Georges Bataille books in order
French intellectual and literary figure
- Lived
- 1897–1962
- Country
- France
- Books
- 25
Georges Bataille published 6 novels, 2 novellas, 1 short story collection, 8 non-fiction books, 1 poetry collection and 7 other books, beginning with Story of the Eye (1928).
Updated September 2026
Where to start with Georges Bataille
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Story of the Eye
Georges Bataille's most-read book.
Standalone novels in order
Madame Edwarda (1937)
The Accursed Share (1949)
L'Abbé C (1950)
Eroticism (1957)
The Impossible (1962)
Guilty (1988)
Novellas in order
Story of the Eye (1928)
Blue of Noon (1957)
Short story collections in order
My Mother; Madame Edwarda; And, the Dead Man (2012)
Non-fiction in order
Inner Experience (1943)
Lascaux (1955)
Manet (1955)
Literature and Evil (1957)
Death and Sensuality (1962)
Théorie De La Religion (1973)
Erotism (1986)
The Cradle of Humanity (2004)
Poetry in order
The Collected Poems of Georges Bataille (1998)
Other books in order
Prehistoric Painting (1955)
Trial of Gilles De Rais (1965)
Visions of Excess (1985)
The Tears of Eros (1988)
The Absence of Myth (1994)
EROTISMO, EL (2009)
On Nietzsche (2015)
About Georges Bataille
Georges Albert Maurice Victor Bataille was a French writer, essayist, librarian and theorist whose work crossed the boundaries of literature, philosophy, anthropology, sociology, political economy, religious studies and art history. His writings include novels, erotic fiction, poetry, philosophical essays, art criticism, lectures, diaries and fragmentary meditations. Although frequently described as a philosopher, Bataille resisted treating his work as a conventional philosophical system. He conceived writing as an exploration of the limits of human experience in which theoretical reflection, literary form and personal exposure could not be cleanly separated.
Biography from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0. Photo via Wikimedia Commons.
Georges Bataille FAQ
- How many books has Georges Bataille written?
- Georges Bataille published 6 novels, 2 novellas, 1 short story collection, 8 non-fiction books, 1 poetry collection and 7 other books that we list, as of September 2026.
- What order should I read Georges Bataille's books in?
- Publication order is a safe choice; the full list is above. Most readers start with Story of the Eye.
- What is Georges Bataille's last book?
- The Impossible (1962).
- What is Georges Bataille's most famous book?
- Story of the Eye (1928) is Georges Bataille's most widely read book.
Sources: book lists and dates from Wikidata and Open Library, ratings from Open Library readers. Last updated September 2026.