Karl May books in order
German writer
- Lived
- 1842–1912
- Country
- Kingdom of Saxony
- Books
- 19
- Series
- 1
Karl May published 15 novels, 3 short story collections and 1 non-fiction book, beginning with Winnetou (1893). The series is Im Schatten des Grossherrn (2 books, starting with Durchs Wilde Kurdistan).
Updated September 2026
Where to start with Karl May
Start here
Winnetou
Karl May's most-read book.
Standalone novels in order
The Son of the Bear Hunter (1887)
Im Sudan (1891)
Der Blaurote Methusalem (1892)
The Oil Prince (1893)
Winnetou (1893)
Der Schatz Im Silbersee (1894)
Black Mustang (1896)
Weihnacht (1897)
Am Jenseits (1899)
Der Schut (1908)
Old Surehand 2 German (1949)
Kapitän Kaiman (1955)
Und Friede Auf Erden! (2011)
Short story collections in order
Orangen Und Datteln (1893)
Am Stillen Ozean (1894)
Auf Fremden Pfaden (1897)
Non-fiction in order
Old Surehand 1 (1949)
Film and TV adaptations
- The Treasure of Silver Lake (1962)Film · from Der Schatz Im Silbersee
- Wild Kurdistan (1965)Film · from Durchs Wilde Kurdistan
Free to read
All free classics
About Karl May
Karl Friedrich May was a German author known for travel writing. His works, often in first-person narratives about travels and adventures, were mostly set in the American Old West or the Orient and Middle East, but also in Latin America, China and within Germany. For a time he insisted that he actually had travelled to the West and was called Old Shatterhand there, while in the Ottoman Empire he was called Kara Ben Nemsi, and posed in costumes.
Biography from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0. Photo via Wikimedia Commons.
Karl May FAQ
- How many books has Karl May written?
- Karl May published 15 novels, 3 short story collections and 1 non-fiction book that we list, as of September 2026.
- What order should I read Karl May's books in?
- Read each series in its own order: start Im Schatten des Grossherrn with Durchs Wilde Kurdistan. The other books stand alone and can be read in any order.
- What is Karl May's last book?
- Der Schut (1908).
- What is Karl May's most famous book?
- Winnetou (1893) is Karl May's most widely read book.
- Are Karl May's books connected?
- 2 books belong to 1 series (Im Schatten des Grossherrn); the other 17 books stand alone.
- Which Karl May books have been adapted?
- 2 books have been adapted for film or TV, including Der Schatz Im Silbersee (as The Treasure of Silver Lake, film, 1962) and Durchs Wilde Kurdistan (as Wild Kurdistan, film, 1965).
- Can I read Karl May's books for free?
- Yes. 3 books by Karl May are in the public domain in the US and free to read online or download here.
Authors like Karl May
Jules Verne
Also wrote literary fiction and adventure
Robert Louis Stevenson
Also wrote literary fiction and adventure
Sarah Bernhardt
Also wrote biography and literary fiction
Theodore Roosevelt
Also wrote biography and adventure
Victor Hugo
Also wrote literary fiction and biography
Winston Churchill
Also wrote literary fiction and biography
Sources: book lists and dates from Wikidata and Open Library, ratings from Open Library readers, free texts from Project Gutenberg. Last updated September 2026.