Top 100 Stories

"Discover the power of storytelling through timeless tales."

Stories have captivated humanity for centuries, shaping cultures, evoking emotions, and sparking imaginations. From ancient myths to modern novels, stories reflect the human experience, offering lessons, entertainment, and a way to connect across time and space. Here is a list of the top 100 stories from around the world that have left an indelible mark on history and literature.

Topics

• Top 100 Stories
  • Topics
  • Overview
  • Cheat
  • Topic 1: "Epics"
  • Topic 2: "Myths & Legends"
  • Topic 3: "Novels"
  • Topic 4: "Short Stories"
  • Topic 5: "Modern Fiction"
  • Top 100 List
  • Conclusion

Overview

• Title: "The Odyssey: Journey of the Hero"
• Subtitle: "The epic tale of Odysseus’ return home."
• Tagline: "A timeless adventure of courage, cunning, and perseverance."
• Description: "One of the oldest epics, it follows Odysseus' perilous journey after the Trojan War as he strives to return home to Ithaca."
• Keywords: Odyssey, Epic, Greek Mythology, Adventure, Homer...

Cheat

# Stories
- Greatest Tales Ever Told
- Timeless narratives from all corners of the world.
- From epics to short stories, explore what makes these stories legendary.
- 5 Topics

## Topics
- Epics: Epic, Hero, Journey, Mythology, Adventure...
- Myths & Legends: Myth, Legend, Culture, Tradition, Folklore...
- Novels: Novel, Literature, Classics, Drama, Society...
- Short Stories: Short Story, Narrative, Human Experience, Slice of Life, Character Study...
- Modern Fiction: Contemporary, Innovation, Fiction, Thought-provoking, Modern Storytelling...

Topic 1: "Epics"

"Timeless journeys of heroes and gods."

Epic stories span cultures, taking readers on grand adventures full of mythical creatures, gods, and heroic deeds. These long-form narratives often explore themes of bravery, destiny, and the human condition, serving as the foundation for much of modern storytelling.

1. The Odyssey: Odysseus' journey home after the Trojan War, battling mythical creatures and gods.
2. The Iliad: The epic of the Trojan War, exploring honor, fate, and the wrath of Achilles.
3. The Mahabharata: The great Indian epic detailing a massive war and moral dilemmas.
4. Beowulf: The Anglo-Saxon tale of a hero battling the monstrous Grendel.
5. The Epic of Gilgamesh: One of the oldest recorded stories, recounting the adventures of the king Gilgamesh.
6. The Divine Comedy: Dante’s journey through Hell, Purgatory, and Paradise.
7. Aeneid: Virgil’s tale of Aeneas’ journey to found Rome.
8. Ramayana: The adventures of Prince Rama and the battle to rescue his wife, Sita.
9. Paradise Lost: Milton’s poetic recounting of the fall of man.
10. The Song of Roland: A heroic poem based on the Battle of Roncevaux Pass.

Topic 2: "Myths & Legends"

"The stories that shaped civilizations."

Myths and legends form the backbone of cultures, offering moral lessons, explaining the unexplainable, and personifying the forces of nature. From the gods of Mount Olympus to the tricksters of Native American lore, these stories have stood the test of time.

1. Greek Mythology: Zeus, Hera, Poseidon, and the pantheon of gods.
2. Norse Mythology: Odin, Thor, Loki, and Ragnarok.
3. Arthurian Legends: King Arthur, Excalibur, Merlin, and the Knights of the Round Table.
4. Egyptian Mythology: Ra, Osiris, Anubis, and the afterlife.
5. The Legend of Gilgamesh: The epic king and his quest for immortality.
6. Celtic Myths: Tales of fairies, warriors, and magic from Ireland and Scotland.
7. Aztec Myths: Gods, creation, and sacrifice in Mesoamerican cultures.
8. The Táin: Ireland’s greatest epic, featuring Queen Medb and the hero Cú Chulainn.
9. Japanese Myths: The story of Amaterasu, the sun goddess, and her brother Susanoo.
10. Native American Folklore: Trickster tales of Coyote and Raven.

Topic 3: "Novels"

"Long-form storytelling that redefined literature."

Novels have become the modern vessel for exploring complex human emotions, societal structures, and personal journeys. From Dickens to García Márquez, these stories reflect the struggles, triumphs, and minutiae of life.

1. War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy: A vast panorama of Russian society during the Napoleonic Wars.
2. Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen: Love, society, and family in Georgian England.
3. One Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel García Márquez: A multi-generational tale of a family in the mythical town of Macondo.
4. Moby-Dick by Herman Melville: The epic sea voyage of Captain Ahab.
5. Ulysses by James Joyce: A stream-of-consciousness journey through a single day in Dublin.
6. The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald: The decadence and decline of the American Dream.
7. Crime and Punishment by Fyodor Dostoevsky: The moral dilemmas of crime and redemption.
8. The Brothers Karamazov by Fyodor Dostoevsky: Faith, doubt, and familial struggles.
9. To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee: The fight for justice in the American South.
10. 1984 by George Orwell: A dystopian view of totalitarianism and surveillance.

Topic 4: "Short Stories"

"Little stories with a big impact."

Short stories distill the essence of human experience into concise, poignant narratives. These stories may be brief, but they often carry profound meanings and leave lasting impressions.

1. The Lottery by Shirley Jackson: A chilling look at tradition and human nature.
2. The Yellow Wallpaper by Charlotte Perkins Gilman: A story of mental illness and isolation.
3. A Good Man is Hard to Find by Flannery O'Connor: A southern Gothic exploration of family and fate.
4. Harrison Bergeron by Kurt Vonnegut: A dystopian story about enforced equality.
5. The Tell-Tale Heart by Edgar Allan Poe: A psychological exploration of guilt and paranoia.
6. The Gift of the Magi by O. Henry: A tale of love and sacrifice.
7. The Metamorphosis by Franz Kafka: The surreal transformation of Gregor Samsa into a bug.
8. A Very Old Man with Enormous Wings by Gabriel García Márquez: Magical realism at its finest.
9. Cathedral by Raymond Carver: A minimalist story about perception and connection.
10. The Necklace by Guy de Maupassant: A story of pride and downfall.

Topic 5: "Modern Fiction"

"Contemporary tales that push boundaries."

Modern fiction experiments with structure, language, and themes. These stories are reflective of the complexities of the contemporary world, challenging norms and exploring new narrative techniques.

1. The Road by Cormac McCarthy: A post-apocalyptic journey of survival.
2. Beloved by Toni Morrison: A haunting exploration of slavery’s legacy.
3. White Teeth by Zadie Smith: A multigenerational look at race and identity in modern Britain.
4. The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood: A dystopian story of female oppression and resistance.
5. Cloud Atlas by David Mitchell: Interconnected stories across time and space.
6. The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao by Junot Díaz: A tragicomic story of family and the Dominican experience.
7. Americanah by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie: A story of race, love, and identity between Nigeria and America.
8. Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro: A dystopian tale about cloning and humanity.
9. Normal People by Sally Rooney: A nuanced look at relationships and class in Ireland.
10. The Underground Railroad by Colson Whitehead: A historical reimagining of the escape from slavery.

Top 100 List

1. The Odyssey (Epics)
2. Greek Mythology (Myths & Legends)
3. War and Peace (Novels)
4. The Lottery (Short Stories)
5. The Road (Modern Fiction)
6. The Iliad (Epics)
7. Norse Mythology (Myths & Legends)
8. Pride and Prejudice (Novels)
9. The Yellow Wallpaper (Short Stories)
10. Beloved (Modern Fiction)
11. The Mahabharata (Epics)
12. Arthurian Legends (Myths & Legends)
13. One Hundred Years of Solitude (Novels)
14. A Good Man is Hard to Find (Short Stories)
15. The Handmaid’s Tale (Modern Fiction)
16. Beowulf (Epics)
17. Egyptian Mythology (Myths & Legends)
18. Moby-Dick (Novels)
19. The Tell-Tale Heart (Short Stories)
20. Cloud Atlas (Modern Fiction)
21. The Epic of Gilgamesh (Epics)
22. Celtic Myths (Myths & Legends)
23. Ulysses (Novels)
24. The Gift of the Magi (Short Stories)
25. The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao (Modern Fiction)
26. The Divine Comedy (Epics)
27. Aztec Myths (Myths & Legends)
28. The Great Gatsby (Novels)
29. The Metamorphosis (Short Stories)
30. Americanah (Modern Fiction)
31. Aeneid (Epics)
32. The Táin (Myths & Legends)
33. Crime and Punishment (Novels)
34. Cathedral (Short Stories)
35. Never Let Me Go (Modern Fiction)
36. Ramayana (Epics)
37. Japanese Myths (Myths & Legends)
38. The Brothers Karamazov (Novels)
39. A Very Old Man with Enormous Wings (Short Stories)
40. Normal People (Modern Fiction)
41. Paradise Lost (Epics)
42. Native American Folklore (Myths & Legends)
43. To Kill a Mockingbird (Novels)
44. Harrison Bergeron (Short Stories)
45. The Underground Railroad (Modern Fiction)
46. The Song of Roland (Epics)
47. Mesopotamian Myths (Myths & Legends)
48. 1984 (Novels)
49. The Necklace (Short Stories)
50. White Teeth (Modern Fiction)
51. The Ramayana (Epics)
52. Chinese Myths (Myths & Legends)
53. Anna Karenina (Novels)
54. A Rose for Emily (Short Stories)
55. The Left Hand of Darkness (Modern Fiction)
56. The Aeneid (Epics)
57. Maya Myths (Myths & Legends)
58. Jane Eyre (Novels)
59. The Monkey's Paw (Short Stories)
60. Life of Pi (Modern Fiction)
61. Paradise Lost (Epics)
62. Sumerian Myths (Myths & Legends)
63. Great Expectations (Novels)
64. Bartleby, the Scrivener (Short Stories)
65. The Kite Runner (Modern Fiction)
66. The Song of Roland (Epics)
67. Polynesian Myths (Myths & Legends)
68. Les Misérables (Novels)
69. The Snows of Kilimanjaro (Short Stories)
70. The God of Small Things (Modern Fiction)
71. Ovid’s Metamorphoses (Epics)
72. Inuit Myths (Myths & Legends)
73. Middlemarch (Novels)
74. The Dead (Short Stories)
75. Infinite Jest (Modern Fiction)
76. The Lusiads (Epics)
77. Zulu Myths (Myths & Legends)
78. Wuthering Heights (Novels)
79. The Rocking-Horse Winner (Short Stories)
80. The Poisonwood Bible (Modern Fiction)
81. The Shahnameh (Epics)
82. Hawaiian Myths (Myths & Legends)
83. The Grapes of Wrath (Novels)
84. The Garden Party (Short Stories)
85. The Goldfinch (Modern Fiction)
86. Song of Solomon (Epics)
87. Maori Myths (Myths & Legends)
88. Brave New World (Novels)
89. A Sound of Thunder (Short Stories)
90. Shantaram (Modern Fiction)
91. The Aeneid (Epics)
92. Aboriginal Myths (Myths & Legends)
93. Madame Bovary (Novels)
94. An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge (Short Stories)
95. The Night Circus (Modern Fiction)
96. El Cid (Epics)
97. Slavic Myths (Myths & Legends)
98. The Catcher in the Rye (Novels)
99. The Secret Life of Walter Mitty (Short Stories)
100. The Book Thief (Modern Fiction)

Here is the full table of the Top 100 Stories:

Rank	Name	Topic	Tagline
1	The Odyssey	Epics	"A timeless adventure of courage."
2	Greek Mythology	Myths & Legends	"Gods and heroes of ancient Greece."
3	War and Peace	Novels	"A vast panorama of Russian society."
4	The Lottery	Short Stories	"A chilling look at tradition."
5	The Road	Modern Fiction	"A post-apocalyptic journey."
6	The Iliad	Epics	"The epic of the Trojan War."
7	Norse Mythology	Myths & Legends	"Odin, Thor, and Ragnarok."
8	Pride and Prejudice	Novels	"Love and society in Georgian England."
9	The Yellow Wallpaper	Short Stories	"Mental illness and isolation."
10	Beloved	Modern Fiction	"A haunting exploration of slavery."
11	The Mahabharata	Epics	"A great Indian war epic."
12	Arthurian Legends	Myths & Legends	"King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table."
13	One Hundred Years of Solitude	Novels	"A multigenerational saga of magical realism."
14	A Good Man is Hard to Find	Short Stories	"A southern Gothic classic."
15	The Handmaid’s Tale	Modern Fiction	"A dystopian story of female oppression."
16	Beowulf	Epics	"The hero fights Grendel and dragons."
17	Egyptian Mythology	Myths & Legends	"The gods of ancient Egypt."
18	Moby-Dick	Novels	"The hunt for the great white whale."
19	The Tell-Tale Heart	Short Stories	"A tale of guilt and paranoia."
20	Cloud Atlas	Modern Fiction	"Interconnected stories across time."
21	The Epic of Gilgamesh	Epics	"One of the earliest stories ever told."
22	Celtic Myths	Myths & Legends	"Mythical heroes and magical beings."
23	Ulysses	Novels	"A modernist journey through a single day."
24	The Gift of the Magi	Short Stories	"A story of love and sacrifice."
25	The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao	Modern Fiction	"A tragicomic family saga."
26	The Divine Comedy	Epics	"Dante's journey through the afterlife."
27	Aztec Myths	Myths & Legends	"Creation and sacrifice in ancient Mesoamerica."
28	The Great Gatsby	Novels	"The decadence and decline of the American dream."
29	The Metamorphosis	Short Stories	"The surreal transformation of Gregor Samsa."
30	Americanah	Modern Fiction	"A story of race and identity."
31	Aeneid	Epics	"The founding of Rome through Aeneas’ journey."
32	The Táin	Myths & Legends	"Ireland’s great epic of heroes."
33	Crime and Punishment	Novels	"A story of crime, guilt, and redemption."
34	Cathedral	Short Stories	"A minimalist story of human connection."
35	Never Let Me Go	Modern Fiction	"A dystopian tale about cloning."
36	Ramayana	Epics	"Prince Rama's quest to save Sita."
37	Japanese Myths	Myths & Legends	"The gods and heroes of Japan."
38	The Brothers Karamazov	Novels	"Faith, doubt, and family dynamics."
39	A Very Old Man with Enormous Wings	Short Stories	"A magical realism classic."
40	Normal People	Modern Fiction	"A story of relationships and class."
41	Paradise Lost	Epics	"The fall of man in poetic form."
42	Native American Folklore	Myths & Legends	"Tales of Coyote, Raven, and other tricksters."
43	To Kill a Mockingbird	Novels	"A fight for justice in the American South."
44	Harrison Bergeron	Short Stories	"A dystopian story about enforced equality."
45	The Underground Railroad	Modern Fiction	"A reimagined escape from slavery."
46	The Song of Roland	Epics	"A heroic poem from medieval France."
47	Mesopotamian Myths	Myths & Legends	"The stories of the ancient Fertile Crescent."
48	1984	Novels	"A dystopian vision of totalitarianism."
49	The Necklace	Short Stories	"A story of pride and downfall."
50	White Teeth	Modern Fiction	"A multigenerational exploration of race."
51	The Ramayana	Epics	"Prince Rama's quest to save Sita."
52	Chinese Myths	Myths & Legends	"The celestial bureaucracy and ancient heroes."
53	Anna Karenina	Novels	"A tragic love story in Russian society."
54	A Rose for Emily	Short Stories	"A Southern Gothic tale of death and decay."
55	The Left Hand of Darkness	Modern Fiction	"A sci-fi exploration of gender and society."
56	The Aeneid	Epics	"The founding of Rome through Aeneas’ journey."
57	Maya Myths	Myths & Legends	"Creation and destruction cycles of the Maya gods."
58	Jane Eyre	Novels	"A young woman’s journey to independence."
59	The Monkey's Paw	Short Stories	"Be careful what you wish for."
60	Life of Pi	Modern Fiction	"A tale of survival at sea with a tiger."
61	Paradise Lost	Epics	"The fall of man and the war in Heaven."
62	Sumerian Myths	Myths & Legends	"The gods and kings of ancient Sumer."
63	Great Expectations	Novels	"A boy’s journey through life’s trials and triumphs."
64	Bartleby, the Scrivener	Short Stories	"A tale of passive resistance in the workplace."
65	The Kite Runner	Modern Fiction	"A story of friendship and redemption in Afghanistan."
66	The Song of Roland	Epics	"A heroic poem from medieval France."
67	Polynesian Myths	Myths & Legends	"Tales of gods, creation, and the sea."
68	Les Misérables	Novels	"A French tale of justice, poverty, and revolution."
69	The Snows of Kilimanjaro	Short Stories	"A story of regret and existential crisis."
70	The God of Small Things	Modern Fiction	"A heartbreaking story of love and loss in India."
71	Ovid’s Metamorphoses	Epics	"Mythical transformations in Roman poetry."
72	Inuit Myths	Myths & Legends	"Stories of gods, animals, and survival in the Arctic."
73	Middlemarch	Novels	"A detailed exploration of English provincial life."
74	The Dead	Short Stories	"A poignant reflection on life and mortality."
75	Infinite Jest	Modern Fiction	"A complex, postmodern novel about addiction and society."
76	The Lusiads	Epics	"Portugal’s great epic of exploration."
77	Zulu Myths	Myths & Legends	"Tales of war, creation, and magic in southern Africa."
78	Wuthering Heights	Novels	"A dark tale of love and revenge on the moors."
79	The Rocking-Horse Winner	Short Stories	"A story about materialism and loss."
80	The Poisonwood Bible	Modern Fiction	"A family’s story of missionary work in Africa."
81	The Shahnameh	Epics	"The Persian epic of kings and heroes."
82	Hawaiian Myths	Myths & Legends	"Creation myths and gods of the Hawaiian Islands."
83	The Grapes of Wrath	Novels	"The struggles of a family during the Great Depression."
84	The Garden Party	Short Stories	"A reflection on class and mortality in early 20th-century New Zealand."
85	The Goldfinch	Modern Fiction	"A novel about art, trauma, and survival."
86	Song of Solomon	Epics	"A biblical story of love and longing."
87	Maori Myths	Myths & Legends	"The gods and creation stories of New Zealand."
88	Brave New World	Novels	"A dystopian future of engineered happiness."
89	A Sound of Thunder	Short Stories	"A time travel story about the butterfly effect."
90	Shantaram	Modern Fiction	"A story of redemption in the underworld of Mumbai."
91	The Aeneid	Epics	"The founding of Rome through Aeneas’ journey."
92	Aboriginal Myths	Myths & Legends	"Creation stories and Dreamtime tales of Australia."
93	Madame Bovary	Novels	"A tragic story of a woman’s quest for passion."
94	An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge	Short Stories	"A Civil War-era story about perception and reality."
95	The Night Circus	Modern Fiction	"A magical competition between two rival magicians."
96	El Cid	Epics	"The Spanish epic of heroism and loyalty."
97	Slavic Myths	Myths & Legends	"The gods, spirits, and heroes of Eastern Europe."
98	The Catcher in the Rye	Novels	"A coming-of-age story about alienation and identity."
99	The Secret Life of Walter Mitty	Short Stories	"A story about daydreams and unfulfilled potential."
100	The Book Thief	Modern Fiction	"A World War II story about love, loss, and survival."

Conclusion

These stories, across genres and cultures, represent some of the most powerful narratives humanity has ever produced. Each tale offers something timeless, showing us the power of storytelling to shape history, culture, and human experience.