Karl Marx books in order
German-born philosopher
- Lived
- 1818–1883
- Country
- statelessness
- Books
- 25
- Also writes as
- Glückskind
Karl Marx published 7 novels, 2 novellas, 14 non-fiction books and 2 plays, beginning with The Poverty of Philosophy (1847). The best-known is The Communist Manifesto (1848).
Updated September 2026
Where to start with Karl Marx
Highest rated
Capital, Volume I
Rated 4.5 out of 5 by 25 readers.
Standalone novels in order
The Philosophical Manifesto of the Historical School of Law (Aug 1842)
Theses on Feuerbach (1845)
The Poverty of Philosophy (1847)
The Belgian Massacres (May 1869)
Marx-Engels-Werke (1956), with Friedrich Engels
Mathematical Manuscripts of Karl Marx (1968)
Novellas in order
On the Jewish Question (1843)
The Communist Manifesto (Feb 1848), with Friedrich Engels
Non-fiction in order
Critique of Hegel's 'Philosophy of Right' (1844)
The Holy Family (1845), with Friedrich Engels
Wage Labour and Capital (1849)
The Class Struggles in France, 1848 to 1850 (1850)
Herr Vogt (1860)
Capital: A Critique of Political Economy (1867)
The Civil War in France (1871)
Value, Price and Profit (1898)
Critique of the Gotha Program (1918)
The German Ideology (1932), with Friedrich Engels
The Civil War in the United States (1937), with Friedrich Engels
Grundrisse (1939)
Theories of Surplus Value (1948)
Plays in order
Capital, Volume I (1872)
Capital, Volume III (1987)
Free to read
All free classics
About Karl Marx
Karl Marx was a German philosopher, social and political theorist, and revolutionary socialist. He developed the theory of historical materialism, analysing societal structure and change, particularly class struggle under capitalism, and predicting the system's ultimate replacement by communism. Marx co-authored The Communist Manifesto (1848) with Friedrich Engels, and undertook a critique of classical political economy in his magnum opus, Das Kapital (1867–1894). His ideas and their later development, collectively known as Marxism, have had enormous influence on intellectual, political, and social history, and have inspired revolutionary movements in many countries.
Biography from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0. Photo via Wikimedia Commons.
Karl Marx FAQ
- How many books has Karl Marx written?
- Karl Marx published 7 novels, 2 novellas, 14 non-fiction books and 2 plays that we list, as of September 2026.
- What order should I read Karl Marx's books in?
- Publication order is a safe choice; the full list is above. Most readers start with The Communist Manifesto.
- What is Karl Marx's last book?
- The Civil War in France (1871).
- What is Karl Marx's most famous book?
- The Communist Manifesto (1848) is Karl Marx's most widely read book.
- Does Karl Marx write under a pen name?
- Yes: Karl Marx has also published as Glückskind.
- Can I read Karl Marx's books for free?
- Yes. 6 books by Karl Marx are in the public domain in the US and free to read online or download here.
Authors like Karl Marx
Sources: book lists and dates from Wikidata and Open Library, ratings from Open Library readers, free texts from Project Gutenberg. Last updated September 2026.