Authors Directory

Authors / M

Portrait of Guy de Maupassant

Guy de Maupassant books in order

French writer

Lived
1850–1893
Country
France
Books
21
Also writes as
Maufrigneuse, Guy de Valmont, Joseph Prunier

Guy de Maupassant published 7 novels, 2 novellas, 11 short story collections and 1 non-fiction book, beginning with Mademoiselle Fifi (1882). The best-known is Bel-Ami (1885).

Updated September 2026

Where to start with Guy de Maupassant

Standalone novels in order

  1. Une Vie (1884)

    254 pagesAdapted for film

    Buy

  2. Bel-Ami (1885)

    412 pages★ 3.6 (10 ratings)Adapted for film

    Read free

  3. Mont-Oriol (1887)

    347 pages

    Read free

  4. Pierre Et Jean (Dec 1887)

    237 pages

    Buy

  5. Like Death (1889)

    Buy

  6. Strong as Death (1889)

    315 pages

    Read free

  7. Boule De Suif (1899)

    276 pages

    Buy

Novellas in order

  1. L'Héritage (1884)

    Buy

  2. The Necklace (1884)

    40 pages★ 3.5 (6 ratings)Adapted for film

    Buy

Short story collections in order

  1. Les Soirées De Médan (1880), with Émile Zola and Joris-Karl Huysmans

    Buy

  2. La Maison Tellier (book) (1881)

    Buy

  3. Mademoiselle Fifi (1882)

    252 pages

    Read free

  4. Clair De Lune (1883)

    Buy

  5. Miss Harriet (1884)

    276 pages

    Buy

  6. Monsieur Parent (1885)

    258 pages

    Buy

  7. Tales of Day and Night (1885)

    Buy

  8. Le Horla (1886)

    192 pages

    Buy

  9. The Rose of Madame Husson (1888)

    Buy

  10. The Odd Number (1889)

    251 pages★ 3.6 (5 ratings)

    Buy

  11. Contes De La Bécasse (2016)

    110 pages

    Buy

Non-fiction in order

  1. Afloat (1888)

    203 pages

    Read free

Film and TV adaptations

Free to read

All free classics

About Guy de Maupassant

Henri René Albert Guy de Maupassant was a 19th-century French author, celebrated as a master of the short story and associated with the naturalist literary school of thought, depicting human lives, destinies, and social forces in disillusioned and often pessimistic terms.

Biography from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0. Photo via Wikimedia Commons.

Guy de Maupassant FAQ

How many books has Guy de Maupassant written?
Guy de Maupassant published 7 novels, 2 novellas, 11 short story collections and 1 non-fiction book that we list, as of September 2026.
What order should I read Guy de Maupassant's books in?
Publication order is a safe choice; the full list is above. Most readers start with Bel-Ami.
What is Guy de Maupassant's last book?
The Odd Number (1889).
What is Guy de Maupassant's most famous book?
Bel-Ami (1885) is Guy de Maupassant's most widely read book.
Does Guy de Maupassant write under a pen name?
Yes: Guy de Maupassant has also published as Maufrigneuse, Guy de Valmont and Joseph Prunier.
Which Guy de Maupassant books have been adapted?
3 books have been adapted for film or TV, including The Necklace (as A String of Pearls, film, 1926), Une Vie (as Life of a Woman, film, 1953) and Bel-Ami (as Bel Ami, film, 1939).
Can I read Guy de Maupassant's books for free?
Yes. 36 books by Guy de Maupassant are in the public domain in the US and free to read online or download here.

Authors like Guy de Maupassant

Sources: book lists and dates from Wikidata and Open Library, ratings from Open Library readers, free texts from Project Gutenberg. Last updated September 2026.