Georges Perec books in order
French novelist, filmmaker, documentalist, and essayist
- Lived
- 1936–1982
- Country
- France
- Books
- 21
Georges Perec published 15 novels, 2 novellas, 1 short story collection, 2 non-fiction books and 1 play, beginning with Les Choses (1965). The best-known is Life A User's Manual (1978).
Updated September 2026
Where to start with Georges Perec
Start here
Life A User's Manual
Georges Perec's most-read book.
Shortest way in
W, or the Memory of Childhood
One of the most-read, at about 176 pages.
Standalone novels in order
Les Choses (1965)
Things: A Story of the Sixties (1965)
A Man Asleep (1967)
A Void (1969)
The Exeter Text: Jewels, Secrets, Sex (1972)
Species of Spaces (1974)
W, or the Memory of Childhood (1975)
Life A User's Manual (1978)
A Collector's Art Cabinet (1979)
53 Days (1989)
"Things. A Story of the Sixties" and "A Man Asleep" (1990)
Three by Perec (1996)
Le Condottière (Mar 2012)
Portrait Of A Man (2014)
Lugares (2022)
Novellas in order
Which Moped with Chrome-plated Handlebars at the Back of the Yard? (1966)
Tentative D'épuisement D'un Lieu Parisien (1975)
Short story collections in order
Winter Journeys (1993)
Non-fiction in order
La Boutique Obscure (1973)
Species of Space and Other Pieces (1974)
Plays in order
The Art of Asking Your Boss for a Raise (2008)
Film and TV adaptations
- The Man Who Sleeps (1974)Film · from A Man Asleep
About Georges Perec
Georges Perec was a French novelist, filmmaker, documentalist, and essayist. He was a member of the Oulipo group. His father died as a soldier early in the Second World War and his mother was killed in the Holocaust. Many of his works deal with absence, loss, and identity, often through word play.
Biography from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0. Photo via Wikimedia Commons.
Georges Perec FAQ
- How many books has Georges Perec written?
- Georges Perec published 15 novels, 2 novellas, 1 short story collection, 2 non-fiction books and 1 play that we list, as of September 2026.
- What order should I read Georges Perec's books in?
- Publication order is a safe choice; the full list is above. Most readers start with Life A User's Manual.
- What is Georges Perec's last book?
- A Collector's Art Cabinet (1979).
- What is Georges Perec's most famous book?
- Life A User's Manual (1978) is Georges Perec's most widely read book.
- Which Georges Perec books have been adapted?
- 1 book has been adapted for film or TV, including A Man Asleep (as The Man Who Sleeps, film, 1974).
Sources: book lists and dates from Wikidata and Open Library, ratings from Open Library readers. Last updated September 2026.