Sylvia Plath books in order
American poet and writer
- Lived
- 1932–1963
- Country
- United States
- Books
- 16
- Also writes as
- Victoria Lucas
Sylvia Plath published 1 novel, 1 novella, 1 short story collection, 2 non-fiction books, 10 poetry collections and 1 other book, beginning with The Colossus and Other Poems (1960). The best-known is The Bell Jar (1963).
Updated September 2026
Where to start with Sylvia Plath
Start here
The Bell Jar
Sylvia Plath's most-read book, rated by 70 Open Library readers.
Standalone novels in order
The Bell Jar (Jan 1963)
Novellas in order
The Colossus and Other Poems (1960)
Short story collections in order
Johnny Panic and the Bible of Dreams (1975)
Non-fiction in order
The Unabridged Journals of Sylvia Plath, 1950-1962 (2000)
Sylvia Plath (2013)
Poetry in order
Collected Poems (1963)
Ariel (1965)
Winter Trees (1971)
Crossing the Water (1975)
Selected Poems (1985)
The Bed Book (1986)
The It-Doesn'T-Matter Suit (1996)
Plath (1998)
The Collected Poems Of Sylvia Plath (2008)
Sylvia Plath Poems Chosen by Carol Ann Duffy (2012)
Other books in order
Letters Home (1975)
Film and TV adaptations
- The Bell JarFilm · from The Bell Jar
About Sylvia Plath
Sylvia Plath was an American poet and author. She is credited with advancing the genre of confessional poetry and her works include The Colossus and Other Poems (1960), Ariel (1965), and The Bell Jar (1963), a semi-autobiographical novel published one month before her suicide. The Collected Poems were published in 1981, which included previously unpublished works. For this collection Plath was awarded a Pulitzer Prize for Poetry in 1982, making her the fourth person to receive this honor posthumously.
Biography from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0. Photo via Wikimedia Commons.
Sylvia Plath FAQ
- How many books has Sylvia Plath written?
- Sylvia Plath published 1 novel, 1 novella, 1 short story collection, 2 non-fiction books, 10 poetry collections and 1 other book that we list, as of September 2026.
- What order should I read Sylvia Plath's books in?
- Publication order is a safe choice; the full list is above. Most readers start with The Bell Jar.
- What is Sylvia Plath's last book?
- The Bell Jar (1963).
- What is Sylvia Plath's most famous book?
- The Bell Jar (1963) is Sylvia Plath's most widely read book.
- Does Sylvia Plath write under a pen name?
- Yes: Sylvia Plath has also published as Victoria Lucas.
- Which Sylvia Plath books have been adapted?
- 1 book has been adapted for film or TV, including The Bell Jar (film).
Sources: book lists and dates from Wikidata and Open Library, ratings from Open Library readers. Last updated September 2026.