Herbert Giles books in order
British sinologist and diplomat
- Lived
- 1845–1935
- Country
- United Kingdom
- Books
- 19
Herbert Giles published 2 novels, 1 short story collection, 7 non-fiction books, 2 poetry collections and 7 other books, beginning with Strange Stories from a Chinese Studio (1913).
Updated September 2026
Where to start with Herbert Giles
Start here
Strange Stories from a Chinese Studio
Herbert Giles's most-read book.
Standalone novels in order
The Civilization of China (1911)
The Book of Fantasy (1977)
Short story collections in order
Strange Stories from a Chinese Studio (1913)
Non-fiction in order
A Chinese Biographical Dictionary (1898)
China and the Chinese (1902)
An Introduction to the History of Chinese Pictorial Art (1905)
Religions of Ancient China (1905)
China and the Manchus (1912)
Confucianism and Its Rivals (1914)
Poetry in order
Chinese Poetry in English Verse (1898)
Gems of Chinese Literature (1922)
Other books in order
A Dictionary Of Colloquial Idioms In The Mandarin Dialect (1873)
Chinese Sketches (1876)
A Glossary of Reference on Subjects Connected with the Far East (1878)
A Chinese-English Dictionary (1909)
Chinese Fairy Tales (1911)
How to Begin Chinese (1919)
Chuang-Tzu (1974)
About Herbert Giles
Herbert Allen Giles was a British diplomat and sinologist who held the Professorship of Chinese at the University of Cambridge for 35 years. Giles was educated at Charterhouse School before becoming a British diplomat in China. He modified a Mandarin Chinese romanization system established by Thomas Wade, resulting in the widely known Wade–Giles Chinese romanization system. Among his many works were translations of the Analects of Confucius, the Lao Tzu , the Chuang Tzu, and, in 1892, the widely published A Chinese–English Dictionary.
Biography from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0. Photo via Wikimedia Commons.
Herbert Giles FAQ
- How many books has Herbert Giles written?
- Herbert Giles published 2 novels, 1 short story collection, 7 non-fiction books, 2 poetry collections and 7 other books that we list, as of September 2026.
- What order should I read Herbert Giles's books in?
- Publication order is a safe choice; the full list is above. Most readers start with Strange Stories from a Chinese Studio.
- What is Herbert Giles's last book?
- A History of Chinese Literature (1923).
- What is Herbert Giles's most famous book?
- Strange Stories from a Chinese Studio (1913) is Herbert Giles's most widely read book.
- Can I read Herbert Giles's books for free?
- Yes. 6 books by Herbert Giles are in the public domain in the US and free to read online or download here.
Authors like Herbert Giles
Sources: book lists and dates from Wikidata and Open Library, ratings from Open Library readers, free texts from Project Gutenberg. Last updated September 2026.