John Steinbeck books in order
American writer
- Lived
- 1902–1968
- Country
- United States
- Books
- 32
John Steinbeck published 21 novels, 5 novellas, 1 short story collection, 1 non-fiction book, 2 plays and 2 other books, beginning with Cup of Gold (1929). The best-known is Of Mice and Men (1937).
Updated September 2026
Where to start with John Steinbeck
Start here
Of Mice and Men
John Steinbeck's most-read book, rated by 306 Open Library readers.
Highest rated
Cannery Row
Rated 4.3 out of 5 by 33 readers.
Shortest way in
The Pearl
One of the most-read, at about 118 pages.
Standalone novels in order
Cup of Gold (1929)
The Pastures of Heaven (1932)
To a God Unknown (1933)
Tortilla Flat (1935)
In Dubious Battle (1936)
The Grapes of Wrath (Apr 1939)
The Log from the Sea of Cortez (1941)
Bombs Away (1942)
Cannery Row (Jan 1945)
Of Mice and Men & Cannery Row (1947)
The Wayward Bus (1947)
East of Eden and The Wayward Bus (1952)
East of Eden (Sep 1952)
Sweet Thursday (Jun 1954)
The Short Reign of Pippin IV (1957)
Once There Was a War (1958)
The Winter of Our Discontent (1961)
Travels with Charley (1962)
The Pearl and Burning Bright (1965)
Journal of a Novel (1969)
The Acts of King Arthur and His Noble Knights (Sep 1976)
Novellas in order
The Harvest Gypsies (Oct 1936)
The Red Pony (1937)
The Moon Is Down (1942)
The Pearl (1947)
Burning Bright (1950)
Short story collections in order
The Long Valley (1938)
Non-fiction in order
America and Americans and Selected Nonfiction (1966)
Plays in order
Of Mice and Men (1937)
Viva Zapata! (1950)
Other books in order
The Forgotten Village (1941)
Molly Morgan (1961)
Film and TV adaptations
- In Dubious Battle (2016)Film · from In Dubious Battle
- The Red Pony (1949)Film · from The Red Pony
- The Red Pony (1973)Film · from The Red Pony
- The Grapes of Wrath (1940)Film · from The Grapes of Wrath
- The Moon Is Down (1943)Film · from The Moon Is Down
- La perla (1947)Film · from The Pearl
- The Wayward Bus (1957)Film · from The Wayward Bus
- East of Eden (1955)Film · from East of Eden
- East of Eden (1981)TV · from East of Eden
- East of EdenTV · from East of Eden
About John Steinbeck
John Ernst Steinbeck was an American writer and novelist. He won the 1962 Nobel Prize in Literature "for his realistic and imaginative writings, combining as they do sympathetic humor and keen social perception". He has been called "a giant of American letters". One of the most widely read authors of the 20th century, he was also an independent journalist and war correspondent during World War II and the Vietnam War.
Biography from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0. Photo via Wikimedia Commons.
John Steinbeck FAQ
- How many books has John Steinbeck written?
- John Steinbeck published 21 novels, 5 novellas, 1 short story collection, 1 non-fiction book, 2 plays and 2 other books that we list, as of September 2026.
- What order should I read John Steinbeck's books in?
- Publication order is a safe choice; the full list is above. Most readers start with Of Mice and Men.
- What is John Steinbeck's last book?
- Journal of a Novel (1969).
- What is John Steinbeck's most famous book?
- Of Mice and Men (1937) is John Steinbeck's most widely read book.
- Which John Steinbeck books have been adapted?
- 7 books have been adapted for film or TV, including In Dubious Battle (film, 2016), The Red Pony (film, 1949), The Grapes of Wrath (film, 1940) and The Moon Is Down (film, 1943).
Authors like John Steinbeck
Sources: book lists and dates from Wikidata and Open Library, ratings from Open Library readers. Last updated September 2026.