Harper Lee's 1960 classic, which has sold over 30 million copies worldwide.

The deep-south depression era epic, recounts the life of middle-aged lawyer Atticus Finch, who is appointed to defend a black man accused of assaulting a white woman.

Seen through the eys of Finch's daughter, Scout, the trial and violent attacks on their family are recounted in this timeless tale - which was adapted into an Oscar winning movie in 1962.

The Bible, which has been translated in to 2,233 languages, has sold an estimated 2.5 billion copies since 1815.

Third place went to the 2001 top seller, A Child Called It.

Dave Pelzer's true story of a young boy neglected by his unstable, alcoholic mother struck a chord with millions of readers.

A spokesman for www.OnePoll.com, which conducted the research, said: "Despite To Kill a Mockingbird being written in the 1960's, it is still considered the most inspirational book.

"The novel is renowned for its warmth and humour, despite dealing with serious issues of racial inequality. The narrator's father, Atticus Finch, has also served as a moral hero for many readers over the years.

"It's interesting that the book is considered more inspirational than the bible, which many people turn to at some point in their lives."

Men Are From Mars And Women Are From Venus, the self-help relationship manual came fourth in the poll.

And the Diary of Anne Frank completed the top five.

The beloved 1947 classic, offers a vivid and insightful memorial to the gifted Jewish teenager's experiences going into hiding with her family in Nazi-occupied Amsterdam.

George Orwell's timeless political satire 1984 followed in sixth place, followed by Nelson Mandela's epic autobiography A Long Walk to Freedom, written secretly while he was imprisoned for 27 years on Robben Island by South Africa's apartheid regime.

Alex Garland's 'The Beach' came eighth in the poll.

Not only did it motivate readers to give up their jobs and go backpacking, it also inspired the 2000 blockbuster movie of the same name starring Leonardo Di Caprio.

Audrey Niffenegger's 2005 novel The Time Travellers Wife scooped ninth place and the 1951 classic The Catcher in the Rye by JD Salinger completed the top ten.

A spokesman for www.OnePoll.com added: "All the books in the top 10 are epic reads which truly move the reader.

"Each book is inspirational for different reasons and should have a place on every bookshelf."

TOP 10 MOST INSPIRATIONAL READS

1. To Kill a Mockingbird - Harper Lee (1960)

2. The Bible

3. A Child Called It - Dave Pelzer (2001)

4. Men are from mars, Women are from Venus - John Gray (1993)

5. Diary of Anne Frank - Anne Frank (1947)

6. 1984 - George Orwell (1949)

7. A Long Walk to Freedom - Nelson Mandela (2002)

8. The Beach - Alex Garland (1994)

9. The Time Travellers Wife - Audrey Niffenegger (2005)

10. The Catcher in the Rye - J D Salinger (1951) ENDS



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