Le Monde's 1999 list shares the least with the other 28 lists in the index. Its closest match, the Telegraph, has only 18 of its novels. At the other end, four of the 100 books on the Guardian's 2026 readers' poll are found nowhere else.
The two lists that agree most are Guardian (McCrum) 2015 and the Observer 2003, with 50 novels in common. They share a compiler.
Le Monde's list is the odd one out: 41 of its 72 novels are on no other list One bar per list, 17 in all, split by how many other lists also chose each of its novels. Le Monde's has the largest share found nowhere else (57%); Guardian readers' has the smallest (4%). On no other list On 1 or 2 others On 3 to 5 others On 6 or more others Le Monde (1999): 41 of its 72 novels are on no other list; 11 on 1 or 2 others, 9 on 3 to 5, 11 on 6 or more Le Monde 1999 41 of 72 57% Big Jubilee Read (2022): 31 of its 65 novels are on no other list; 18 on 1 or 2 others, 11 on 3 to 5, 5 on 6 or more Big Jubilee Read 2022 31 of 65 48% BBC Arts (2019): 38 of its 100 novels are on no other list; 28 on 1 or 2 others, 20 on 3 to 5, 14 on 6 or more BBC Arts 2019 38 of 100 38% Bokklubben World Library (2002): 22 of its 67 novels are on no other list; 11 on 1 or 2 others, 16 on 3 to 5, 18 on 6 or more Bokklubben World Library 2002 22 of 67 33% Great American Read (2018): 32 of its 100 novels are on no other list; 29 on 1 or 2 others, 18 on 3 to 5, 21 on 6 or more Great American Read 2018 32 of 100 32% The Big Read (2003): 30 of its 100 novels are on no other list; 29 on 1 or 2 others, 20 on 3 to 5, 21 on 6 or more The Big Read 2003 30 of 100 30% Amazon UK (2014): 20 of its 79 novels are on no other list; 24 on 1 or 2 others, 14 on 3 to 5, 21 on 6 or more Amazon UK 2014 20 of 79 25% Guardian 21st century (2019): 14 of its 56 novels are on no other list; 22 on 1 or 2 others, 14 on 3 to 5, 6 on 6 or more Guardian 21st century 2019 14 of 56 25% BBC Culture (2015): 21 of its 100 novels are on no other list; 28 on 1 or 2 others, 29 on 3 to 5, 22 on 6 or more BBC Culture 2015 21 of 100 21% Time (2005): 20 of its 100 novels are on no other list; 37 on 1 or 2 others, 23 on 3 to 5, 20 on 6 or more Time 2005 20 of 100 20% Guardian (McCrum) (2015): 17 of its 100 novels are on no other list; 28 on 1 or 2 others, 32 on 3 to 5, 23 on 6 or more Guardian (McCrum) 2015 17 of 100 17% Modern Library (1998): 17 of its 100 novels are on no other list; 45 on 1 or 2 others, 23 on 3 to 5, 15 on 6 or more Modern Library 1998 17 of 100 17% The Observer (2003): 16 of its 98 novels are on no other list; 26 on 1 or 2 others, 32 on 3 to 5, 24 on 6 or more The Observer 2003 16 of 98 16% The Telegraph (2009): 16 of its 98 novels are on no other list; 24 on 1 or 2 others, 27 on 3 to 5, 31 on 6 or more The Telegraph 2009 16 of 98 16% New York Times 21st century (2024): 9 of its 64 novels are on no other list; 38 on 1 or 2 others, 11 on 3 to 5, 6 on 6 or more New York Times 21st century 2024 9 of 64 14% The Guardian (2026): 12 of its 100 novels are on no other list; 22 on 1 or 2 others, 36 on 3 to 5, 30 on 6 or more The Guardian 2026 12 of 100 12% Guardian readers (2026): 4 of its 100 novels are on no other list; 25 on 1 or 2 others, 38 on 3 to 5, 33 on 6 or more Guardian readers 2026 4 of 100
Le Monde's list is the odd one out: 41 of its 72 novels are on no other list One bar per list, 17 in all, split by how many other lists also chose each of its novels. Le Monde's has the largest share found nowhere else (57%); Guardian readers' has the smallest (4%). On no other list On 1 or 2 others On 3 to 5 others On 6 or more others Le Monde (1999): 41 of its 72 novels are on no other list; 11 on 1 or 2 others, 9 on 3 to 5, 11 on 6 or more Le Monde 1999 41 of 72 57% Big Jubilee Read (2022): 31 of its 65 novels are on no other list; 18 on 1 or 2 others, 11 on 3 to 5, 5 on 6 or more Big Jubilee Read 2022 31 of 65 48% BBC Arts (2019): 38 of its 100 novels are on no other list; 28 on 1 or 2 others, 20 on 3 to 5, 14 on 6 or more BBC Arts 2019 38 of 100 38% Bokklubben World Library (2002): 22 of its 67 novels are on no other list; 11 on 1 or 2 others, 16 on 3 to 5, 18 on 6 or more Bokklubben World Library 2002 22 of 67 33% Great American Read (2018): 32 of its 100 novels are on no other list; 29 on 1 or 2 others, 18 on 3 to 5, 21 on 6 or more Great American Read 2018 32 of 100 32% The Big Read (2003): 30 of its 100 novels are on no other list; 29 on 1 or 2 others, 20 on 3 to 5, 21 on 6 or more The Big Read 2003 30 of 100 30% Amazon UK (2014): 20 of its 79 novels are on no other list; 24 on 1 or 2 others, 14 on 3 to 5, 21 on 6 or more Amazon UK 2014 20 of 79 25% Guardian 21st century (2019): 14 of its 56 novels are on no other list; 22 on 1 or 2 others, 14 on 3 to 5, 6 on 6 or more Guardian 21st century 2019 14 of 56 25% BBC Culture (2015): 21 of its 100 novels are on no other list; 28 on 1 or 2 others, 29 on 3 to 5, 22 on 6 or more BBC Culture 2015 21 of 100 21% Time (2005): 20 of its 100 novels are on no other list; 37 on 1 or 2 others, 23 on 3 to 5, 20 on 6 or more Time 2005 20 of 100 20% Guardian (McCrum) (2015): 17 of its 100 novels are on no other list; 28 on 1 or 2 others, 32 on 3 to 5, 23 on 6 or more Guardian (McCrum) 2015 17 of 100 17% Modern Library (1998): 17 of its 100 novels are on no other list; 45 on 1 or 2 others, 23 on 3 to 5, 15 on 6 or more Modern Library 1998 17 of 100 17% The Observer (2003): 16 of its 98 novels are on no other list; 26 on 1 or 2 others, 32 on 3 to 5, 24 on 6 or more The Observer 2003 16 of 98 16% The Telegraph (2009): 16 of its 98 novels are on no other list; 24 on 1 or 2 others, 27 on 3 to 5, 31 on 6 or more The Telegraph 2009 16 of 98 16% New York Times 21st century (2024): 9 of its 64 novels are on no other list; 38 on 1 or 2 others, 11 on 3 to 5, 6 on 6 or more New York Times 21st century 2024 9 of 64 14% The Guardian (2026): 12 of its 100 novels are on no other list; 22 on 1 or 2 others, 36 on 3 to 5, 30 on 6 or more The Guardian 2026 12 of 100 12% Guardian readers (2026): 4 of its 100 novels are on no other list; 25 on 1 or 2 others, 38 on 3 to 5, 33 on 6 or more Guardian readers 2026 4 of 100
Source: The Novel Index, from 29 lists, prizes and polls, all credited below. Download image (PNG) 
