I put aside the two religious text (taking the liberty of calling Maoism a religion), and for which I am sure books printed and sold does not equate to read. Think of all the Bibles distributed to hotel/motel rooms, distributed by missionaries and other evangelicals to people with no interest, etc. The same with the mass distribution of 'The Little Red Book.'

I did at one point sit down and read The Bible, Old Testament and New Testament, just because I feel anyone who wants to understand western civilization must do so. I must warn there are parts of the Old Testament that should only be attempted early in the day and after several cups of caffeinated coffee.

I have never read the Quotations From Chairman Mao Tse-Tung, something I would have to do for an English translation, but sure wish I had an original version for its historical significance. In the 1980's I worked with a very skilled CAD draftsman (he had originally been and engineer in China) who had fled to the US during the Cultural Revolution. The subject pf “The Little Red Book' came up, while in China he had a copy and was expected to read it daily, and I asked if he still had a copy. He said that no he never thought about bringing that with him out of China.


The rest of the list is believable both in the ranking of books sold and in actually being read. That ranking sure does not mean top in literary merit.