François Rabelais books in order
16th-century French writer and humanist
- Lived
- 1494–1553
- Country
- France
- Books
- 5
- Series
- 1
- Also writes as
- Alcofribas Nasier, M. Alcofribas, Maistre Alcofribas Nasier, Seraphin Calobarsy
François Rabelais published 5 novels, beginning with Pantagruel (1532). The series is Gargantua and Pantagruel (5 books, starting with Pantagruel). The best-known is Gargantua (1534).
Updated September 2026
Gargantua and Pantagruel books in order (5)Series page
Reading order: 1 Pantagruel (1532) · 2 Gargantua (1534) · 3 The Third Book (1546) · 4 The Fourth Book (1552) · 5 The Fifth Book (1564)
- 1.
Pantagruel (1532)
- 2.
Gargantua (1534)
- 3.
The Third Book (1546)
- 4.
The Fourth Book (1552)
- 5.
The Fifth Book (1564)
Where to start with François Rabelais
Start here
Pantagruel
Book 1 of Gargantua and Pantagruel, the series that includes Gargantua, François Rabelais's most-read book.
Free to read
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About François Rabelais
François Rabelais was a French writer who has been called the first great French prose author. A humanist of the French Renaissance and Greek scholar, he attracted opposition from both Protestant theologian John Calvin and from the hierarchy of the Catholic Church. Though in his day he was best known as a physician, scholar, diplomat, and Catholic priest, later he became better known as a satirist for his depictions of the grotesque, and for his larger-than-life characters.
Biography from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0. Photo via Wikimedia Commons.
François Rabelais FAQ
- How many books has François Rabelais written?
- François Rabelais published 5 novels that we list, as of September 2026.
- What order should I read François Rabelais's books in?
- Read each series in its own order: start Gargantua and Pantagruel with Pantagruel.
- What is François Rabelais's last book?
- The Fourth Book (1552).
- What is François Rabelais's most famous book?
- Gargantua (1534) is François Rabelais's most widely read book.
- Are François Rabelais's books connected?
- 5 books belong to 1 series (Gargantua and Pantagruel); the other 0 books stand alone.
- Does François Rabelais write under a pen name?
- Yes: François Rabelais has also published as Alcofribas Nasier, M. Alcofribas, Maistre Alcofribas Nasier and Seraphin Calobarsy.
- Can I read François Rabelais's books for free?
- Yes. 7 books by François Rabelais are in the public domain in the US and free to read online or download here.
Authors like François Rabelais
Sources: book lists and dates from Wikidata and Open Library, ratings from Open Library readers, free texts from Project Gutenberg. Last updated September 2026.