Alexander Ostrovsky published 18 plays and 1 other book, beginning with A Domestic Picture (1847). The best-known is Without a Dowry (1879).
Updated September 2026
Where to start with Alexander Ostrovsky
Start here
Without a Dowry
Alexander Ostrovsky's most-read book.
Plays in order
A Domestic Picture (Mar 1847)
It's a Family Affair-We'll Settle It Ourselves (1850)
The Poor Bride (1852)
Stay in Your Own Sled (1853)
Poverty Is No Vice (1854)
Live Not as You Would Like To (1855)
A Protégée of the Mistress (1859)
The Storm (1860)
Sin and Sorrow Are Common to All (1863)
Enough Stupidity in Every Wise Man (1868)
Easy Money (1870)
The Forest (1871)
The Snow Maiden (1873)
Wolves and Sheep (1875)
Without a Dowry (1879)
Light Without Heat (1881)
Talents and Admirers (1882)
Guilty Without Guilt (1884)
Other books in order
Plays (1917)
Film and TV adaptations
- Easy Money (1982)Film · from Easy Money
- The Snow Maiden (1952)Film · from The Snow Maiden
- The Snow Maiden (1969)Film · from The Snow Maiden
- Without Dowry (1937)Film · from Without a Dowry
- A Cruel Romance (1984)Film · from Without a Dowry
- Talents and Admirers (1973)Film · from Talents and Admirers
- Bez vini vinovatiye (2008)Film · from Guilty Without Guilt
About Alexander Ostrovsky
Alexander Nikolayevich Ostrovsky was a Russian playwright, generally considered the greatest representative of the Russian realistic period. The author of 47 original plays, Ostrovsky "almost single-handedly created a Russian national repertoire." His dramas are among the most widely read and frequently performed stage pieces in Russia.
Biography from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0. Photo via Wikimedia Commons.
Alexander Ostrovsky FAQ
- How many books has Alexander Ostrovsky written?
- Alexander Ostrovsky published 18 plays and 1 other book that we list, as of September 2026.
- What order should I read Alexander Ostrovsky's books in?
- Publication order is a safe choice; the full list is above. Most readers start with Without a Dowry.
- What is Alexander Ostrovsky's last book?
- Guilty Without Guilt (1884).
- What is Alexander Ostrovsky's most famous book?
- Without a Dowry (1879) is Alexander Ostrovsky's most widely read book.
- Which Alexander Ostrovsky books have been adapted?
- 5 books have been adapted for film or TV, including Easy Money (film, 1982), The Snow Maiden (film, 1952), Without a Dowry (as Without Dowry, film, 1937) and Talents and Admirers (film, 1973).
- Can I read Alexander Ostrovsky's books for free?
- Yes. 2 books by Alexander Ostrovsky are in the public domain in the US and free to read online or download here.
Authors like Alexander Ostrovsky
Sources: book lists and dates from Wikidata and Open Library, ratings from Open Library readers, free texts from Project Gutenberg. Last updated September 2026.