BookRank

Best of the year

Best books of 1965

12 highest-rated books first published in 1965.

← 19641966 →

Why Dune is #1

Dune (Frank Herbert) scores 8.8/10 from 6.7K ratings — 0.2 points ahead of Stoner 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. Dune
    DuneFrank Herbert · 1965NYT bestsellerFilmed 2021 Science fiction6.7K ratings
    8.88.8 / 10
  2. Stoner
    StonerJohn Williams · 1965 Classics944 ratings
    8.68.6 / 10
  3. The Black Cauldron
    The Black CauldronLloyd Alexander · 1965 Fantasy173 ratings
    8.18.1 / 10
  4. Ariel
    ArielSylvia Plath · 1965 Poetry141 ratings
    8.08.0 / 10
  5. Fox in Socks
    Fox in SocksDr. Seuss · 1965 Children’s books103 ratings
    7.97.9 / 10
  6. The Magus
    The MagusJohn Fowles · 1965 Fantasy137 ratings
    7.97.9 / 10
  7. The Mouse and the Motorcycle
    The Mouse and the MotorcycleBeverly Cleary · 1965 Middle grade150 ratings
    7.97.9 / 10
  8. God Bless You, Mr. Rosewater
    God Bless You, Mr. RosewaterKurt Vonnegut · 1965 Classics239 ratings
    7.87.8 / 10
  9. The Three Stigmata of Palmer Eldritch
    The Three Stigmata of Palmer EldritchPhilip K. Dick · 1965 Science fiction250 ratings
    7.77.7 / 10
  10. Over Sea, Under Stone
    Over Sea, Under StoneSusan Cooper · 1965 Fantasy187 ratings
    7.57.5 / 10
  11. The Man with the Golden Gun
    The Man with the Golden GunIan Fleming · 1965 Crime & mystery56 ratings
    7.47.4 / 10
  12. At Bertram's Hotel
    At Bertram's HotelAgatha Christie · 1965 Crime & mystery121 ratings
    7.37.3 / 10

Other years