George Steiner books in order
American writer
- Lived
- 1929–2020
- Country
- United States
- Books
- 27
George Steiner published 2 novels, 3 short story collections, 15 non-fiction books, 2 poetry collections, 1 play and 4 other books, beginning with Language and Silence (1967). The best-known is After Babel (1978).
Updated September 2026
Where to start with George Steiner
Start here
After Babel
George Steiner's most-read book.
Standalone novels in order
Tolstoy or Dostoevsky (1959)
The Portage to San Cristobal of A.H (Apr 1982)
Short story collections in order
On Difficulty, and Other Essays (1978)
Anno Domini (1985)
Proofs and Three Parables (1993)
Non-fiction in order
Language and Silence (1967)
Extraterritorial (1971)
In Bluebeard's Castle (1971)
Nostalgia for the Absolute (1974)
After Babel (1978)
Heidegger (1978)
George Steiner (1984)
A Reading Against Shakespeare (1986)
Real Presences (1986)
No Passion Spent (1996)
Errata (1997)
Grammars of Creation (2001)
Lessons of the Masters (The Charles Eliot Norton Lectures) (2003)
My Unwritten Books (2008)
Idea of Europe (2015)
Poetry in order
Homer (1962)
The Poetry of Thought (2011)
Plays in order
The Death of Tragedy (1961)
Other books in order
The Sporting Scene: White Knights of Reykjavik (1973)
Fields of Force (1974)
Antigones (1984)
What Is Comparative Literature? (1995)
About George Steiner
Francis George Steiner, FBA was a French and American literary critic, essayist, philosopher, novelist and educator. He wrote extensively about the relationship between language, literature and society, as well as the impact of the Holocaust. A 2001 article in The Guardian described Steiner as a "polyglot and polymath".
Biography from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0. Photo via Wikimedia Commons.
George Steiner FAQ
- How many books has George Steiner written?
- George Steiner published 2 novels, 3 short story collections, 15 non-fiction books, 2 poetry collections, 1 play and 4 other books that we list, as of September 2026.
- What order should I read George Steiner's books in?
- Publication order is a safe choice; the full list is above. Most readers start with After Babel.
- What is George Steiner's last book?
- Idea of Europe (2015).
- What is George Steiner's most famous book?
- After Babel (1978) is George Steiner's most widely read book.
Sources: book lists and dates from Wikidata and Open Library, ratings from Open Library readers. Last updated September 2026.