Books Facts

Books Facts Infographics

The most expensive book in the world is Codex Leicester.

The most expensive book, or notebook, in the world is Codex Leicester by Leonardo Da Vinci. Even more, it was Bill Gates who purchased it at 30.8 million dollars for the reason that it’s one of his greatest sources of inspiration.

The Klencke Atlas is one of the biggest books.

The Klencke Atlas is one of the largest books on Earth. Moreover, The Klencke Atlas is a unique work without other copies, the book measures 1.75 meters tall, and 1.90 meters wide when it is open. Consequently, it is so heavy that almost 6 to 7 people need to carry the book.

The largest book in the world is 5 meters x 8.06 meters.

The largest book in the world according to the Guinness World Record is 5 meters x 8.06 meters (16.40 ft x 26.44 ft) and weighs about 1500 kg (3.306 lb) with 429 pages. Furthermore, the book was unveiled on February 27, 2012, by Mshahed International Group in Dubai, UAE with over 50 people who participated in the construction and it was entitled ‘This the Prophet Mohamed’. And finally, the main objective of the book is to provide a compilation of stories highlighting the lifetime achievements of Islam’s Prophet.

The world's longest audiobook is the 50 Lectures.

The world’s longest audiobook is the “50 Lectures” by Takaaki Yoshimoto (Japanese poet) which can play for about 5 days long. In conclusion, the audiobook has Mr. Yoshimoto’s lectures from the 1960s and ’70s.

The thickest published book has a width of 12.67 inches.

The thickest published book (Agatha Christie’s Miss Marple stories) has a width of 12.67 inches and was released on May 20, 2009, by HarperCollins in London, United Kingdom. As a result, the Miss Marple Stories took 4,032 pages and weighs 8.04 kg. For that reason, the book was listed in the Guinness Book of Record with a collection of 20 short stories and 12 mystery novels.

Victor Hugo wrote the longest sentence ever printed in the novel Les Miserables.

Victor Hugo wrote the longest sentence ever printed and most noteworthy, the novel Les Miserables has a total of 823 words in one sentence. Above all, Les Miserables became one of the greatest novels in the 19th century.

The Holy Bible continues to be the best selling, and the most read book in the world.

The Holy Bible is still the best selling, most read book out there. Even more, it is because the Gideons International is giving free bibles around the world to spread the Good News of Jesus Christ about the salvation of each individual.

The first book ever written in 1453 was the Gutenberg Bible.

The first book ever written in 1453 was the Gutenberg Bible. Hence, it was the printing press inventor, Johannes Gutenberg who printed it by using mass-produced movable metal type in Europe. Even more, it was known as the start of the “Gutenberg Revolution” and the age of printed books in the West.

The Adventures of Tom Sawyer is one of the first novels to be written on a typewriter.

This book was written in 1876 and was one of the first novels to be written on a typewriter. Mark Twain’s Adventures of Tom Sawyer is about a young boy growing up along the Mississippi River. The story of this book is probably one of the best adventure stories for kids and teens up to this day.

Bibliosima - the word for loving the smell of old books.

Bibliosima is the smell and aroma of a good, old book. It is best described as the smell of vanilla flowers and almonds. As a result, readers keep wanting to get a sniff of the old books.

The chemical reaction behind Bibliosima explained.

The smell is produced due to the breakdown of the two chemical components in the paper, the cellulose and the lignin. The byproducts of the chemical process produce that ‘book’ odor. As a result of this chemical process, toluene and ethylbenzene produce a sweet odor while vanillin produces a vanilla odor. In addition, benzaldehyde and furfural produce an almond odor while 2-ethyl hexanol produces a flowery odor.

Historical dating uses Bibliosima to determine the ages of books.

Historical dating uses Bibliosima similarly to carbon dating. Because of this, scientists can examine the chemicals produced to know the age of a book. The process is therefore called material degradomics.

The word ‘bookworm’ originated from insects who live in and eat the binding of books.

The word ‘bookworm’ originated from insects who live in and eat the binding of books. Likewise, the larvae of various types of insects inclusive of moths, cockroaches, and beetles may chew and devour the books literally. As a result, a person who loved to read books is idiomatically called a bookworm because they are ‘consuming’ books one after another.

The word "bestseller" for books was first used in Fools of Nature by Alice Brown in 1889.

The word “bestseller” for books was first used in Fools of Nature by Alice Brown in 1889. Furthermore, Alice Brown was an American novelist, poet, playwright, and best known as a writer of local color stories. Alice Brown was born on December 5, 1857,  and passed away on June 21, 1948, at the age of 91.

People from Iceland read more than anyone else.

People from Iceland read more than anyone else. A study conducted at Bifröst University observed that 50% of Icelanders read more than 8 books a year and 93% read at least one.

There is a tradition in Iceland where people exchange books as Christmas presents.

There is a tradition in Iceland where people exchange books as Christmas presents. Above all, they would spend the rest of the night reading it while eating chocolates.

Reading may relieve anxiety and stress by up to 68%.

Reading may relieve anxiety and stress based on a study by the University of Sussex by up to 68%. Furthermore, reading can even relax your body by lowering your heart rate and easing the tension in your muscles rather than just making a cup of tea or coffee during break time.

998 people in Sydney, Australia put their books above their heads at the same time to break the Guinness World Record.

There were 998 people in Sydney, Australia who put their books above their heads at the same time. Even more, it was placed in the Guinness World Record on 13 November 2012 under the organizer Danielle Di-Masi.

Remembrance of Things Past by Marcel Proust was the longest novel written.

Remembrance of Things Past by Marcel Proust was the longest novel written with an estimate of 9,609,000 characters. This piece of art made it in the Guinness Book of World Records for having 1.3 million words.

Hugh Beaver was the founder of the Guinness Book of Records.

Hugh Beaver managed Guinness Breweries in the 1950s went to a shooting party in County Wexford, where he missed his shot at a golden plover. In contrast, he argued it was the fastest game bird in Europe but consequently couldn’t find a reference book that proved it. That’s why Hugh Beaver created the Guinness Book of Records.

Alice in Wonderland was based on a real 10-year old girl named Alice Liddell.

The famous novel Alice in Wonderland is based on a real 10-year-old girl. Alice’s full name was Alice Liddell, and her family was close friends with author Lewis Carroll (Charles Lutwidge Dodgson). While on a boating trip, Alice asked Lewis to tell her a story. And finally, Alice in Wonderland was born on that day.

The Latin translation of the book Winnie the Pooh made it to the New York Times Bestseller.

The Latin translation of “Winnie the Pooh,” titled “Winnie Ille Pu,” was the only Latin book to have made the New York Times Bestseller List. For that reason, it has become the book of choice for high school students who are studying Latin.

The word “yahoo” originated from the book Gulliver’s Travels.

The word “yahoo” originated from the book Gulliver’s Travels by Jonathan Swift (an Irish author and satirist) which was published in 1726.

Stephen King has written a children’s book using an alias or pseudonym.

Stephen King has written a children’s book using an alias or pseudonym and reviewed it as himself. In contrast, the author Stephen King is much known to write horror, supernatural fiction, suspense, and fantasy novels.

The Head writer on Eureeka's Castle is also the author of Goosebumps.

The Head writer on Eureeka’s Castle show featuring lovable puppets of Nickelodeon is R.L. Stine. R.L. Stine was also the author of the Goosebumps, a series of children’s horror fiction novel books.

The world’s first novel is The Tale of Genji by Murasaki Shikibu.

The world’s first novel is The Tale of Genji by Murasaki Shikibu (Japanese novelist, poet, and lady-in-waiting at the Imperial court during the Heian period.) In the original edition, almost none of the characters had names and were only referred to by titles and honorifics because of Heian-era Japanese court etiquette.

Miguel Cervantes Saavedra is considered one of the best writers in the world.

The author Miguel Cervantes Saavedra is considered one of the best writers in the literature world, who wrote the famous novel Don Quixote. In contrast, The Tale of Genji is considered to be the world’s first full-length novel, while Don Quixote is considered the first modern novel. As a result, Don Quixote became the third most translated book in the world.

Charles Dickens used fake books as decoration for his library.

Charles Dickens, an English writer and social critic, owned a bookcase that works as a secret door in his house and it was filled with fake books bearing amusing names including The Art of Cutting Teeth, The Lives of a Cat which came in nine volumes, and Jonah’s Account of the Whale. He also used fake books as decoration for his library.

The first book to sell over 1 million copies was Uncle Tom’s Cabin.

Scarry’s “Millard Fillmore” states that “Uncle Tom’s Cabin” was the first American novel to sell 1 million copies.

Wernher Von Braun accidentally predicted the Mars Exploration through "Elon".

Wernher Von Braun wrote a non-fictional book called Project Mars in 1952. Interestingly, Wernher imagined a mission to Mars complete with the establishment of a Martian government ruled by a leader with the name of “Elon,” as well as taking over of the planet Mars. Similarly, Elon Musk is one of the leaders in Mars Exploration today.

Trish Vickers is a blind woman who wrote the book Grannifer's Legacy.

Trish Vickers is a blind woman who wrote the book Grannifer’s Legacy on a notepad with rubber bands wrapped around to indicate lines. Hence, it was Mrs. Vickers’ son that read chapters back to her for edits and work completion. Most noteworthy, Mrs. Vickers wrote the novel over 6 years and did not use a computer or Braille to write the novel.

If you publish a book in Norway, the government will buy 1000 copies.

If you publish a book in Norway and it passes quality control, the government will buy 1000 copies. Furthermore, the government will buy 1,500 if its a children’s book and distribute them to libraries throughout the country.

The preeminent bookstore branches in Norway are owned by the major publishing companies.

The preeminent bookstore branches in Norway are owned by the major publishing companies. Most noteworthy industry figures in the US, such as Andrew Wylie and Mike Shatzkin, have lately proposed that the big publishers in the US like Penguin Random House should join the bookselling game in Norway.

Tsundoku means “to let reading materials pile up in one’s home and never read them”.

First of all, if you bought a book but never read it, that would probably be a sign of your impulsiveness. However, for the Japanese, the Japanese word Tsundoku, which means “to let reading materials pile up in one’s home and never read them”, these books will look amazing when they frame it as ancient art.

The Powell's Bookstore in Oregon, Portland is the world's largest bookstore.

The Powell’s Bookstore in Oregon, Portland is the world’s largest bookstore. Above all, the mega bookstore has about 1.6 acres, (68,000 square feet) of retail floor space.

Most of the people in the United States are book readers.

Most of the people in the United States are book readers. According to a survey, 75% of the Americans read books and 65% of those people have read a physical, print book.

Ebooks and Audiobooks will probably be the future of reading.

The traditional physical books are still preferred by some but alternative books are getting more popular today such as Ebooks and Audiobooks. For that reason, most tech-savvy persons find these alternatives, more comfortable, non-bulky, and easier to use. Therefore, Ebooks and Audiobooks will probably be the future of reading.

People who read fiction books tend to be nicer.

According to a study by Kingston University in 2017, people who read fiction books tend to be nicer. Consequently, there is a relationship between reading fiction and real-world social abilities. Furthermore, people who read fiction are more open-minded and empathetic to others’ viewpoints. As a result, they would more likely to demonstrate positive social behavior.

There is a difference in the novel and the movie of Forrest Gump.

Winston Groom wrote the novel, Forrest Gump. The novel tells the story of Forrest Gump, a man with an IQ of 75 but has a clean heart that was similarly shown in the movie and the book. In contrast, there also difference in the movie and the book such as running for the United States Senate, playing in a chess tournament and finally, Forrest Gump goes into outer space.

The first printed books did not have the name of the author or even the title of the book on their covers.

The first printed books in the early times did not have the name of the author or even the title of the book on their covers. The covers were filled with artworks, covered in drawings, leather or even gold.

A monk found an old book of Archimedes and erased it.

In the 13th century, a monk found an old book by Archimedes (a Greek mathematician, physicist, engineer, inventor, and astronomer) all the way from the 10th century. Rather than exploring the purpose of the book, the monk erased the contents and wrote his prayers over it. Over time, scientists have determined that the monk erased a previously unknown book by Archimedes, that set the stage of Calculus thousands of years before Leibniz and Newton.

Ulysses S. Grant wrote a book of biographies and historical accounts for his wife so she could live with royalties.

While broke and dying, Ulysses S. Grant, an American soldier and politician who served as the 18th president of the United States, wrote a book of biographies and historical accounts for his wife so she could live with royalties. Mark Twain offered Grant a royalty of 75%. Consequently, Grant’s book was a commercial success, giving his wife about $450,000 in royalties.

Readers tend to live longer over non-readers.

According to a study published in Social Science and Medicine, readers tend to live longer. Moreover, reading books for at least 30 minutes to 1 hour a day can increase a person’s lifespan. Above all, researchers found that those who read books for half an hour or more per day had a “health advantage” over the non-readers. As a result, readers live almost two years longer on average.

The Library of Alexandria is considered the capital of learning and knowledge during the ancient period.

The Library of Alexandria, Egypt was one of the largest ancient libraries in the world. During ancient times, Alexandria is considered as the capital of learning and knowledge, certainly because of the Great Library and most well-known scholars worked at the Library during the third and second centuries BC.

Dorothy Elmhirst Straight is one of the youngest authors in the world.

Dorothy Elmhirst Straight is an American author. She started to write her first book, How the World Began, in 1962 at the age of 4 and made Dorothy among the youngest published authors in history.

John Steinbeck worked as a caretaker in Lake Tahoe and used his spare time to write his first novel.

John Steinbeck, an American author, decided to become a writer when he was 14 years old and began writing stories and poems in his bedroom. Furthermore, John Steinbeck started to work as a caretaker in Lake Tahoe and used his spare time to write his first novel titled Cup of Gold, which was published in 1929. Most noteworthy, John Steinbeck won multiple awards such as the Nobel Prize in Literature, National Book Award for Fiction, Pulitzer Prize for Fiction, and Presidential Medal Freedom.

The novelist John Green is actually a YouTuber.

John Green is a YouTube content creator and an author who won the 2006 Printz Award for his debut novel, “Looking for Alaska”. John Green is working with his brother Hank Green and launched the VlogBrothers channel on YouTube. He’s net worth estimate is $17 million dollars.

The Great Gatsby Novel only sold 25,000 copies during Fitzgerald's lifetime.

The Great Gatsby is a 1925 novel written by American author F. Scott Fitzgerald. During Fitzgerald’s lifetime, The Great Gatsby sold no more than 25,000 copies. However, The Great Gatsby has sold over 25 million copies today due to its popularity. The Great Gatsby is the story of eccentric millionaire Jay Gatsby – a Midwesterner who lives on Long Island.

S. E. Hinton started writing at the age of 15.

S. E. Hinton is an American novelist and became famous for her novel, The Outsiders, which she wrote during junior high school. However, the novel faced controversies due to its portrayal of gang violence, underage smoking and drinking, strong language/slang, and family dysfunction. Consequently, this book was banned in some schools and libraries.

Harper Lee was an American novelist to the best-known novel "To Kill a Mockingbird".

Nelle Harper Lee was an American novelist best known for her 1960 novel, To Kill a Mockingbird. Moreover, the novel is notable for its warmth and humor, despite dealing with the serious issues of rape and racial inequality. Most noteworthy, the story takes place during the 3 years of the Great Depression in the fictional “tired old town” of Maycomb, Alabama. It focuses on six-year-old Scout Finch, who lives with her older brother, Jem, and their widowed father called Atticus.