Georges Bernanos published 7 novels, 3 non-fiction books and 1 play, beginning with The Diary of a Country Priest (1936).
Updated September 2026
Where to start with Georges Bernanos
Start here
The Diary of a Country Priest
Georges Bernanos's most-read book.
Standalone novels in order
Under the Sun of Satan (1926)
Joy (1929)
La Joie (1929)
The Crime (1935)
The Diary of a Country Priest (1936)
Mouchette (1937)
Monsieur Ouine (1943)
Non-fiction in order
Les Grands Cimetières Sous La Lune (Apr 1938)
Tradition of Freedom (1950)
Last Essays (1955)
Plays in order
Dialogues Des Carmelites (1949)
Film and TV adaptations
- Under the Sun of Satan (1987)Film · from Under the Sun of Satan
- Diary of a Country Priest (1951)Film · from The Diary of a Country Priest
- Mouchette (1967)Film · from Mouchette
- Dialogue with the Carmelites (1960)Film · from Dialogues Des Carmelites
About Georges Bernanos
Louis Émile Clément Georges Bernanos was a French author, and a soldier in World War I. A Catholic with monarchist leanings, he was critical of elitist thought and was opposed to what he identified as defeatism. He believed this had led to France's defeat and eventual occupation by Germany in 1940 during World War II. His two best-known novels Sous le soleil de Satan (1926) and the Journal d'un curé de campagne (1936) both revolve around a parish priest who combats evil and despair in the world. Most of his novels have been translated into English and frequently published in both Great Britain and the United States.
Biography from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0. Photo via Wikimedia Commons.
Georges Bernanos FAQ
- How many books has Georges Bernanos written?
- Georges Bernanos published 7 novels, 3 non-fiction books and 1 play that we list, as of September 2026.
- What order should I read Georges Bernanos's books in?
- Publication order is a safe choice; the full list is above. Most readers start with The Diary of a Country Priest.
- What is Georges Bernanos's last book?
- Tradition of Freedom (1950).
- What is Georges Bernanos's most famous book?
- The Diary of a Country Priest (1936) is Georges Bernanos's most widely read book.
- Which Georges Bernanos books have been adapted?
- 4 books have been adapted for film or TV, including Under the Sun of Satan (film, 1987), The Diary of a Country Priest (as Diary of a Country Priest, film, 1951), Mouchette (film, 1967) and Dialogues Des Carmelites (as Dialogue with the Carmelites, film, 1960).
Authors like Georges Bernanos
Sources: book lists and dates from Wikidata and Open Library, ratings from Open Library readers. Last updated September 2026.