4.05 avg rating — 94,786 ratings

"Eye-opening history. Marvelously written. "

4.34 avg rating — 113,645 ratings

"This is definitely a niche history book about cancer--but it fits the "as literature" definition because it is so wonderfully written. History is as much about the struggle to make the world a better place as it is about war and singular events. "

4.22 avg rating — 147,513 ratings

"Disturbing. Certain passages years later haunt me. But as literature, this book will stand the test of time."

4.10 avg rating — 6,078 ratings

"Plutarch's biographies are the basis for so many of Shakespeare's plays (Coriolanus, Antony & Cleopatra, Julius Caesar, etc) that this book helped INVENT english literature. As well as being invaluable histories in their own right, they have also been the inspiration for generations of famous figures, particularly in the late 18th century, being read repeatedly by figures such as John Adams, Napoleon Bonaparte, etc. And it really stands out as one of the most powerful books ever written. "

4.28 avg rating — 199,280 ratings

"I voted for this book as much for the way that it was written as anything else. The work is crafted so that the assassination of Lincoln feels as if you are losing a family-member. It builds and builds and then it has you. "

4.04 avg rating — 454,545 ratings

"Refreshing new take on history. And it's wonderfully written. "