Arthur Waley published 5 non-fiction books, 7 poetry collections, 1 play and 6 other books, beginning with A Hundred and Seventy Chinese Poems (1918). The best-known is Chinese Poems (1946).
Updated September 2026
Where to start with Arthur Waley
Start here
Chinese Poems
Arthur Waley's most-read book.
Non-fiction in order
Three Ways of Thought in Ancient China (1939)
The Real Tripitaka (1952)
Yuan Mei (1956)
The Opium War Through Chinese Eyes (1958)
The Way and Its Power, A Study of the Tao Te Ching and Its Place in Chinese Thought (1988)
Poetry in order
A Hundred and Seventy Chinese Poems (1918)
More Translations from the Chinese (1919)
One Hundred and Seventy Chinese Poems (1932)
Translations from the Chinese (1941)
Chinese Poems (1946)
Japanese Poetry (1965)
The Book of Songs (1987)
Plays in order
The Nō Plays of Japan (1921)
Other books in order
An Introduction to the Study of Chinese Painting (1923)
Analects of Confucius (1945)
Monkey (1958)
The Secret History of the Mongols (1964)
Way and Its Power the Tao Te Ching (1977)
Free to read
All free classics
About Arthur Waley
Arthur David Waley was an English orientalist and sinologist who achieved both popular and scholarly acclaim for his translations of Chinese and Japanese poetry. Among his honours were appointment as Commander of the Order of the British Empire in 1952, receiving the Queen's Gold Medal for Poetry in 1953, and being invested as a Member of the Order of the Companions of Honour in 1956.
Biography from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0. Photo via Wikimedia Commons.
Arthur Waley FAQ
- How many books has Arthur Waley written?
- Arthur Waley published 5 non-fiction books, 7 poetry collections, 1 play and 6 other books that we list, as of September 2026.
- What order should I read Arthur Waley's books in?
- Publication order is a safe choice; the full list is above. Most readers start with Chinese Poems.
- What is Arthur Waley's last book?
- The Opium War Through Chinese Eyes (1958).
- What is Arthur Waley's most famous book?
- Chinese Poems (1946) is Arthur Waley's most widely read book.
- Can I read Arthur Waley's books for free?
- Yes. 3 books by Arthur Waley are in the public domain in the US and free to read online or download here.
Authors like Arthur Waley
Sources: book lists and dates from Wikidata and Open Library, ratings from Open Library readers, free texts from Project Gutenberg. Last updated September 2026.