René Girard books in order
French historian, literary critic, and philosopher of social science
- Lived
- 1923–2015
- Country
- France
- Books
- 20
René Girard published 2 novels, 14 non-fiction books, 1 play and 3 other books, beginning with Deceit, Desire, and the Novel (1961).
Updated September 2026
Where to start with René Girard
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Deceit, Desire, and the Novel
René Girard's most-read book.
Standalone novels in order
Deceit, Desire, and the Novel (1961)
The Scapegoat (1986)
Non-fiction in order
Proust (1962)
Violence and the Sacred (1972)
Things Hidden Since the Foundation of the World (1978)
To Honor René Girard (1986)
Bible, Violence, and the Sacred (1991)
When These Things Begin (1994)
The Girard Reader (1996)
I See Satan Fall Like Lightning (1999)
Evolution and Conversion (2004)
Achever Clausewitz (2007)
Mimesis and Theory (2008)
Sacrifice (2011)
Conversations with René Girard (2020)
Violence, the Sacred, and Things Hidden (2021)
Plays in order
A Theater of Envy (1990)
Other books in order
'To Double Business Bound' (1978)
Violence and Truth (1988)
René Girard Anthology (2023)
About René Girard
René Noël Théophile Girard was a French academic best known for developing mimetic theory, which posits that human desire is fundamentally imitative, leading to rivalry, violence and the scapegoat mechanism as foundations of religion and culture. Holding academic appointments primarily in literature departments in the United States, his interdisciplinary work influenced fields ranging from theology to economics to psychology and cultural studies.
Biography from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0. Photo via Wikimedia Commons.
René Girard FAQ
- How many books has René Girard written?
- René Girard published 2 novels, 14 non-fiction books, 1 play and 3 other books that we list, as of September 2026.
- What order should I read René Girard's books in?
- Publication order is a safe choice; the full list is above. Most readers start with Deceit, Desire, and the Novel.
- What is René Girard's last book?
- Sacrifice (2011).
- What is René Girard's most famous book?
- Deceit, Desire, and the Novel (1961) is René Girard's most widely read book.
Sources: book lists and dates from Wikidata and Open Library, ratings from Open Library readers. Last updated September 2026.