Franz Kafka books in order
Bohemian writer from Prague
- Lived
- 1883–1924
- Country
- Cisleithania
- Books
- 43
- Modernism
- Horror
- Literary fiction
Franz Kafka published 30 novels, 4 novellas, 7 short story collections and 2 non-fiction books, beginning with The Metamorphosis (1915).
Updated September 2026
Where to start with Franz Kafka
Highest rated
The Castle
Rated 4.4 out of 5 by 27 readers.
Standalone novels in order
Wedding Preparations in the Country (1907)
On the Tram (1908)
The Way Home (1908)
The Trees (1912)
The Stoker (1913)
Before the Law (1915)
A Fratricide (1917)
A Report to an Academy (1917)
An Old Manuscript (1917)
A Country Doctor (Dec 1917)
In the Penal Colony (1919)
The Cares of a Family Man (1919)
First Sorrow (1921)
A Hunger Artist (1922)
A Little Woman (1924)
Josephine the Singer, or the Mouse Folk (1924)
The Trial (1925)
The Castle (1926)
Lost in America (1927)
Investigations of a Dog (1931)
The Silence of the Sirens (1931)
TAGEBUCHER 1910-1923 (GESAMMELTE WERKE Herausgegeben Von Max Brod) (1948)
Amerika (1953)
Parables and Paradoxes (1961)
Briefe an Felice (1967)
Letters to Felice (1973)
Letters to Ottla (1974)
Diaries (1988)
Franz Kafka: The Office Writings (2008)
Metamorffosis (2021)
Novellas in order
The Metamorphosis (Oct 1915)
The Zürau Aphorisms (1931)
Description of a Struggle (1936)
The Blue Octavo Notebooks (1953)
Short story collections in order
Contemplation (1912)
A Country Doctor (1920)
A Hunger Artist (1924)
The Burrow (1928)
The Metamorphosis, in the Penal Colony, and Other Stories (1935)
Stories 1904-1924 (1961)
Timeless Stories for Today and Tomorrow (1967)
Non-fiction in order
The Great Wall of China (1931)
Letters to Milena (1952)
Film and TV adaptations
- Turning (2002)Film · from The Metamorphosis
- A Country Doctor (2007)Film · from A Country Doctor
- The Trial (1962)Film · from The Trial
- The Castle (1997)TV · from The Castle
About Franz Kafka
Franz Kafka was a German-language Jewish Czech writer and novelist born in Prague, in the Austro-Hungarian Empire. Widely regarded as a major figure of 20th-century literature, his works fuse elements of realism and the fantastique, and typically feature isolated protagonists facing bizarre or surreal predicaments and incomprehensible bureaucratic powers. The term Kafkaesque has entered the lexicon to describe situations like those depicted in his writings. His best-known works include the novella The Metamorphosis (1915) and the novels The Trial (1925) and The Castle (1926). He is also celebrated for his brief fables and aphorisms, which frequently incorporated comedic elements alongside the darker themes of his longer works. His work has widely influenced artists, philosophers, composers, filmmakers, literary historians, religious scholars, and cultural theorists.
Biography from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0. Photo via Wikimedia Commons.
Franz Kafka FAQ
- How many books has Franz Kafka written?
- Franz Kafka published 30 novels, 4 novellas, 7 short story collections and 2 non-fiction books that we list, as of September 2026.
- What order should I read Franz Kafka's books in?
- Publication order is a safe choice; the full list is above. Most readers start with The Metamorphosis.
- What is Franz Kafka's last book?
- The Castle (1926).
- What is Franz Kafka's most famous book?
- The Metamorphosis (1915) is Franz Kafka's most widely read book.
- Which Franz Kafka books have been adapted?
- 4 books have been adapted for film or TV, including The Metamorphosis (as Turning, film, 2002), A Country Doctor (film, 2007), The Trial (film, 1962) and The Castle (TV, 1997).
- Can I read Franz Kafka's books for free?
- Yes. 2 books by Franz Kafka are in the public domain in the US and free to read online or download here.
Authors like Franz Kafka
Katherine Mansfield
Also wrote literary fiction and modernism
Bram Stoker
Also wrote horror and literary fiction
William Hope Hodgson
Also wrote literary fiction and horror
Arthur Machen
Also wrote horror and literary fiction
James Joyce
Also wrote literary fiction
Winston Churchill
Also wrote literary fiction
Sources: book lists and dates from Wikidata and Open Library, ratings from Open Library readers, free texts from Project Gutenberg. Last updated September 2026.