "Barbara Cartland, who, we are informed (on www.condor-sj.com), 'is the most widely read author in the world with more than 500 million books in print'?" (February 25, 2007)
^CBS NewsArchived April 13, 2008, at the Wayback Machine on Barbara Cartland: "Dame Barbara Cartland, 98. Considered the world's most prolific author and Britain's queen of romantic fiction, with total sales of 1 billion books." (December 20, 2000)
^CBC on Danielle Steel: "The reclusive Steel, who lives in San Francisco and Paris, has published more than 70 bestselling romance novels, which have sold more than 500 million copies worldwide." (April 21, 2010)
^ForbesArchived September 7, 2017, at the Wayback Machine on Danielle Steel: "Yes, you read that right, 800 MILLION copies sold. Best known for romance and drama, Danielle Steel's novels have spent over 390 consecutive weeks on The New York Times Best Seller list and 22 have been adapted for television." (June 6, 2011)
^The IndependentArchived September 7, 2017, at the Wayback Machine on Harold Robbins: "During his 50-year career (he died in 1997) he sold an estimated 750 million books and, in the process, transformed himself into a brand." (September 23, 2008)
^USA TodayArchived October 31, 2010, at the Wayback Machine on Harold Robbins: "Starting in 1948, he sold 750 million books, including megasellers such as The Carpetbaggers, A Stone for Danny Fisher and The Betsy." (October 9, 2007)
^The AgeArchived February 7, 2009, at the Wayback Machine on Georges Simenon: "With worldwide sales of 500 million, he was the most widely read living writer of his era." (September 14, 2003)
^The Wall Street JournalArchived September 7, 2017, at the Wayback Machine on Georges Simenon: "In his lifetime Simenon published some 570 books, using 17 pen names, which have sold more than 700 million copies in 40 countries and were translated into 57 languages." (April 1, 2003)
^The Huddersfield DailyExaminerArchived February 12, 2012, at the Wayback Machine on Enid Blyton: "She has been translated into 90 languages, is the sixth most popular writer worldwide according to UNESCO and almost equal to Shakespeare, and has sold 600 million copies." (August 25, 2008)
^VarietyArchived April 13, 2008, at the Wayback Machine on Sidney Sheldon: "A NEW MILESTONE FOR Sidney Sheldon, who has sold more than 370 million books" (October 6, 1995)
^The Columbus Dispatch[permanent dead link] on Sidney Sheldon: "He was one of the world's most translated authors, selling more than 600 million books in 180 countries." (January 31, 2007)
^ ab"One Piece Manga Sets Guinness World Record With Over 500 Million Published". Anime News Network. August 4, 2022. Archived from the original on December 17, 2023. Retrieved December 17, 2023. Shueisha announced on Thursday that Eiichiro Oda's One Piece manga has surpassed 500 million copies published worldwide as of the release of the manga's 103rd compiled book volume on the same day. 416,566,000 of those copies are in Japan, and 100 million copies are in 60 countries and territories outside of Japan.
^The Daily Utah ChronicleArchived April 15, 2008, at the Wayback Machine on Joshua Kagebein List of best-selling fiction authors: "The Pulitzer Prize-winning Seuss wrote and illustrated 47 books and sold more than 100 million copies in 18 languages." (March 5, 2001)
^The New York TimesArchived April 19, 2008, at the Wayback Machine on Dr. Seuss: "Today Dr. Seuss's 44 books have been translated into 21 languages, selling more than 500 million copies." (March 2, 2004)
^The Guardian Corin Tellado obituary Archived September 14, 2018, at the Wayback Machine on Corin Tellado: "In the course of her life she published more than 4,000 romance novels that sold 400 million copies, which earned her a place in the Guinness Book of Records where she has been a fixture since 1994." (April 11, 2009)
^Corín Tellado on Corin Tellado: "She published more than 5,000 titles and sold more than 400 million books which have been translated into several languages"
^The OC RegisterArchived April 13, 2008, at the Wayback Machine on Dean Koontz: "Admitting to finally having found a great editor at Bantam, the author, who has sold 325 million books in 38 languages, talked about his craft. " (September 25, 2007)
^Daily PilotArchived July 25, 2011, at the Wayback Machine on Dean Koontz: "He's now the world's sixth most highly paid author, tied with John Grisham at $25 million in annual sales, and his novels have sold more than 400 million copies." (January 7, 2011)
^The GuardianArchived April 14, 2008, at the Wayback Machine on Jackie Collins: "One of the world's bestselling writers with more than 400 million books sold in over 40 countries. " (June 27, 2004)
^The Chinook ObserverArchived October 8, 2012, at the Wayback Machine on Horatio Alger, Jr.: "Americans bought 200 million copies of his dime novels -- with intriguing titles like Raggedy Dick and Sink or Swim. " (March 30, 2005)
^Time magazineArchived April 13, 2008, at the Wayback Machine on Horatio Alger: "[...] that have sold from 100 million to 400 million copies, depending on which literary historian you believe." (February 12, 1973)
^BBCArchived August 7, 2012, at the Wayback Machine on Nora Roberts: "Nora Roberts currently has 145 million books in print." (June 6, 2002)
^The Washington PostArchived September 7, 2017, at the Wayback Machine on Nora Roberts: "Today, Roberts, 61, has published her 200th novel, "The Witness," and is at the helm of a cottage industry: about 400 million copies of her books in print..." (April 16, 2012)
^The HinduArchived April 12, 2008, at the Wayback Machine on R. L. Stine: "As R.L. Stine points out (and he should know, having sold over 100 million copies of over 160 different spooky stories)" (September 7, 2003)
^The New YorkerArchived July 13, 2018, at the Wayback Machine on Stephen King: "He is the world's best-selling novelist, with 300 million books sold [...]" (September 7, 1998)
^Penguin Random HouseArchived September 15, 2018, at the Wayback Machine on Paulo Coelho: "his books have sold more than 225 million copies in more than 170 countries (...)" (September 14, 2018)
^The New York SunArchived April 13, 2008, at the Wayback Machine on Erle Stanley Gardner: "Erle Stanley Gardner (whose Perry Mason stories sold more than a 100 million books)" (July 20, 2005)
^The New York TimesArchived April 18, 2008, at the Wayback Machine on Erle Stanley Gardner: "Gardner's books continue to be reissued regularly both here and abroad. Sales to date exceed 325 million copies." (November 22, 1992)
^BBC AudioBooks catalogueArchived July 7, 2011, at the Wayback Machine on Janet Dailey: "Janet Dailey has written more than 100 novels and is one of the world's topselling women writers, with more than 300 million copies of her books sold in nineteen languages in ninety-eight countries" (2007)
^I. B.Tauris & CompanyArchived January 15, 2014, at the Wayback Machine on Jin Yong: "Jin Yong (1924-) is China's bestselling living novelist. His 15 books have sold more than 100 million copies worldwide..."
^Shue Yan NewsletterArchived May 2, 2012, at the Wayback Machine on Jin Yong: "Professor Cha adopted 'Jin Rong' as his pen-name for his 15 martial arts novels of which over 300 million copies have been sold to-date. Although Professor Cha stopped writing martial arts novels almost forty years ago, they remain in print and have been translated into English, Japanese, Korean, Thai, Vietnamese and other languages for his countless readers worldwide."
^Lewis Manalo (February 16, 2010). "The Billion Copy Opportunity". Publishing Perspectives. Archived from the original on November 1, 2011. Retrieved December 18, 2011. Without rival, the twentieth century's king of the genre is Louis Cha. Estimates of his book sales reach up to 300 million copies. One editor at the Far Eastern Economic Review estimated that, if one also counted the pirated copies, over 1 billion of Cha's books have been sold. His fourteen novels have been adapted into countless comic books, television shows, and films.
^BBCArchived August 8, 2012, at the Wayback Machine on Robert Ludlum: "He has sold more than 110 million books in 40 countries and 32 languages." (March 13, 2001)
^BBCArchived December 15, 2008, at the Wayback Machine on Robert Ludlum: "The author, who died in 2001, has sold more than 290 million books worldwide." (August 11, 2005)
^The New Yorker "Patterson’s books have sold more than four hundred million copies." (June 13, 2022)
^The New York TimesArchived April 19, 2008, at the Wayback Machine on Frédéric Dard: "Mr. Dard wrote almost 300 books, of which more than 200 million copies have been sold." (June 15, 2000)
^The Washington Post on Frédéric Dard: "Mr. Dard worked as a journalist in Lyon from 1942 to 1950 before dedicating himself to novels, theater and film. He used a number of pseudonyms, among them Frederic Charles, Kaput and L'Ange Noir (The Black Angel), and sold more than 270 million books." (June 9, 2000)
^VarietyArchived April 13, 2008, at the Wayback Machine on the Berenstains: "The company also is offering a new animated series based on the Berenstain Bears, the hugely popular children's brand that has sold more than 260 million books worldwide." (April 7, 2002)
^BBCArchived December 23, 2018, at the Wayback Machine on Roald Dahl: "With his stories available in 59 languages and with more than 200 million book sales worldwide." (July 6, 2015)
^The New York TimesArchived March 13, 2023, at the Wayback Machine on John Grisham: "Over the last 15 years, more than 100 million copies of Mr. Grisham's books have been published in hardcover and paperback worldwide." (January 19, 2005)
^BBCArchived March 13, 2023, at the Wayback Machine on John Grisham: "While legal thriller writer Grisham - who has sold more that 250 million books in his 20-year career - picked up a lifetime achievement award, Ian Rankin's The Naming of the Dead won best crime thriller." (March 28, 2007)
^Trip SavvyArchived October 11, 2019, at the Wayback Machine on Zane Grey: ""Zane Grey had 250 million books published," Wolfe said." (November 22, 2005)
^The Writer's AlmanacArchived September 7, 2017, at the Wayback Machine on Irving Wallace: "Although often scorned by critics, his 16 novels and 17 works of nonfiction have sold some 250 million copies worldwide." (March 19, 2003)
^USA TodayArchived June 2, 2011, at the Wayback Machine on J. R. R. Tolkien: "Tolkien's franchise has resulted in more than 200 million books sold globally and $3.5 billion in box office revenue — not to mention tens of millions of DVDs sold." (April 23, 2007)
^The Australian on J. R. R. Tolkien: " Tolkien's books (...) have together sold more than 250 million copies worldwide. " (October 7, 2012)
^Deutsche WelleArchived April 13, 2008, at the Wayback Machine on Karl May: "With sales of over 200 million books, Karl May remains a household name in today's Germany." (April 4, 2001)
^CBC obituary of Mickey Spillane: "He sold more than 100 million books, and Hammer inspired several TV series and movies." (July 18, 2006)
^The Washington PostArchived July 19, 2005, at the Wayback Machine on Mickey Spillane: "According to today's industry estimates, his 26 books have sold more than 200 million copies." (August 22, 2001)
^BBCArchived October 12, 2007, at the Wayback Machine on C. S. Lewis: "favorite Northern Irish author has sold over 100 million books and inspired the Harry Potter and the Lord of the Rings novels." (February 8, 2008)
^The Daily HeraldArchived March 13, 2023, at the Wayback Machine on C. S. Lewis: "C.S. Lewis may not be on the best-seller list, but it is estimated that his 38 books have sold more than 200 million copies worldwide and remain in print 38 years after his death." (October 20, 2001)
^The Wall Street JournalArchived September 7, 2017, at the Wayback Machine on Ann M. Martin: "A year earlier, however, the movie version of "The Baby-Sitters Club" -- based on a series of young-adult books that have sold more than 180 million copies -- sold only $10 million in tickets, barely exceeding its $6.5 million budget." (October 8, 2004)
^Japan Inc.Archived April 13, 2008, at the Wayback Machine on Ryōtarō Shiba: "Altogether, including such genres as dialogues with other authors, more than 180 million copies of his books have been printed" (June 22, 2006)
^The AgeArchived April 13, 2008, at the Wayback Machine on Arthur Hailey: "Arthur Hailey, who has died at his home in the Bahamas aged 84, was one of the most commercially successful authors of all time, producing 11 books which sold more than 150 million copies, were translated into about 40 languages, and brought him tens of millions of dollars" (November 28, 2004)
^The Washington Post on Arthur Hailey: "He wrote 11 books, which were published in 40 countries and 38 languages, with about 170 million copies in print." (November 27, 2004)
^BBCArchived August 8, 2012, at the Wayback Machine on Astrid Lindgren: "Lindgren's books have sold over 100 million copies in some 80 languages." (January 28, 2002
^Sunday HeraldArchived April 13, 2008, at the Wayback Machine on Gerard De Villiers: "De Villiers, now 78, claims to have sold an extraordinary 150 million books over his career - with every year a million more added to the total in France alone." (November 19, 2007)
^Anna Russell, "The Secret Life of Bedatrix Potter", The New Yorker, March 12, 2022 ("Potter, the author of 'The Tale of Peter Rabbit' and 'The Tale of Benjamin Bunny,' whose books have now sold more than two hundred and fifty million copies . . .").
^The TelegraphArchived June 16, 2008, at the Wayback Machine on Michael Crichton: "His books have sold more than 150 million copies." (July 1, 2007)
^The Wall Street JournalArchived September 7, 2017, at the Wayback Machine on Michael Crichton: "Although it is always difficult to gauge the total sales of any author, Mr. Crichton's Web site states that he has sold more than 150 million books, and that 13 of them have been adapted into movies." (November 16, 2006)
^Encyclopædia BritannicaArchived August 5, 2010, at the Wayback Machine on Richard Scarry: "His "busy" books and dictionaries sold more than 100 million copies worldwide, and in 1989 eight of his books made the list of the top 50 best-selling children's books of all time" (2008)
^Famous AuthorsArchived September 15, 2018, at the Wayback Machine on Richard Scarry: "He has written more than 300 books which have gone on to sell more than 150 million copies globally" (2012)
^The Rocky Mountain CollegianArchived April 15, 2008, at the Wayback Machine on Clive Cussler: "An audit later revealed the number of Cussler books sold was around 40 million at the time the contract was negotiated in 2000." (March 5, 2007)
^The TelegraphArchived June 16, 2008, at the Wayback Machine on Clive Cussler: "His widely popular novels - his new one, Golden Buddha, the first in an adventure series called The Oregon Files, is published next month - have sold 150 million copies in 40 languages and have made the author a very wealthy man." (February 23, 2004)
^CBSArchived April 13, 2008, at the Wayback Machine on Ken Follett: "In all, he's sold 90 million books." (October 7, 2007)
^BBC CultureArchived September 18, 2018, at the Wayback Machine on Ken Follett: "Ken Follett explains how he arrived at the winning formula that has brought him more than 150 million sales worldwide" (October 16, 2016)
^Publishers WeeklyArchived May 11, 2008, at the Wayback Machine on Debbie Macomber: "Last year her new books sold 2.8 million copies, bringing her total in print to more than 60 million." (June 19, 2006)
^New Release TodayArchived September 14, 2018, at the Wayback Machine on Debbie Macomber: "With more than 140 million copies of her books in print, Debbie Macomber is one of today's most popular authors." (May 31, 2011)
^Anime News NetworkArchived February 5, 2018, at the Wayback Machine "The official Twitter for the live-action film of Tite Kubo's Bleach manga revealed on Monday that the original Bleach manga has 120 million copies in print worldwide." (February 5, 2018)
^The New York TimesArchived April 18, 2008, at the Wayback Machine on Eiji Yoshikawa: "It has remained on the Japanese best-seller list ever since its initial publication as a novel in 1971, and has sold an estimated 120 million copies." (September 13, 1981)
^The AgeArchived February 7, 2009, at the Wayback Machine on Catherine Cookson: "One hundred million copies of her 103 books have been sold worldwide." (October 6, 2008
^The TelegraphArchived September 14, 2018, at the Wayback Machine on Catherine Cookson: "Cookson sold 120 million books and for a lengthy period of the 20th century was Britain's most borrowed author." (May 29, 2015)
^The Library of CongressArchived February 2, 2017, at the Wayback Machine on Norman Bridwell: "Now more than 80 Clifford books have been published, close to 100 million books are in print, and Clifford's adventures are published in several languages worldwide." (2002)
^KRCB televisionArchived April 4, 2008, at the Wayback Machine on Norman Bridwell: "Scholastic's beloved, best-selling children's books by Norman Bridwell, with more than 160 titles and 110 million books in print." (2008)
^The NationalArchived August 10, 2011, at the Wayback Machine on David Baldacci: "At last count, David Baldacci had sold 110 million copies of his incredibly popular thrillers." (August 9, 2011)
^CrunchyrollArchived December 18, 2016, at the Wayback Machine reporting on Araki's announcement: "The official website for 56-year-old Japanese manga artist Hirohiko Araki today announced that, as of the release of the 14th volume of the current 8th arc JoJolion next Monday, his long-running Jojo's Bizarre Adventure manga series has printed 100 million copies in Japan." (December 15, 2016)
^The New York TimesArchived December 11, 2008, at the Wayback Machine on Ed McBain: "Ms. Gelfman, his agent, estimated that in 50 years of writing, he had sold more than 100 million copies of his work." (July 7, 2005)
^The Hollywood ReporterArchived December 6, 2006, at the Wayback Machine on Ed McBain: "Evan Hunter, 78, a best-selling cop novel author who sold more than 100 million books under his own name and the pseudonym Ed McBain." (December 30, 2005)
^The Sun RunnerArchived April 5, 2008, at the Wayback Machine on Andrew Neiderman: "Aside from the fact that "The Devil's Advocate" is a film classic featuring Al Pacino, Keanu Reeves and Charlize Theron, Neiderman has over 100 million books in print and has been published in 95 countries. " (2005)
^Authors' DenArchived July 22, 2012, at archive.today on Andrew Neiderman: "Neiderman has over 100 million books in print and has been published in 95 countries." (August 3, 2006)
^The IndependentArchived October 28, 2010, at the Wayback Machine on Roger Hargreaves: "The popularity of the original characters led to a television series, sold 100 million books and created a business worth £130m" (January 22, 2003)
^News AustraliaArchived February 14, 2008, at the Wayback Machine on Roger Hargreaves: "The popular series featured characters like Mr Strong, Mr Tickle and Mr Muddle, and it has been estimated that more than 100 million books from the Mr Men range had been sold worldwide." (February 11, 2008)
^VarietyArchived April 13, 2008, at the Wayback Machine on Robin Cook: "Cook, who with more than 100 million books in print virtually owns the medical-thriller genre, appears to be branching out of his element by adding an extraterrestrial component." (May 2, 1997)
^Wesleyan UniversityArchived November 20, 2010, at the Wayback Machine on Robin Cook: "He has sold more than 100 million books worldwide, which have been translated into approximately 40 languages." (2007)
^The Telegraph[dead link] on Wilbur Smith: "Translated into 26 languages, they have sold more than 80 million copies worldwide." (April 28, 2007)
^The HeraldArchived April 13, 2008, at the Wayback Machine on Wilbur Smith: "He is the author of 25 best-sellers and claims in court papers to have sold about 100 million books." (May 21, 2002)
^Augusta ChronicleArchived February 10, 2009, at the Wayback Machine on Erskine Caldwell: "Mr. Caldwell's books have sold 80 million copies and have been published in 43 languages. " (February 11, 2007)
^The New York TimesArchived April 18, 2008, at the Wayback Machine on Erskine Caldwell: "More than 100 million copies of his books have been printed around the world, and his short stories continue to be included in anthologies" (December 1, 1982)
^The New York TimesArchived September 19, 2019, at the Wayback Machine on Judith Krantz: "Judith Krantz, Whose Tales of Sex and Shopping Sold Millions, Dies at 91." (June 23, 2019)
^DeadlineArchived September 14, 2019, at the Wayback Machine on Judith Krantz: "Judith Krantz Dies: Best-Selling Author And Journalist Was 91 Years Old" (June 23, 2019)
^The IndependentArchived September 7, 2017, at the Wayback Machine on Eleanor Hibbert: "She sold staggering amounts, in the region of 100 million copies." (September 28, 2008)
^The New York Times on Eleanor Hibbert: "Eleanor Hibbert, a prolific and popular novelist whose books, written under the pen names Jean Plaidy, Victoria Holt and Philippa Carr, sold more than 100 million copies, died on Monday aboard a Mediterranean cruise ship." (January 21, 1993)
^The New York TimesArchived April 18, 2008, at the Wayback Machine on Lewis Carroll: "Over 100 million copies of Carroll's book have been sold, Mr. Allen said." (April 18, 1985)
^Miami HeraldArchived October 8, 2012, at the Wayback Machine on Denise Robins: "Miss Robins' novels, translated into 15 languages, sold more than 100 million copies. " (May 3, 1985)
^China.orgArchived April 12, 2008, at the Wayback Machine on Cao Xueqin: "Sun said that the book has sold over 100 million copies worldwide so far. " (December 14, 2005)
^The Times of IndiaArchived October 20, 2012, at the Wayback Machine on Ian Fleming: "Faulks took up where Fleming left off in 1966 with Octopussy and the Living Daylights, the last of 14 Bond books which have sold 100 million copies since." (July 13, 2007)
^The New Zealand Herald on Ian Fleming: "Faulks took up where Fleming left off in 1966 with Octopussy and the Living Daylights, the last of 14 Bond books which have sold 100 million copies since." (July 11, 2007-
^The Washington PostArchived March 8, 2021, at the Wayback Machine on Rex Stout: "he substituted pleasure for pain and produced 42 novels and 39 novellas in the Nero Wolfe series with combined sales of more than 100 million copies" (November 20, 1977)
^The AgeArchived April 13, 2008, at the Wayback Machine on Anne Golon: "Somehow, despite her books having sold more than 100 million copies in 45 countries, Golon is living in straitened circumstances" (November 13, 2004)
^Thomas D. Hamm in The Quakers in America page 208, on James Michener: "Michener produced a steady stream of books for the rest of his life, with total sales of over 100 million." (2003)
^ abBooks from JapanArchived September 17, 2018, at the Wayback Machine on Yasuo Uchida: "Yasuo Uchida (1934–) is a popular author whose works have sold more than 100 million copies in Japan" (Japanese language, March 21, 2008)
^Deseret NewsArchived July 3, 2010, at the Wayback Machine on Mary Higgins Clark: "Mary Higgins Clark has been on The New York Times Best Seller list 27 times and has more than 100 million copies in print in the United States" (March 29, 2009)
^ForbesArchived September 7, 2017, at the Wayback Machine on Mary Higgins Clark: "Sales:100 million books sold" (June 6, 2011)
^The TelegraphArchived December 14, 2018, at the Wayback Machine on Penny Jordan: "selling more than 90 million copies of nearly 190 titles" (January 19, 2012)