René Descartes books in order
French philosopher, mathematician, and scientist
- Lived
- 1596–1650
- Country
- France
- Books
- 12
René Descartes published 5 novels, 1 novella and 6 non-fiction books, beginning with Meditations on First Philosophy (1641).
Updated September 2026
Where to start with René Descartes
Start here
Meditations on First Philosophy
René Descartes's most-read book.
Standalone novels in order
Compendium Musicae (1618)
La Géométrie (1638)
Principles of Philosophy (1644)
Treatise on Man (1662)
The World (1664)
Novellas in order
Rules for the Direction of the Mind (1701)
Non-fiction in order
Discours De La Methode (1637)
Discourse on Method and Related Writings (1637)
Discourse on the Method (1637)
Meditations on First Philosophy (1641)
Passions of the Soul (1649)
Renatus Des-Cartes Excellent Compendium of Musick (1653)
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About René Descartes
René Descartes was a French philosopher, mathematician, and scientist whose work was foundational to mathematics and modern philosophy. He connected the previously separate fields of geometry and algebra into analytic geometry and introduced a systematic method of inquiry that became influential in early modern philosophy. He made major contributions to epistemology and philosophy of mind as well as metaphysics, and influenced the development of modern science.
Biography from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0. Photo via Wikimedia Commons.
René Descartes FAQ
- How many books has René Descartes written?
- René Descartes published 5 novels, 1 novella and 6 non-fiction books that we list, as of September 2026.
- What order should I read René Descartes's books in?
- Publication order is a safe choice; the full list is above. Most readers start with Meditations on First Philosophy.
- What is René Descartes's last book?
- Passions of the Soul (1649).
- What is René Descartes's most famous book?
- Meditations on First Philosophy (1641) is René Descartes's most widely read book.
- Can I read René Descartes's books for free?
- Yes. 4 books by René Descartes are in the public domain in the US and free to read online or download here.
Authors like René Descartes
Sources: book lists and dates from Wikidata and Open Library, ratings from Open Library readers, free texts from Project Gutenberg. Last updated September 2026.