Noël Coward published 2 novels, 3 short story collections, 5 non-fiction books, 1 poetry collection, 17 plays and 15 other books, beginning with Private Lives (1930).
Updated September 2026
Where to start with Noël Coward

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Private Lives
Noël Coward's most-read book.
Standalone novels in order

" This Was a Man" (1926)

Pomp and Circumstance (1960)
Short story collections in order

Star Quality (1951)

The Collected Short Stories (1983)

The Collected Stories of Noël Coward (1983)
Non-fiction in order

Present Indicative (1937)

The Noel Coward Diaries (1982)

Noël Coward (1985)

The Phoenix (2000)

Noel and Cole - The Sophisticates (2005)
Poetry in order

Noel Coward Collected Verse (1987)
Plays in order

The Vortex (1924)

Fallen Angels (1925)

Hay Fever (1925)

Private Lives (1930)

Private Lives, an Intimate Comedy in Three Acts (1930)

Design for Living (1932)
Tonight at 8:30 (1936)

Blithe Spirit (1941)
This Happy Breed (1943)

Present Laughter (1947)

Quadrille (1952)

Relative Values (1952)

Nude with Violin (1958)
A Song at Twilight (1966)

Suite in Three Keys (1966)

Brief Encounter (1984)

Noël Coward Screenplays (2015)
Other books in order

Three Plays (1925)
Bitter Sweet (1929)

Play Parade (1933)

Shadow Play (1936)

We Were Dancing (1936)

Family Album (1938)

Fumed Oak (1938)
Still Life (1938)

Ways and Means (1938)

To Step Aside (1939)
Waiting in the Wings (1960)

The Wit of Noel Coward (1968)

Sir Noel Coward - His Words And Music (1973)

Plays One (1979)

My Life with Noel Coward (2000)
Film and TV adaptations
- Design for Living (1933)Film · from Design for Living
- Blithe Spirit (1945)Film · from Blithe Spirit
- Blithe Spirit (2020)Film · from Blithe Spirit
Free to read
All free classicsAbout Noël Coward
Sir Noël Peirce Coward was an English playwright, composer, director, actor, and singer, known for his wit, flamboyance, and what Time called "a sense of personal style, a combination of cheek and chic, pose and poise".
Biography from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0. Photo via Wikimedia Commons.
Noël Coward FAQ
- How many books has Noël Coward written?
- Noël Coward published 2 novels, 3 short story collections, 5 non-fiction books, 1 poetry collection, 17 plays and 15 other books that we list, as of September 2026.
- What order should I read Noël Coward's books in?
- Publication order is a safe choice; the full list is above. Most readers start with Private Lives.
- What is Noël Coward's last book?
- Pomp and Circumstance (1960).
- What is Noël Coward's most famous book?
- Private Lives (1930) is Noël Coward's most widely read book.
- Which Noël Coward books have been adapted?
- 2 books have been adapted for film or TV, including Design for Living (film, 1933) and Blithe Spirit (film, 1945).
- Can I read Noël Coward's books for free?
- Yes. 4 books by Noël Coward are in the public domain in the US and free to read online or download here.
Authors like Noël Coward
Sources: book lists and dates from Wikidata and Open Library, ratings from Open Library readers, free texts from Project Gutenberg. Last updated September 2026.

