Russell Kirk books in order
American political theorist, moralist, historian, social critic, literary critic, and writer
- Lived
- 1918–1994
- Country
- United States
- Books
- 27
Russell Kirk published 2 novels, 13 non-fiction books, 1 poetry collection and 11 other books, beginning with John Randolph of Roanoke (1951). The best-known is Lord of the Hollow Dark (1979).
Updated September 2026
Where to start with Russell Kirk
Start here
Lord of the Hollow Dark
Russell Kirk's most-read book.
Standalone novels in order
Old House of Fear (1961)
Lord of the Hollow Dark (1979)
Non-fiction in order
John Randolph of Roanoke (1951)
The Conservative Mind, from Burke to Santayana (1953)
Beyond the Dreams of Avarice (1956)
The American Cause (1957)
The Political Principles of Robert A. Taft (1967)
Enemies of the Permanent Things (1969)
The Roots of American Order (1974)
The Portable Conservative Reader (1982)
The Wise Men Know What Wicked Things Are Written on the Sky (1987)
Economics (1989)
Edmund Burke (1994)
The Sword of Imagination (1995)
The Essential Russell Kirk (2006)
Poetry in order
Eliot and His Age (1971)
Other books in order
A Program for Conservatives (1954)
Academic Freedom (1955)
Prospects for Conservatives (1956)
The Intelligent Woman's Guide to Conservatism (1957)
The Surly Sullen Bell (1962)
The Intemperate Professor (1965)
The Conservative Constitution (1990)
America's British Culture (1993)
The Politics of Prudence (1993)
Redeeming the Time (1996)
Ancestral Shadows (2004)
About Russell Kirk
Russell Amos Kirk was an American political philosopher, moralist, historian, social critic, literary critic, lecturer, author, and novelist who influenced 20th-century American conservatism. In 1953, he authored The Conservative Mind, which outlined and traced the development of socio-conservative thought in the works of Anglo-American tradition, such as those of Edmund Burke. The book helped establish the intellectual framework for a religious and humanistic understanding of conservatism in the postwar era. Kirk was the chief proponent of traditionalist conservatism.
Biography from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0. Photo via Wikimedia Commons.
Russell Kirk FAQ
- How many books has Russell Kirk written?
- Russell Kirk published 2 novels, 13 non-fiction books, 1 poetry collection and 11 other books that we list, as of September 2026.
- What order should I read Russell Kirk's books in?
- Publication order is a safe choice; the full list is above. Most readers start with Lord of the Hollow Dark.
- What is Russell Kirk's last book?
- The Sword of Imagination (1995).
- What is Russell Kirk's most famous book?
- Lord of the Hollow Dark (1979) is Russell Kirk's most widely read book.
Authors like Russell Kirk
Sources: book lists and dates from Wikidata and Open Library, ratings from Open Library readers. Last updated September 2026.