Margaret Mitchell's novel was published in 1936 and enjoyed phenomenal success with readers. In its first few years alone, its circulation exceeded three million, and Gone with the Wind was hailed as 'the book of the century.' In 1939, a film of the same name was released (starring Vivien Leigh and Clark Gable), winning eight Oscars and becoming one of the highest-grossing films in cinematic history. Despite polarized reviews from literary critics, the novel won the prestigious Pulitzer Prize, was compared to Leo Tolstoy's War and Peace, and Margaret Mitchell was considered one of the great classics of world literature. The book has seen over 70 editions in the United States alone, has been translated into dozens of languages, and to this day enjoys enduring popularity and love among readers worldwide.