Brian Friel books in order
Irish dramatist, author and theatre director
- Lived
- 1929–2015
- Country
- Ireland
- Books
- 32
Brian Friel published 2 novels, 2 novellas, 2 short story collections, 1 poetry collection, 14 plays and 11 other books, beginning with Philadelphia, Here I Come! (1965).
Updated September 2026
Where to start with Brian Friel
Start here
Philadelphia, Here I Come!
Brian Friel's most-read book.
Standalone novels in order
The Diviner (1983)
Torri Gair (Oct 2011)
Novellas in order
Fathers and Sons (1987)
Give Me Your Answer, Do! (1997)
Short story collections in order
The Gold in the Sea (1966)
Selected Stories (1979)
Poetry in order
Lovers (1968)
Plays in order
Philadelphia, Here I Come! (1965)
The Enemy Within (1975)
Faith Healer (1979)
Translations (1981)
The Communication Cord (1983)
Selected Plays (1984)
Making History (1989)
Dancing at Lughnasa (1990)
Wonderful Tennessee (1993)
Molly Sweeney (1994)
The Yalta Game (2001)
Performances (2003)
The Home Place (2005)
Brian Friel (2016)
Other books in order
The Saucer of Larks (1962)
Crystal and Fox (1970)
The Freedom of the City (1974)
The Gentle Island (1974)
Living Quarters (1978)
Aristocrats (1980)
Volunteers (1980)
The Loves of Cass McGuire (1984)
The London Vertigo (1990)
A Month in the Country (1992)
Three Plays After (2002)
Film and TV adaptations
- Dancing at Lughnasa (1998)Film · from Dancing at Lughnasa
About Brian Friel
Brian Patrick Friel was an Irish dramatist, short story writer and founder of the Field Day Theatre Company. He had been considered one of the greatest living English-language dramatists. He has been likened to an "Irish Chekhov" and described as "the universally accented voice of Ireland". His plays have been compared favourably to those of contemporaries such as Samuel Beckett, Arthur Miller, Harold Pinter and Tennessee Williams.
Biography from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0. Photo via Wikimedia Commons.
Brian Friel FAQ
- How many books has Brian Friel written?
- Brian Friel published 2 novels, 2 novellas, 2 short story collections, 1 poetry collection, 14 plays and 11 other books that we list, as of September 2026.
- What order should I read Brian Friel's books in?
- Publication order is a safe choice; the full list is above. Most readers start with Philadelphia, Here I Come!.
- What is Brian Friel's last book?
- Torri Gair (2011).
- What is Brian Friel's most famous book?
- Philadelphia, Here I Come! (1965) is Brian Friel's most widely read book.
- Which Brian Friel books have been adapted?
- 1 book has been adapted for film or TV, including Dancing at Lughnasa (film, 1998).
Sources: book lists and dates from Wikidata and Open Library, ratings from Open Library readers. Last updated September 2026.