Suzanne wrote:A best book may be onethat has an impact and an impact that has longevity. We readers are fortunate to have so many.

I think that's a good definition for "best book" Suzanne.
How about it? What if we turn this into a fun little inquiry into what we believe the most influential books in the history of humanity are? It's probably as objective as the word "best" is ever going to get.
I think the bible may take #1, but maybe someone disagrees?
How about we do this, anyone can propose a book which she/he believes has had tremendous impact on humanity, and the rest of us can try and rank it with the other proposed books.

I'll go ahead and propose The Wealth of Nations by Adam Smith. Since it's publishing it's been called everything from disastrous, to tedious, to inspiring. It's even been called the bible of political economy, not necessarily in a good way.
Be that as it may, it's undeniable that it's had huge impact on human society. Could the industrial revolution have come about without it? Probably, but when it comes to division of labor and the regulation of prices through the market, Adam Smith said it first. The book itself has inspired and been quoted in a long list of publications, and has directly inspired the philosophy of modern commercial and industrial enterprises as well as the creation of economic policy.

I think VMLM's idea of defining "best" as the most influential books in history will be an interesting exercise. I also agree the Bible probably takes the #1 spot, but I think there are many other choices out there to consider and I would say (from a more abstract point of view) that most books have the ability to be great and inspire individuals to do great things. The right book at the right time can give someone hope, inspire them to dream, or to challenge the status quo which can lead to great things.

To add to the mix of contender's I would have to throw in there The Prince by Machiavelli. I would also agree wtih the earlier post that Common Sense by Thomas Paine is a critical book because of its impact. As I remember my undergrad days as an American History major I'd have to vote for Common Sense as #2 as it was one of the contributing factors leading to the American Revolution. Another book I would add to the list to be ranked would be Uncle Tom's Cabin by Harriet Beecher Stowe as also having great historical significance by adding fuel to the fire leading to the US Civil War. I think the Civil War would have happened had this book not been published but Stowe's novel brought some of the issues to the forefront for Northern readers who otherwise would not have been exposed to them.

The best book in the world has not been written. It will answer the universal questions: Why was I born? What am I to do? and Where will I go after this life? All efforts, philosophical, religious, political, and sociological are nothing but battering rams on these, so far, impenatrable questions.

Any discussion on these books will focus on the applications of action in accordance with the world view which the book is defending or attacking. Any person, book, or government who represents they have an answer to these eternal questions is a Fraud, a deranged person, or a willfully evil being seeking to be a tyrannt.

While I will not call it the 'best' book in the world, I would definitely add Sun Tzu's "The Art of War" to a must-read list.

I dunno about best book,but Orson Scott Card is definitely one of the worlds best modern day writers

For my favourite book, if that's the question, it would be "The Alchemist", by Paulo Coelho

This question has stirred my memory. When I was 7 or 8 years old, in the post-war 1940s, my parents bought my brother and me a very large book titled "The Volume Library." It was organized (I did not know this at the time), along the lines of the Dewey Decimal System, one section on literature, one on history, one on science, etc. I spent hours poring over its pages. While its usefulness was of very short duration (as it is with all reference books), at the time I would have considered it the best book in the world.

Thanks to Suzanne and all others who posted; you brought back some happy memories for me.

Hmm... I think the bible has had more influence on mankind than any other book in the world. For me the best book in the world is "Pride and Prejudice" by Jane Austin because it was the first book I remember having a real impact on me. I guess it kind of spawned my love of reading.

A book that gives you a love of reading is truly a best book!

I think I would answer this different at different points in my life. As a child "The Giver" was my favorite.