BookRank

Best of the year

Best books of 1995

46 highest-rated books first published in 1995.

← 19941996 →

Why The Demon-Haunted World is #1

The Demon-Haunted World (Carl Sagan) scores 8.4/10 from 88 ratings — level with A Fine Balance at one decimal, and ahead on the exact score.

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. The Demon-Haunted World
    The Demon-Haunted WorldCarl Sagan · 1995 Popular science88 ratings
    8.48.4 / 10
  2. A Fine Balance
    A Fine BalanceRohinton Mistry · 1995 Historical fiction173 ratings
    8.48.4 / 10
  3. The Diamond Age
    The Diamond AgeNeal Stephenson · 1995 Science fiction759 ratings
    8.38.3 / 10
  4. Assassin's Apprentice
    Assassin's ApprenticeRobin Hobb · 1995 Fantasy1.6K ratings
    8.38.3 / 10
  5. Dead Man's Walk
    Dead Man's WalkLarry McMurtry · 199571 ratings
    8.28.2 / 10
  6. The Lions of Al-Rassan
    The Lions of Al-RassanGuy Gavriel Kay · 1995 Fantasy174 ratings
    8.28.2 / 10
  7. Sabriel
    SabrielGarth Nix · 1995 Fantasy753 ratings
    8.28.2 / 10
  8. Bloodchild and Other Stories
    Bloodchild and Other StoriesOctavia E. Butler · 1995 Science fiction196 ratings
    8.28.2 / 10
  9. The Winter King
    The Winter KingBernard Cornwell · 1995 Historical fiction205 ratings
    8.18.1 / 10
  10. An Anthropologist on Mars
    An Anthropologist on MarsOliver Sacks · 1995 Psychology50 ratings
    8.18.1 / 10
  11. Dreams from My Father
    Dreams from My FatherBarack Obama · 1995 Biography & memoir195 ratings
    8.08.0 / 10
  12. Crown of Shadows
    Crown of ShadowsCelia S. Friedman · 1995 Fantasy76 ratings
    8.08.0 / 10
  13. Mindhunter
    MindhunterJohn E. Douglas · 1995 Psychology217 ratings
    8.08.0 / 10
  14. Maskerade
    MaskeradeTerry Pratchett · 1995 Fantasy450 ratings
    8.08.0 / 10
  15. Wayside School Gets a Little Stranger
    Wayside School Gets a Little StrangerLouis Sachar · 1995 Humour71 ratings
    8.08.0 / 10
  16. The Last Coyote
    The Last CoyoteMichael Connelly · 1995 Crime & mystery186 ratings
    8.08.0 / 10
  17. Rise of a Merchant Prince
    Rise of a Merchant PrinceRaymond E. Feist · 1995 Fantasy141 ratings
    7.97.9 / 10
  18. Time of Contempt
    Time of ContemptAndrzej Sapkowski · 1995 Fantasy53 ratings
    7.97.9 / 10
  19. Axiomatic
    AxiomaticGreg Egan · 1995 Science fiction76 ratings
    7.97.9 / 10
  20. Northern Lights
    Northern LightsPhilip Pullman · 1995Filmed 2007 Fantasy228 ratings
    7.97.9 / 10
  21. Stone of Tears
    Stone of TearsTerry Goodkind · 1995 Fantasy406 ratings
    7.97.9 / 10
  22. Dragons of Summer Flame
    Dragons of Summer FlameMargaret Weis · 1995 Fantasy86 ratings
    7.97.9 / 10
  23. Industrial Society and Its Future
    Industrial Society and Its FutureTed Kaczynski · 1995 Technology & IT58 ratings
    7.87.8 / 10
  24. Belgarath the Sorcerer
    Belgarath the SorcererLeigh Eddings · 1995 Fantasy233 ratings
    7.87.8 / 10
  25. The Nano Flower
    The Nano FlowerPeter F. Hamilton · 1995 Science fiction62 ratings
    7.87.8 / 10
  26. Circus of the Damned
    Circus of the DamnedLaurell K. Hamilton · 1995 Fantasy153 ratings
    7.87.8 / 10
  27. Outcast of Redwall
    Outcast of RedwallBrian Jacques · 1995 Fantasy84 ratings
    7.87.8 / 10
  28. High Fidelity
    High FidelityNick Hornby · 1995 Romance491 ratings
    7.77.7 / 10
  29. American Tabloid
    American TabloidJames Ellroy · 1995 Crime & mystery65 ratings
    7.77.7 / 10
  30. Notes from a Small Island
    Notes from a Small IslandBill Bryson · 1995NYT bestseller225 ratings
    7.77.7 / 10
  31. From Potter's Field
    From Potter's FieldPatricia Cornwell · 1995 Crime & mystery72 ratings
    7.77.7 / 10
  32. The Rainmaker
    The RainmakerJohn Grisham · 1995Filmed 1997 Thriller235 ratings
    7.67.6 / 10
  33. Kiss the Girls
    Kiss the GirlsJames Patterson · 1995Filmed 1998 Thriller235 ratings
    7.67.6 / 10
  34. Brightness Reef
    Brightness ReefDavid Brin · 1995 Science fiction74 ratings
    7.67.6 / 10
  35. Bloodsucking Fiends
    Bloodsucking FiendsChristopher Moore · 1995 Romance158 ratings
    7.67.6 / 10
  36. Deal Breaker
    Deal BreakerHarlan Coben · 1995 Crime & mystery143 ratings
    7.67.6 / 10
  37. Alvin Journeyman
    Alvin JourneymanOrson Scott Card · 1995 Fantasy80 ratings
    7.67.6 / 10
  38. The Mermaids Singing
    The Mermaids SingingVal McDermid · 1995 Crime & mystery56 ratings
    7.67.6 / 10
  39. The Lost World
    The Lost WorldMichael Crichton · 1995Filmed 1997 Science fiction727 ratings
    7.57.5 / 10
  40. Spiral
    SpiralKōji Suzuki · 1995 Thriller64 ratings
    7.57.5 / 10
  41. Earthfall
    EarthfallOrson Scott Card · 1995 Science fiction58 ratings
    7.57.5 / 10
  42. Earthborn
    EarthbornOrson Scott Card · 1995 Science fiction62 ratings
    7.57.5 / 10
  43. Intensity
    IntensityDean Koontz · 1995 Horror153 ratings
    7.47.4 / 10
  44. Memnoch the Devil
    Memnoch the DevilAnne Rice · 1995 Horror208 ratings
    7.37.3 / 10
  45. Rose Madder
    Rose MadderStephen King · 1995 Horror255 ratings
    7.37.3 / 10
  46. Left Behind
    Left BehindTim LaHaye · 1995 Fantasy201 ratings
    7.17.1 / 10

Other years