Isaac Babel books in order
Russian language journalist, playwright, literary translator, and short story writer
- Lived
- 1894–1940
- Country
- Russia
- Books
- 9
Isaac Babel published 1 novel, 1 novella, 6 short story collections and 1 play, beginning with Red Cavalry (1926).
Updated September 2026
Where to start with Isaac Babel
Start here
Red Cavalry
Isaac Babel's most-read book.
Standalone novels in order
Isaac Babel (1964)
Novellas in order
Benya Krik, the Gangster (1948)
Short story collections in order
Red Cavalry (1926)
Collected Stories (1927)
The Odessa Tales (1931)
Twice-Told Tales (1966)
You Must Know Everything (1969)
Happy Endings (1974)
Plays in order
Sunset (1928)
Film and TV adaptations
- Sunset (1990)Film · from Sunset
- Bennie the Howl (1926)Film · from The Odessa Tales
About Isaac Babel
Isaac Emmanuilovich Babel was a Russian and Soviet writer, journalist, playwright, and literary translator. He is best known as the author of Red Cavalry and Odessa Stories, and has been acclaimed as "the greatest prose writer of Russian Jewry". Babel was arrested by the NKVD on 15 May 1939 on fabricated charges of terrorism and espionage, and executed on 27 January 1940.
Biography from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0. Photo via Wikimedia Commons.
Isaac Babel FAQ
- How many books has Isaac Babel written?
- Isaac Babel published 1 novel, 1 novella, 6 short story collections and 1 play that we list, as of September 2026.
- What order should I read Isaac Babel's books in?
- Publication order is a safe choice; the full list is above. Most readers start with Red Cavalry.
- What is Isaac Babel's last book?
- The Odessa Tales (1931).
- What is Isaac Babel's most famous book?
- Red Cavalry (1926) is Isaac Babel's most widely read book.
- Which Isaac Babel books have been adapted?
- 2 books have been adapted for film or TV, including Sunset (film, 1990) and The Odessa Tales (as Bennie the Howl, film, 1926).
Sources: book lists and dates from Wikidata and Open Library, ratings from Open Library readers. Last updated September 2026.