Mortimer J. Adler books in order
American philosopher, author and educator
- Lived
- 1902–2001
- Country
- United States
- Books
- 54
Mortimer J. Adler published 1 novella, 36 non-fiction books, 1 poetry collection and 16 other books, beginning with How to Read a Book (1940).
Updated September 2026
Where to start with Mortimer J. Adler
Start here
How to Read a Book
Mortimer J. Adler's most-read book.
Novellas in order
The PAIDEIA PROPOSAL (1982)
Non-fiction in order
What Man Has Made of Man (1937)
How to Read a Book (1940), with Charles Van Doren
The Revolution in Education (1958)
A General Introduction to the Great Books and to a Liberal Education (1959)
The Development of Political Theory and Government (1959)
Foundations of Science and Mathematics (1960)
Philosophy of Law and Jurisprudence (1961)
Religion and Theology (1961)
Imaginative Literature Ii (1962)
Biology, Psychology, and Medicine (1963)
Philosophy (1963)
The Conditions of Philosophy (1965)
The Difference of Man and the Difference It Makes (1967)
The Negro in American History (1969)
The Common Sense of Politics (1971)
Great Treasury of Western Thought (1977)
Philosopher at Large (1977)
Aristotle for Everybody (1978)
Six Great Ideas (1981)
The Angels and Us (1982)
Paideia Problems and Possibilities (1983)
The Paideia Program (1984)
Ten Philosophical Mistakes (1985)
A Guidebook to Learning (1986)
We Hold These Truths (1987)
Reforming Education (1988)
Gateway to the Great Books (1990)
Great Books of the Western World (1990)
Intellect (1990)
Truth in Religion (1990)
Desires, Right & Wrong (1991)
Some Questions About Language (1991)
A Second Look in the Rear-view Mirror (1992)
The Four Dimensions of Philosophy (1993)
Philosophical Dictionary (1995)
How to Think About the Great Ideas (2000)
Poetry in order
Poetry and Politics (1965)
Other books in order
Dialectic (1927)
Saint Thomas and the Gentiles (1938)
A Dialectic of Morals (1941)
The Great Ideas, Volume 1 (1952)
The Idea of Freedom (1958)
Great Ideas from the Great Books (1961)
Ethics (1962)
Ethics, the Study of Moral Values (1962)
The Time of Our Lives (1970)
The American Testament (1975)
How to Think About God (1980)
How to Speak, How to Listen (1983)
Haves Without Have-nots (1991)
Art, the Arts, and the Great Ideas (1994)
Great Ideas Today (1997)
How to Prove There Is a God (2011)
About Mortimer J. Adler
Mortimer Jerome Adler was an American philosopher, educator, encyclopedist, author, and lay theologian. His philosophical work was situated within the Aristotelian and Thomistic traditions. Adler taught at Columbia University and the University of Chicago, served as chairman of the board of editors of Encyclopædia Britannica, and founded the Institute for Philosophical Research.
Biography from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0. Photo via Wikimedia Commons.
Mortimer J. Adler FAQ
- How many books has Mortimer J. Adler written?
- Mortimer J. Adler published 1 novella, 36 non-fiction books, 1 poetry collection and 16 other books that we list, as of September 2026.
- What order should I read Mortimer J. Adler's books in?
- Publication order is a safe choice; the full list is above. Most readers start with How to Read a Book.
- What is Mortimer J. Adler's last book?
- How to Think About the Great Ideas (2000).
- What is Mortimer J. Adler's most famous book?
- How to Read a Book (1940) is Mortimer J. Adler's most widely read book.
Authors like Mortimer J. Adler
Sources: book lists and dates from Wikidata and Open Library, ratings from Open Library readers. Last updated September 2026.