Portal:Influential Books

Books that Changed the World

Religious

• Bible

  The sacred text of the world's largest religion: Christianity

• Qur'an

  The sacred text of the second largest religion: Islam

• Vedas (Śruti)

  The sacred text of the third largest religion: Hinduism

Scientific

• Philosophiae Naturalis Principia Mathematica by Isaac Newton

  Contains the statement of Newton's laws of motion, which form the foundation of classical mechanics. In formulating his physical theories, Newton developed a field of mathematics known as calculus.

• The Origin of Species by Charles Darwin

  One of the pivotal works in scientific history and arguably the pre-eminent work in biology.

• Relativity: The Special and General Theory by Albert Einstein

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Political

• Magna Carta

  Magna Carta was the most significant early influence on the long historical process that led to the rule of constitutional law today. Magna Carta influenced many common law documents, such as the United States Constitution and Bill of Rights, and is considered one of the most important legal documents in the history of democracy.

• Manifesto of the Communist Party by Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels

  Laid out the Communist League's purposes and program. It also suggested a course of action for a proletarian (working class) revolution to overthrow the bourgeoisie (ruling upper class) and to eventually bring about a classless society.

Philosophical

• The Republic by Plato

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• The Analects by Confucius

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• Critique of Pure Reason by Immanuel Kant

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• Organon by Aristotle

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Literary

• Divine Comedy by Dante

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• First Folio by William Shakespeare

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