Charles Babbage published 1 novel, 3 non-fiction books and 4 other books, beginning with Reflections on the Decline of Science in England, and on Some of Its Causes (1830). The best-known is Passages from the Life of a Philosopher (1864).
Updated September 2026
Where to start with Charles Babbage
Standalone novels in order
Calculating Engines (1889)
Non-fiction in order
Other books in order
Table of the Logarithms of the Natural Numbers (1844)
Thoughts on the Principles of Taxation, with Reference to a Property Tax, and Its Exceptions (1851)
Occulting Telegraph (1889)
The Ninth Bridgewater Treatise (2009)
Free to read
All free classics
About Charles Babbage
Charles Babbage was an English polymath. A mathematician, philosopher, inventor and mechanical engineer, Babbage originated the concept of a digital programmable computer.
Biography from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0. Photo via Wikimedia Commons.
Charles Babbage FAQ
- How many books has Charles Babbage written?
- Charles Babbage published 1 novel, 3 non-fiction books and 4 other books that we list, as of September 2026.
- What order should I read Charles Babbage's books in?
- Publication order is a safe choice; the full list is above. Most readers start with Passages from the Life of a Philosopher.
- What is Charles Babbage's last book?
- Passages from the Life of a Philosopher (1864).
- What is Charles Babbage's most famous book?
- Passages from the Life of a Philosopher (1864) is Charles Babbage's most widely read book.
- Can I read Charles Babbage's books for free?
- Yes. 5 books by Charles Babbage are in the public domain in the US and free to read online or download here.
Authors like Charles Babbage
Sources: book lists and dates from Wikidata and Open Library, ratings from Open Library readers, free texts from Project Gutenberg. Last updated September 2026.