1991 Bestseller That Inspired a Hit TV Show Is Named Among America's 'Most-Loved Books' of All Time
This novel may be set in 18th century Scotland, but it's one of the most beloved books among American readers.
Diana Gabaldon's best-selling novel Outlander, which inspired the hit TV series of the same name, was unveiled as one of America's top 100 most-loved books by PBS' The Great American Read. The list included 100 titles that were voted on by readers, with Gabaldon's 1991 historical fiction novel finishing in second place.
It was outvoted by only one other title, perhaps one of the most revered American novels, Harper Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird.
Gabaldon, an American author from Arizona, sparked both a literary phenomenon and a television craze with the Outlander books, which were adapted into the hit series starring Sam Heughan and Caitriona Balfe. It premiered on Starz in 2014, and ran for eight seasons, with the series finale slated to air later this month.
So far, Gabaldon has published nine books in the series, with the tenth and final book, A Blessing For a Warrior Going Out is still being written.
Outlander was a finalist in the vote for America's most-loved books, alongside other famed series that have been adapted for the screen, like J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter(ranked No. 3) and J.R.R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings (ranked No. 5). The Chronicles of Narnia series by C.S. Lewis also made the list, coming in at No. 9.
Other beloved titles that made the top 10 include Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen (No. 4), Margaret Mitchell's Gone with the Wind (No. 6) E.B. White's Charlotte's Web (No. 7), Louisa May Alcott's Little Women (No. 8) and Charlotte Brontë's Jane Eyre (No. 10).
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This story was originally published May 7, 2026 at 8:26 PM.