Svetlana Alexievich has published 1 novel, 4 non-fiction books and 2 other books, beginning with The Last Witnesses (1985). The series is Voices of Utopia (5 books, starting with The Last Witnesses). The best-known is Voices from Chernobyl (1997). The latest is Second-Hand Time (2013).
Updated September 2026
Voices of Utopia books in order (5)Series page
Reading order: 1 The Last Witnesses (1985) · 2 War's Unwomanly Face (1985) · 3 Zinky Boys: Soviet Voices from a Forgotten War (1989) · 4 Voices from Chernobyl (1997) · 5 Second-Hand Time (2013)
- 1.
The Last Witnesses (1985)
- 2.
War's Unwomanly Face (1985)
- 3.
Zinky Boys: Soviet Voices from a Forgotten War (1989)
- 4.
Voices from Chernobyl (1997)
- 5.
Second-Hand Time (2013)
Where to start with Svetlana Alexievich
Start here
The Last Witnesses
Book 1 of Voices of Utopia, the series that includes Voices from Chernobyl, Svetlana Alexievich's most-read book.
Newest
Second-Hand Time
Published 2013.
Other books in order
Granta 34 (1990)
In Search of the Free Individual (2018)
Film and TV adaptations
- War's Unwomanly Face (1980)TV · from War's Unwomanly Face
- Voices from Chernobyl (2016)Film · from Voices from Chernobyl
- Chernobyl (2019)TV · from Voices from Chernobyl
About Svetlana Alexievich
Svetlana Alexandrovna Alexievich is a Belarusian author, investigative journalist, and oral historian who writes in Russian. She was awarded the 2015 Nobel Prize in Literature "for her polyphonic writings, a monument to suffering and courage in our time". She is the first writer from Belarus to receive the award.
Biography from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0. Photo via Wikimedia Commons.
Svetlana Alexievich FAQ
- How many books has Svetlana Alexievich written?
- Svetlana Alexievich has published 1 novel, 4 non-fiction books and 2 other books that we list, as of September 2026.
- What order should I read Svetlana Alexievich's books in?
- Read each series in its own order: start Voices of Utopia with The Last Witnesses. The other books stand alone and can be read in any order.
- What is Svetlana Alexievich's latest book?
- Second-Hand Time (2013).
- What is Svetlana Alexievich's most famous book?
- Voices from Chernobyl (1997) is Svetlana Alexievich's most widely read book.
- Are Svetlana Alexievich's books connected?
- 5 books belong to 1 series (Voices of Utopia); the other 2 books stand alone.
- Which Svetlana Alexievich books have been adapted?
- 2 books have been adapted for film or TV, including War's Unwomanly Face (TV, 1980) and Voices from Chernobyl (film, 2016).
Authors like Svetlana Alexievich
Sources: book lists and dates from Wikidata and Open Library, ratings from Open Library readers. Last updated September 2026.