Carl Djerassi books in order
American chemistry professor, inventor, author, playwright
- Lived
- 1923–2015
- Country
- Austria
- Books
- 5
Carl Djerassi published 3 novels and 2 non-fiction books, beginning with Optical Rotatory Dispersion (1960). The best-known is Cantor's Dilemma (1989).
Updated September 2026
Where to start with Carl Djerassi
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Cantor's Dilemma
Carl Djerassi's most-read book.
Standalone novels in order
Optical Rotatory Dispersion (1960)
Cantor's Dilemma (1989)
The Bourbaki Gambit (1994)
Non-fiction in order
The Politics of Contraception (1979)
This Man's Pill (2001)
About Carl Djerassi
Carl Djerassi was a Viennese-born Bulgarian-American pharmaceutical chemist, novelist, playwright and co-founder of Djerassi Resident Artists Program with Diane Wood Middlebrook. He is best known for his contribution to the development of oral contraceptive pills, nicknamed the "father of the pill".
Biography from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0. Photo via Wikimedia Commons.
Carl Djerassi FAQ
- How many books has Carl Djerassi written?
- Carl Djerassi published 3 novels and 2 non-fiction books that we list, as of September 2026.
- What order should I read Carl Djerassi's books in?
- Publication order is a safe choice; the full list is above. Most readers start with Cantor's Dilemma.
- What is Carl Djerassi's last book?
- This Man's Pill (2001).
- What is Carl Djerassi's most famous book?
- Cantor's Dilemma (1989) is Carl Djerassi's most widely read book.
Sources: book lists and dates from Wikidata and Open Library, ratings from Open Library readers. Last updated September 2026.