Charles Baudelaire published 1 novel, 2 novellas and 3 poetry collections, beginning with Les Fleurs Du Mal (1857). The best-known is Les Paradis Artificiels (1860).
Updated September 2026
Where to start with Charles Baudelaire
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Les Paradis Artificiels
Charles Baudelaire's most-read book.
Standalone novels in order
Les Paradis Artificiels (1860)
Novellas in order
Le Peintre De La Vie Moderne (1863)
La Fanfarlo (1997)
Poetry in order
Les Fleurs Du Mal (Jun 1857)
Le Cygne (1861)
Le Spleen De Paris (1869)
Free to read
All free classics
About Charles Baudelaire
Charles-Pierre Baudelaire was a French poet, essayist, translator and art critic. His poems are described as exhibiting mastery of rhythm and rhyme, containing an exoticism inherited from the Romantics, and are based on observations of real life.
Biography from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0. Photo via Wikimedia Commons.
Charles Baudelaire FAQ
- How many books has Charles Baudelaire written?
- Charles Baudelaire published 1 novel, 2 novellas and 3 poetry collections that we list, as of September 2026.
- What order should I read Charles Baudelaire's books in?
- Publication order is a safe choice; the full list is above. Most readers start with Les Paradis Artificiels.
- What is Charles Baudelaire's last book?
- Le Peintre De La Vie Moderne (1863).
- What is Charles Baudelaire's most famous book?
- Les Paradis Artificiels (1860) is Charles Baudelaire's most widely read book.
- Does Charles Baudelaire write under a pen name?
- Yes: Charles Baudelaire has also published as Pierre de Fayis.
- Can I read Charles Baudelaire's books for free?
- Yes. 6 books by Charles Baudelaire are in the public domain in the US and free to read online or download here.
Authors like Charles Baudelaire
Sources: book lists and dates from Wikidata and Open Library, ratings from Open Library readers, free texts from Project Gutenberg. Last updated September 2026.