Oscar Wilde books in order
Irish poet, playwright, and aesthete
- Lived
- 1854–1900
- Country
- United Kingdom
- Books
- 30
- Also writes as
- Sebastian Melmoth, С.3.3.
Oscar Wilde published 5 novels, 6 novellas, 5 short story collections, 1 non-fiction book, 2 poetry collections, 8 plays and 3 other books, beginning with Poems (1881). The best-known is The Picture of Dorian Gray (1890).
Updated September 2026
Where to start with Oscar Wilde
Start here
The Picture of Dorian Gray
Oscar Wilde's most-read book, rated by 128 Open Library readers.
Standalone novels in order
The Picture of Dorian Gray (1890)
Intentions (1891)
The Star-Child (1891)
"Teleny, or The Reverse of the Medal" (1893)
The Letters of Oscar Wilde (2000)
Novellas in order
The Canterville Ghost (1887)
The Decay of Lying (1889)
The Portrait of Mr. W. H (1889)
The Ballad of Reading Gaol (1898)
De Profundis (1905)
Short story collections in order
A House of Pomegranates (1891)
Complete Short Fiction (1910)
Poems in Prose (2023)
Non-fiction in order
The Plays of Oscar Wilde (1930)
Poetry in order
Poems (1881)
Fairy Tales and Poems in Prose (1900)
Plays in order
The Duchess of Padua (1883)
Lady Windermere's Fan (1890)
A Woman of No Importance (1893)
Salome (1893)
The Importance of (1893)
An Ideal Husband (1899)
Vera; Or, the Nihilists (2002)
A Florentine Tragedy (2012)
Other books in order
The Soul of Man (1895)
Phrases and Philosophies for the Use of the Young (1900)
The Fisherman and His Soul (2009)
Film and TV adaptations
- The Picture of Dorian Grey (1915)Film · from The Picture of Dorian Gray
- The Picture of Dorian Gray (1945)Film · from The Picture of Dorian Gray
- Phantom of the Paradise (1974)Film · from The Picture of Dorian Gray
- Dorian Gray (2009)Film · from The Picture of Dorian Gray
- A Woman of No Importance (1936)Film · from A Woman of No Importance
- A Modern Salome (1920)Film · from Salome
- Salome (1953)Film · from Salome
- The Importance of Being Earnest (2002)Film · from The Importance of
- The Importance of Being Earnest (2011)Film · from The Importance of
- An Ideal Husband (1980)Film · from An Ideal Husband
- An Ideal Husband (1999)Film · from An Ideal Husband
Free to read
All free classicsThe Importance of Being Earnest
Poems, with The Ballad of Reading Gaol
Reviews
Miscellaneous Aphorisms
Miscellanies
Selected Prose of Oscar Wilde
Essays and Lectures
Shorter Prose Pieces
A Critic in Pall Mall
Selected Poems of Oscar Wilde
Charmides, and Other Poems
Impressions of America
Children in Prison and Other Cruelties of Prison Life
Wilde v Whistler
About Oscar Wilde
Oscar Fingal O'Fflahertie Wills Wilde was an Irish author, poet and playwright. After writing in different literary styles throughout the 1880s, he became one of the most popular and influential dramatists in London in the early 1890s. He was a key figure in the emerging Aestheticism movement of the late 19th century and is widely regarded as the greatest playwright of the Victorian era. Wilde is best known for his Gothic novel The Picture of Dorian Gray (1890), his epigrams, plays and bedtime stories for children, as well as his criminal conviction in 1895 for gross indecency and for practicing homosexual acts.
Biography from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0. Photo via Wikimedia Commons.
Oscar Wilde FAQ
- How many books has Oscar Wilde written?
- Oscar Wilde published 5 novels, 6 novellas, 5 short story collections, 1 non-fiction book, 2 poetry collections, 8 plays and 3 other books that we list, as of September 2026.
- What order should I read Oscar Wilde's books in?
- Publication order is a safe choice; the full list is above. Most readers start with The Picture of Dorian Gray.
- What is Oscar Wilde's last book?
- The Ballad of Reading Gaol (1898).
- What is Oscar Wilde's most famous book?
- The Picture of Dorian Gray (1890) is Oscar Wilde's most widely read book.
- Does Oscar Wilde write under a pen name?
- Yes: Oscar Wilde has also published as Sebastian Melmoth and С.3.3..
- Which Oscar Wilde books have been adapted?
- 5 books have been adapted for film or TV, including The Picture of Dorian Gray (as The Picture of Dorian Grey, film, 1915), A Woman of No Importance (film, 1936), Salome (as A Modern Salome, film, 1920) and The Importance of (as The Importance of Being Earnest, film, 2002).
- Can I read Oscar Wilde's books for free?
- Yes. 31 books by Oscar Wilde are in the public domain in the US and free to read online or download here.
Authors like Oscar Wilde
Sources: book lists and dates from Wikidata and Open Library, ratings from Open Library readers, free texts from Project Gutenberg. Last updated September 2026.