BookRank

Best of the year

Best books of 1951

11 highest-rated books first published in 1951.

← 19381952 →

Why Foundation is #1

Foundation (Isaac Asimov) scores 8.2/10 from 2.9K ratings — 0.3 points ahead of The Wisdom of Insecurity in second place.

The score is a weighted average across 3 independent rating sources. A title with few ratings is pulled toward the category average, so a handful of enthusiastic reviews cannot outrank a book that thousands of readers have judged. Method →

  1. Foundation
    FoundationIsaac Asimov · 1951 Science fiction2.9K ratings
    8.28.2 / 10
  2. The Wisdom of Insecurity
    The Wisdom of InsecurityAlan Watts · 1951 Philosophy109 ratings
    7.97.9 / 10
  3. The Illustrated Man
    The Illustrated ManRay Bradbury · 1951Filmed 1969 Science fiction411 ratings
    7.97.9 / 10
  4. The Day of the Triffids
    The Day of the TriffidsJohn Wyndham · 1951Filmed 1962 Science fiction463 ratings
    7.87.8 / 10
  5. My Cousin Rachel
    My Cousin RachelDaphne du Maurier · 1951 Romance118 ratings
    7.87.8 / 10
  6. Red Planet
    Red PlanetRobert A. Heinlein · 1951 Science fiction52 ratings
    7.67.6 / 10
  7. The Daughter of Time
    The Daughter of TimeJosephine Tey · 1951 Crime & mystery107 ratings
    7.67.6 / 10
  8. They Came to Baghdad
    They Came to BaghdadAgatha Christie · 1951 Crime & mystery60 ratings
    7.67.6 / 10
  9. Prince Caspian
    Prince CaspianC. S. Lewis · 1951 Fantasy1.1K ratings
    7.57.5 / 10
  10. The Stars, Like Dust
    The Stars, Like DustIsaac Asimov · 1951 Science fiction245 ratings
    7.27.2 / 10
  11. The Catcher in the Rye
    The Catcher in the RyeJ. D. Salinger · 1951 Classics4.3K ratings
    7.27.2 / 10

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