Brendan Behan books in order
Irish poet, short story writer, novelist, and playwright
- Lived
- 1923–1964
- Country
- Ireland
- Books
- 14
Brendan Behan published 3 novels, 5 non-fiction books, 1 children's book, 1 poetry collection, 1 play and 3 other books, beginning with Borstal Boy (1958).
Updated September 2026
Where to start with Brendan Behan
Start here
Borstal Boy
Brendan Behan's most-read book.
Standalone novels in order
Borstal Boy (1958)
The Scarperer (1964)
After the Wake (1981)
Non-fiction in order
island (1962)
New York (1962)
Hold Your Hour and Have Another (1963)
Confessions of an Irish Rebel (1965)
The Letters of Brendan Behan (1992)
Children's books in order
The King of Ireland's Son (1996)
Poetry in order
Poems and a Play in Irish (1981)
Plays in order
The Quare Fellow (1956)
Other books in order
The Hostage (1958)
The Quare Fellow, and the Hostage (1964)
Behan Complete Plays (2001)
Film and TV adaptations
- The Quare Fellow (1962)Film · from The Quare Fellow
- Borstal Boy (2002)Film · from Borstal Boy
About Brendan Behan
Brendan Francis Aidan Behan was an Irish poet, short story writer, novelist, playwright, and Irish Republican, an activist who wrote in both English and Irish. His widely acknowledged alcohol dependence, despite attempts to treat it, impacted his creative capacities and contributed to health and social problems which curtailed his artistic output and finally his life. He is widely regarded as one of Ireland's greatest writers.
Biography from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0. Photo via Wikimedia Commons.
Brendan Behan FAQ
- How many books has Brendan Behan written?
- Brendan Behan published 3 novels, 5 non-fiction books, 1 children's book, 1 poetry collection, 1 play and 3 other books that we list, as of September 2026.
- What order should I read Brendan Behan's books in?
- Publication order is a safe choice; the full list is above. Most readers start with Borstal Boy.
- What is Brendan Behan's last book?
- Confessions of an Irish Rebel (1965).
- What is Brendan Behan's most famous book?
- Borstal Boy (1958) is Brendan Behan's most widely read book.
- Which Brendan Behan books have been adapted?
- 2 books have been adapted for film or TV, including The Quare Fellow (film, 1962) and Borstal Boy (film, 2002).
Sources: book lists and dates from Wikidata and Open Library, ratings from Open Library readers. Last updated September 2026.