Schindler's ListSchindler's List
Score Classic
What it's about
Oskar Schindler was a German businessman, Nazi Party member, war profiteer, drinker and womanizer who came to Kraków to make money from cheap Jewish labor. Over the course of the war, at enormous risk and by spending his whole fortune, he saved more than a thousand Jews from the Holocaust. Thomas Keneally tells his story as a novel, built from interviews with the people he saved.
Why it's worth reading
It's an extraordinary true story of an unlikely rescuer, told with great moral seriousness, and it won the Booker Prize. It was the basis for the film Schindler's List.
You'll love it if you liked
The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich: A History of Nazi Germany
The Book Thief
Sophie's ChoiceGood to know
It's published in the US as Schindler's List. It's a novel built closely on fact, and it depicts Holocaust atrocities directly.
By the numbers
- Readers93 out of 100 · counts 42%
- Critics67 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
- Bestseller27 out of 100 · counts 14%
- Buzz0 out of 100 · counts 10%
Critics and Bestseller are two ways to earn a place: a book's stronger one counts more. Buzz rewards recent bestseller weeks and prizes, so older books start at zero. The parts combine into the Must-Read Score, shown on a scale where the best book we found scores 99 and the last book to make the ranking scores 50.
Where it ranks
- #22 of the 309 literary novels we rank
- #50 of the 762 classics we rank
- #172 of the 2,816 books we rank
Why it made the list
Reads as
Epic
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Quick answers
Is Schindler's List worth reading?
Yes. It's an extraordinary true story of an unlikely rescuer, told with great moral seriousness, and it won the Booker Prize. It ranks #172 of the 2,816 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 84.2 (the best book we found scores 99).
What is Schindler's List about?
Oskar Schindler was a German businessman, Nazi Party member, war profiteer, drinker and womanizer who came to Kraków to make money from cheap Jewish labor. Over the course of the war, at enormous risk and by spending his whole fortune, he saved more than a thousand Jews from the Holocaust. Thomas Keneally tells his story as a novel, built from interviews with the people he saved.
How long does it take to read Schindler's List?
About 11 hours (432 pages), or about 3 weeks at 30 minutes a day.
What awards has Schindler's List won?
Booker Prize winner (1982).
What should I read after Schindler's List?
If you liked it, try The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich: A History of Nazi Germany by William L. Shirer, The Book Thief by Markus Zusak or Sophie's Choice by William Styron.