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Open Library readers: 3.67 / 5 from 397 ratings. Separate from ratings here.Catalogue checked 2026-10-02.
Lord of the Flies is a 1954 novel by Nobel Prize–winning British author William Golding. The book focuses on a group of British boys stranded on an uninhabited island and their disastrous attempt to govern themselves. Themes include the tension between groupthink and individuality, between rational and emotional reactions, and between morality and immorality.
The novel has been generally well received. It was named in the Modern Library 100 Best Novels, reaching number 41 on the editor's list, and 25 on the reader's list. In 2003 it was listed at number 70 on the BBC's The Big Read poll, and in 2005 Time magazine named it as one of the 100 best English-language novels from 1923 to 2005…
Lord of the Flies is a 1954 novel by Nobel Prize–winning British author William Golding. The book focuses on a group of British boys stranded on an uninhabited island and their disastrous attempt to govern themselves. Themes include the tension between groupthink and individuality, between rational and emotional reactions, and between morality and immorality.
The novel has been generally well received. It was named in the Modern Library 100 Best Novels, reaching number 41 on the editor's list, and 25 on the reader's list. In 2003 it was listed at number 70 on the BBC's The Big Read poll, and in 2005 Time magazine named it as one of the 100 best English-language novels from 1923 to 2005. Time also included the novel in its list of the 100 Best Young-Adult Books of All Time. Popular reading in schools, especially in the English-speaking world, a 2016 UK poll saw Lord of the Flies ranked third in the nation's favourite books from school.
(From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lord_of_the_Flies)
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Bibliographic source: Open LibraryLord of the Flies is by William Golding. The catalogue records its first publication in 1954. A later edition may have a different publication date on its copyright page.
The catalogue records 243 pages for a representative edition. Pagination varies with the publisher, format, type size and translation, so check the edition you intend to read.
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Look for a copyLord of the Flies
Penguin Books, 2016 / Ebook, 331 pp.
ISBN 9781101993224
Lord of the Flies
Penguin Classics, 2016 / Paperback, 336 pp.
ISBN 9780143129400
Lord of the Flies
Faber & Faber, Limited, 2013 / 368 pp.
ISBN 9780571295715
Lord of the Flies
Faber & Faber, 2011 / Paperback, 256 pp.
ISBN 9780571273577
Lord of the Flies
Faber & Faber, Limited, 2009 / 5 pp.
ISBN 9780571249565
Lord of the Flies
Perigee Books, 2006 / 208 pp.
ISBN 9780399501487
Lord of the Flies
Berkley, 2003 / 315 pp.
ISBN 0399529209
Lord of the flies
Faber, 2002 / 225 pp.
ISBN 0571191479
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