Publishers Weekly List Of Bestselling Novels In The United States In The 1890s
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This is a list of bestselling novels in the United States from 1895 through 1899, as determined by '' The Bookman'', a New York–based literary journal. Without the international copyright law which came into force in 1891, these volumes could have been printed and published by anyone, the change in this state of affairs made it possible to compile accurate sales figures.''70 Years of Best Sellers: 1895–1965'', A. P. Hackett. Page 91. Notable attempts to compile a list of best-selling books in the United States prior to 1895 include ''The Popular Book: A History of America's Literary Taste'' (1950) by
James D. Hart James David Hart, (April 18, 1911 – 23 July 1990) was an American literary scholar and professor at University of California, Berkeley for fifty-four years. He is most notable for writing ''The Oxford Companion to American Literature'' and '' ...
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1895

# ''
Beside the Bonnie Brier Bush ''Beside the Bonnie Brier Bush'' is a book of short stories by Ian Maclaren published in 1894. It became a hugely popular bestseller. It is considered to be part of the Kailyard School of Scottish literature. A kailyard or kailyaird ( kale) is c ...
'' by
Ian Maclaren John Watson (3 November 1850 – 6 May 1907), was a minister of the Free Church of Scotland. He is remembered as an author of fiction, known by his pen name Ian Maclaren. Life The son of John Watson, a civil servant, he was born in Manningtre ...
# ''
Trilby A trilby is a narrow-brimmed type of hat. The trilby was once viewed as the rich man's favored hat; it is sometimes called the "brown trilby" in Britain Roetzel, Bernhard (1999). ''Gentleman's Guide to Grooming and Style''. Barnes & Noble. and ...
'' by
George du Maurier George Louis Palmella Busson du Maurier (6 March 1834 – 8 October 1896) was a Franco-British cartoonist and writer known for work in ''Punch'' and a Gothic novel ''Trilby'', featuring the character Svengali. His son was the actor Sir Gerald d ...
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The Adventures of Captain Horn ''The Adventures of Captain Horn'' is an 1895 adventure novel by Frank R. Stockton that was the third-best selling book in the United States in 1895.Alice Payne HackettSeventy Years of Best Sellers 1895-1965 p. 91 (1967)Zipes, JackWhen Dreams Came ...
'' by
Frank R. Stockton Frank Richard Stockton (April 5, 1834 – April 20, 1902) was an American writer and humorist, best known today for a series of innovative children's fairy tales that were widely popular during the last decades of the 19th century. Life Born i ...
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The Manxman ''The Manxman'' is a 1929 British silent romance film directed by Alfred Hitchcock and starring Anny Ondra, Carl Brisson and Malcolm Keen. The film is based on a popular 1894 romantic novel '' The Manxman'' by Hall Caine, which had previousl ...
'' by
Hall Caine Sir Thomas Henry Hall Caine (14 May 1853 – 31 August 1931), usually known as Hall Caine, was a British novelist, dramatist, short story writer, poet and critic of the late nineteenth and early twentieth century. Caine's popularity during ...
# '' The Princess Aline'' by
Richard Harding Davis Richard Harding Davis (April 18, 1864 – April 11, 1916) was an American journalist and writer of fiction and drama, known foremost as the first American war correspondent to cover the Spanish–American War, the Second Boer War, and the First ...
# ''
The Days of Auld Lang Syne ''The'' () is a grammatical article in English, denoting persons or things already mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite article in English. ''The'' is the m ...
'' by
Ian Maclaren John Watson (3 November 1850 – 6 May 1907), was a minister of the Free Church of Scotland. He is remembered as an author of fiction, known by his pen name Ian Maclaren. Life The son of John Watson, a civil servant, he was born in Manningtre ...
# '' The Master'' by
Israel Zangwill Israel Zangwill (21 January 18641 August 1926) was a British author at the forefront of cultural Zionism during the 19th century, and was a close associate of Theodor Herzl. He later rejected the search for a Jewish homeland in Palestine and be ...
'' # ''
The Prisoner of Zenda ''The Prisoner of Zenda'' is an 1894 adventure novel by Anthony Hope, in which the King of Ruritania is drugged on the eve of his coronation and thus is unable to attend the ceremony. Political forces within the realm are such that, in order ...
'' by
Anthony Hope Sir Anthony Hope Hawkins, better known as Anthony Hope (9 February 1863 – 8 July 1933), was a British novelist and playwright. He was a prolific writer, especially of adventure novels but he is remembered predominantly for only two books: ''Th ...
# '' Degeneration'' by
Max Nordau Max Simon Nordau (born ''Simon Maximilian Südfeld''; 29 July 1849 – 23 January 1923) was a Zionist leader, physician, author, and social critic. He was a co-founder of the Zionist Organization together with Theodor Herzl, and president or vice ...
# '' My Lady Nobody'' by
Maarten Maartens Maarten Maartens, pen name of ''Jozua Marius Willem van der Poorten Schwartz'' (15 August 1858 in Amsterdam – 3 August 1915 in Doorn), was a Dutch writer, who wrote in English. He was quite well known at the end of the nineteenth and the beg ...


1896

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Tom Grogan ''Tom Grogan'' is a novel published in 1896 by Francis Hopkinson Smith. It was the bestselling book in the United States in 1896 according to ''Publishers Weekly''. The novel was adapted into a play in 1896. An art print of the book cover is held ...
'' by
Francis Hopkinson Smith Francis Hopkinson Smith (October 23, 1838 – April 7, 1915) was an American author, artist and engineer. He built the foundation for the Statue of Liberty, wrote many stories and received awards for his paintings. F. Hopkinson Smith was the ...
# ''
A Lady of Quality ''A Lady of Quality'' is a novel published in 1896 by Frances Hodgson Burnett that was the second highest best-selling book in the United States in 1896.Alice Payne HackettSeventy Years of Best Sellers 1895-1965 p. 92 (1967) (the lists for 1895 ...
'' by
Frances Hodgson Burnett Frances Eliza Hodgson Burnett (24 November 1849 – 29 October 1924) was a British-American novelist and playwright. She is best known for the three children's novels ''Little Lord Fauntleroy'' (published in 1885–1886), '' A Little  ...
# ''
The Seats of the Mighty ''The Seats of the Mighty'' is a novel published in 1896 by Gilbert Parker. It was first published in serial form in ''The Atlantic'' starting in March 1895, and released in book form in 1896. It was the third highest best-selling book in the U ...
'' by
Gilbert Parker Sir Horatio Gilbert George Parker, 1st Baronet (23 November 1862 – 6 September 1932), known as Gilbert Parker, Canadian novelist and British politician, was born at Camden East, Addington, Ontario, the son of Captain Joseph Parker, R.A. Ed ...
# '' A Singular Life'' by
Elizabeth Stuart Phelps Ward Elizabeth Stuart Phelps Ward (August 31, 1844January 28, 1911) was an early feminist American author and intellectual who challenged traditional Christian beliefs of the afterlife, challenged women's traditional roles in marriage and family, an ...
# ''
The Damnation of Theron Ware ''The Damnation of Theron Ware'' (first published in England as ''Illumination'') is an 1896 novel by American author Harold Frederic. Set in upstate New York, the novel presents a portrait of 19th-century provincial United States, the religious ...
'' by
Harold Frederic Harold Frederic (August 19, 1856 – October 19, 1898) was an American journalist and novelist. His works include '' In the Valley'' (1890), ''The Damnation of Theron Ware'' (1896), and '' The Market Place'' (1899). Life and career Harold Henry ...
# '' A House-Boat on the Styx'' by
John Kendrick Bangs John Kendrick Bangs (May 27, 1862 – January 21, 1922) was an American author, humorist, editor and satirist. Biography He was born in Yonkers, New York. His father Francis N. Bangs was a lawyer in New York City, as was his brother, Francis S. ...
# '' Kate Carnegie'' by
Ian Maclaren John Watson (3 November 1850 – 6 May 1907), was a minister of the Free Church of Scotland. He is remembered as an author of fiction, known by his pen name Ian Maclaren. Life The son of John Watson, a civil servant, he was born in Manningtre ...
# ''
The Red Badge of Courage ''The Red Badge of Courage'' is a war novel by American author Stephen Crane (1871–1900). Taking place during the American Civil War, the story is about a young private of the Union Army, Henry Fleming, who flees from the field of battle. Ove ...
'' by
Stephen Crane Stephen Crane (November 1, 1871 – June 5, 1900) was an American poet, novelist, and short story writer. Prolific throughout his short life, he wrote notable works in the Realist tradition as well as early examples of American Naturalism an ...
# ''
Sentimental Tommy ''Sentimental Tommy'' is a 1921 American silent drama film directed by John S. Robertson. It featured Mary Astor in one of her earliest roles, although her scenes were deleted before release. The story is based on James M. Barrie's novel. Th ...
'' by
J. M. Barrie Sir James Matthew Barrie, 1st Baronet, (; 9 May 1860 19 June 1937) was a Scottish novelist and playwright, best remembered as the creator of Peter Pan. He was born and educated in Scotland and then moved to London, where he wrote several succe ...
# ''
Beside the Bonnie Brier Bush ''Beside the Bonnie Brier Bush'' is a book of short stories by Ian Maclaren published in 1894. It became a hugely popular bestseller. It is considered to be part of the Kailyard School of Scottish literature. A kailyard or kailyaird ( kale) is c ...
'' by
Ian Maclaren John Watson (3 November 1850 – 6 May 1907), was a minister of the Free Church of Scotland. He is remembered as an author of fiction, known by his pen name Ian Maclaren. Life The son of John Watson, a civil servant, he was born in Manningtre ...


1897

# ''
Quo Vadis ''Quō vādis?'' (, ) is a Latin phrase meaning "Where are you marching?". It is also commonly translated as "Where are you going?" or, poetically, "Whither goest thou?" The phrase originates from the Christian tradition regarding Saint Pete ...
'' by
Henryk Sienkiewicz Henryk Adam Aleksander Pius Sienkiewicz ( , ; 5 May 1846 – 15 November 1916), also known by the pseudonym Litwos (), was a Polish writer, novelist, journalist and Nobel Prize laureate. He is best remembered for his historical novels, especi ...
# '' The Choir Invisible'' by James Lane Allen # '' Soldiers of Fortune'' by
Richard Harding Davis Richard Harding Davis (April 18, 1864 – April 11, 1916) was an American journalist and writer of fiction and drama, known foremost as the first American war correspondent to cover the Spanish–American War, the Second Boer War, and the First ...
# ''
On the Face of the Waters ''On the Face of the Waters'' is a novel by English author Flora Annie Steel. It was first published in 1897 when it was hailed by critics as one of the best novels dealing with the Indian Rebellion of 1857 The Indian Rebellion of 1857 ...
'' by
Flora Annie Steel Flora Annie Steel (2 April 1847 – 12 April 1929) was a writer who lived in British India for 22 years. She was noted especially for books set in the Indian sub-continent or connected with it. Her novel ''On the Face of the Waters'' (1896) desc ...
# '' Phroso'' by
Anthony Hope Sir Anthony Hope Hawkins, better known as Anthony Hope (9 February 1863 – 8 July 1933), was a British novelist and playwright. He was a prolific writer, especially of adventure novels but he is remembered predominantly for only two books: ''Th ...
# '' The Christian'' by
Hall Caine Sir Thomas Henry Hall Caine (14 May 1853 – 31 August 1931), usually known as Hall Caine, was a British novelist, dramatist, short story writer, poet and critic of the late nineteenth and early twentieth century. Caine's popularity during ...
# ''
Margaret Ogilvy ''Margaret Ogilvy: Life Is a Long Lesson in Humility'' is a biographical book written in the late 19th century by J. M. Barrie, about his mother and family life in Scotland. According to '' The Bookman'', it was the 7th bestselling book of 1897 in ...
'' by
J. M. Barrie Sir James Matthew Barrie, 1st Baronet, (; 9 May 1860 19 June 1937) was a Scottish novelist and playwright, best remembered as the creator of Peter Pan. He was born and educated in Scotland and then moved to London, where he wrote several succe ...
# ''
Sentimental Tommy ''Sentimental Tommy'' is a 1921 American silent drama film directed by John S. Robertson. It featured Mary Astor in one of her earliest roles, although her scenes were deleted before release. The story is based on James M. Barrie's novel. Th ...
'' by
J. M. Barrie Sir James Matthew Barrie, 1st Baronet, (; 9 May 1860 19 June 1937) was a Scottish novelist and playwright, best remembered as the creator of Peter Pan. He was born and educated in Scotland and then moved to London, where he wrote several succe ...
# ''
Pursuit of the House-Boat ''The Pursuit of the House-Boat'' is an 1897 novel by John Kendrick Bangs, and the second one to feature his Associated Shades take on the afterlife. The original full title was ''The Pursuit of the House-Boat: Being Some Further Account of the ...
'' by
John Kendrick Bangs John Kendrick Bangs (May 27, 1862 – January 21, 1922) was an American author, humorist, editor and satirist. Biography He was born in Yonkers, New York. His father Francis N. Bangs was a lawyer in New York City, as was his brother, Francis S. ...
# '' The Honorable Peter Stirling'' by
Paul Leicester Ford Paul Leicester Ford (March 23, 1865 – May 8, 1902) was an American novelist and biographer, born in Brooklyn, the son of Gordon Lester Ford and Emily Fowler Ford (a granddaughter of Noah Webster and lifelong friend of Emily Dickinson). Life and ...


1898

# '' Caleb West'' by
Francis Hopkinson Smith Francis Hopkinson Smith (October 23, 1838 – April 7, 1915) was an American author, artist and engineer. He built the foundation for the Statue of Liberty, wrote many stories and received awards for his paintings. F. Hopkinson Smith was the ...
# '' Hugh Wynne'' by Silas Weir Mitchell # '' Penelope's Progress'' by
Kate Douglas Wiggin Kate Douglas Wiggin (September 28, 1856August 24, 1923) was an American educator, author and composer. She wrote children's stories, most notably the classic children's novel ''Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm,'' and composed collections of children's ...
# '' Helbeck of Bannisdale'' by
Mary Augusta Ward Mary Augusta Ward (''née'' Arnold; 11 June 1851 – 24 March 1920) was a British literature, British novelist who wrote under her married name as Mrs Humphry Ward. She worked to improve education for the poor and she became the founding Pres ...
# ''
Quo Vadis ''Quō vādis?'' (, ) is a Latin phrase meaning "Where are you marching?". It is also commonly translated as "Where are you going?" or, poetically, "Whither goest thou?" The phrase originates from the Christian tradition regarding Saint Pete ...
'' by
Henryk Sienkiewicz Henryk Adam Aleksander Pius Sienkiewicz ( , ; 5 May 1846 – 15 November 1916), also known by the pseudonym Litwos (), was a Polish writer, novelist, journalist and Nobel Prize laureate. He is best remembered for his historical novels, especi ...
# ''
The Pride of Jennico ''The Pride of Jennico'' is a four-act play based on the book by the same name from Agnes Castle and Egerton Castle published in 1897 by the Macmillan Company. The setting is the mid-1700s and the plot revolves around Captain Basil Jennico, a ...
'' by Agnes and
Egerton Castle __NOTOC__ Egerton Castle M.A., F.S.A. (12 March 1858 – 16 September 1920) was an author, antiquarian, and swordsman, and an early practitioner of reconstructed historical fencing, frequently in collaboration with his colleague Captain Alfred ...
# ''
The Day's Work ''The Day's Work'' is a collection of short stories by Rudyard Kipling. It was first published in 1898. There are no poems included between the different stories in ''The Day's Work'', as there are in many other of Kipling's collections. Conte ...
'' by
Rudyard Kipling Joseph Rudyard Kipling ( ; 30 December 1865 – 18 January 1936)''The Times'', (London) 18 January 1936, p. 12. was an English novelist, short-story writer, poet, and journalist. He was born in British India, which inspired much of his work. ...
# ''
Shrewsbury Shrewsbury ( , also ) is a market town, civil parish, and the county town of Shropshire, England, on the River Severn, north-west of London; at the 2021 census, it had a population of 76,782. The town's name can be pronounced as either 'Sh ...
'' by Stanley J. Weyman # '' Simon Dale'' by
Anthony Hope Sir Anthony Hope Hawkins, better known as Anthony Hope (9 February 1863 – 8 July 1933), was a British novelist and playwright. He was a prolific writer, especially of adventure novels but he is remembered predominantly for only two books: ''Th ...
# (tie) '' The Adventures of François'' by Silas Weir Mitchell and ''
The Battle of the Strong ''The Battle of the Strong'' is an 1898 novel by Gilbert Parker. It was first published in serial format in ''The Atlantic Monthly'' starting in January 1898,
'' by
Gilbert Parker Sir Horatio Gilbert George Parker, 1st Baronet (23 November 1862 – 6 September 1932), known as Gilbert Parker, Canadian novelist and British politician, was born at Camden East, Addington, Ontario, the son of Captain Joseph Parker, R.A. Ed ...


1899

# ''
David Harum ''David Harum; A Story of American Life'' is a best-selling novel of 1898 by Edward Noyes Westcott, whose principal legacy is the colloquial use of the term ''horse trading''. Literary significance and criticism Written by retired Syracuse, N ...
'' by
Edward Noyes Westcott Edward Noyes Westcott (September 27, 1846 – March 31, 1898) was an American banker and author, best known as the author of ''David Harum''. Biography Edward Noyes Westcott was born on September 27, 1846, in Syracuse, New York. His father wa ...
# '' When Knighthood Was in Flower'' by Charles Major # ''
Richard Carvel ''Richard Carvel'' is a historical novel by the American novelist Winston Churchill. It was first published in 1899 and was exceptionally successful, selling around two million copies and making the author a rich man. The novel takes the form of th ...
'' by
Winston Churchill Sir Winston Leonard Spencer Churchill (30 November 187424 January 1965) was a British statesman, soldier, and writer who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom twice, from 1940 to 1945 Winston Churchill in the Second World War, dur ...
# ''
The Day's Work ''The Day's Work'' is a collection of short stories by Rudyard Kipling. It was first published in 1898. There are no poems included between the different stories in ''The Day's Work'', as there are in many other of Kipling's collections. Conte ...
'' by
Rudyard Kipling Joseph Rudyard Kipling ( ; 30 December 1865 – 18 January 1936)''The Times'', (London) 18 January 1936, p. 12. was an English novelist, short-story writer, poet, and journalist. He was born in British India, which inspired much of his work. ...
# '' Red Rock'' by
Thomas Nelson Page Thomas Nelson Page (April 23, 1853 – November 1, 1922) was an American lawyer, politician, and writer. He served as the U.S. ambassador to Italy from 1913 to 1919 under the administration of President Woodrow Wilson during World War I. In his ...
# ''
Aylwin Patricio Aylwin Azócar (; 26 November 1918 – 19 April 2016) was a Chilean politician from the Christian Democratic Party, lawyer, author, professor and former senator. He was the first president of Chile after dictator Augusto Pinochet, a ...
'' by
Theodore Watts-Dunton Theodore Watts-Dunton (12 October 1832 – 6 June 1914), from St Ives, Huntingdonshire, was an English poetry critic with major periodicals, and himself a poet. He is remembered particularly as the friend and minder of Algernon Charles Swinbu ...
# ''
Janice Meredith ''Janice Meredith'', also known as ''The Beautiful Rebel'', is a silent film starring Marion Davies, released in 1924 and based on the book and play of the same name written by Paul Leicester Ford and Edward Everett Rose. The play opened at the ...
'' by
Paul Leicester Ford Paul Leicester Ford (March 23, 1865 – May 8, 1902) was an American novelist and biographer, born in Brooklyn, the son of Gordon Lester Ford and Emily Fowler Ford (a granddaughter of Noah Webster and lifelong friend of Emily Dickinson). Life and ...
# '' Mr. Dooley in Peace and War'' by
Finley Peter Dunne Finley Peter Dunne (born Peter Dunne; July 10, 1867 – April 24, 1936) was an American humorist, journalist and writer from Chicago. In 1898 Dunne published ''Mr. Dooley in Peace and in War'', a collection of his nationally syndicated Mr. Dooley ...
# '' No. 5 John Street'' by
Richard Whiteing Richard Whiteing (27 July 1840 – 29 June 1928) was an English author and journalist. Biography Richard Whiteing was born in London the son of Mary Lander and William Whiteing, a civil servant employed as an Inland Revenue Officer. His mothe ...
# '' The Market Place'' by
Harold Frederic Harold Frederic (August 19, 1856 – October 19, 1898) was an American journalist and novelist. His works include '' In the Valley'' (1890), ''The Damnation of Theron Ware'' (1896), and '' The Market Place'' (1899). Life and career Harold Henry ...


References

{{Bestselling novels Lists of bestselling novels in the United States 1890s in the United States
Novels A novel is a relatively long work of narrative fiction, typically written in prose and published as a book. The present English word for a long work of prose fiction derives from the for "new", "news", or "short story of something new", itself ...
1890s books