Voltaire books in order
French writer, historian and philosopher
- Lived
- 1694–1778
- Country
- France
- Books
- 51
- Also writes as
- Bénédictin
Voltaire published 14 novels, 4 novellas, 10 non-fiction books, 3 poetry collections, 18 plays and 2 other books, beginning with Letters on the English (1734). The best-known is Candide (1759).
Updated September 2026
Where to start with Voltaire
Standalone novels in order
History of Charles XII (1731)
Elements of the Philosophy of Newton (1738)
La Princesse De Navarre (1744), with Jean-Philippe Rameau
Encyclopédie (1751), with Denis Diderot and Jean-Jacques Rousseau
Essai Sur Les Mœurs Et L'esprit Des Nations (1756)
Plato's Dream (1756)
The Two Comforters (1756)
The Good Brahmin (1761)
Commentaires Sur Corneille (1764)
Dictionnaire Philosophique (1764)
Jeannot and Colin (1764)
On the Horrible Danger Represented by Reading (1765)
The Princess of Babylon (1768)
The White Bull (1773)
Novellas in order
Zadig; Or, the Book of Fate (1749)
Micromégas (1752)
Candide (1759)
The Huron; Or, Pupil of Nature (1767)
Non-fiction in order
The History of Charles the Twelfth, King of Sweden (1731)
Letters on the English (1734)
Siècle De Louis Xiv (1739)
Le Siècle De Louis Xiv (1751)
Treatise on Tolerance (1763)
The Philosophical Dictionary for the Pocket (1764)
Philosophical, Literary and Historical Pieces (1765)
The Philosophy of History (1766)
The Man of Forty Crowns (1768)
Voltaire in His Letters (1818)
Poetry in order
An Essay Upon the Civil Wars of France (1727)
Henriade (1728)
La Henriade: Poème (1779)
Plays in order
Oedipus (1717)
Hérode Et Mariamne (1724)
The Death of Caesar (1735)
Zaïre (1736)
L'enfant Prodigue (1738)
Mérope (1744)
Nanine (1749)
Sémiramis (tragedy) (1749)
Catilina Ou Rome Sauvée (1752)
The Orphan of China (1755)
Socrates (1759)
Tancrède (1760)
Le Café Ou L'Ecossaise (Apr 1760)
Olympie (1763)
Le Triumvirat (1766)
Mahomet (1767)
Sophonisbe (1774)
Irène (1779)
Other books in order
Le Philosophe Ignorant (1766)
Taureau Blanc (1774)
Film and TV adaptations
- Candide, or the Optimist of the Twentieth Century (1960)Film · from Candide
- Mondo candido (1975)Film · from Candide
- Êta Mundo Bom!TV · from Candide
- Êta Mundo Melhor!TV · from Candide
Free to read
All free classicsVoltaire's Philosophical Dictionary
Letters on England
Toleration and other essays
Voltaire's history of Charles XII, king of Sweden
Voltaire's Romances, Complete in One Volume
A Philosophical Dictionary, Volume 01
A Philosophical Dictionary, Volume 02
A Philosophical Dictionary, Volume 10
Index of the PG Works of Voltaire in English
A Philosophical Dictionary, Volume 09
A Philosophical Dictionary, Volume 03
A Philosophical Dictionary, Volume 08
A Philosophical Dictionary, Volume 06
A Philosophical Dictionary, Volume 04
About Voltaire
François-Marie Arouet, known by his pen name Voltaire, was a French Enlightenment writer, philosopher (philosophe), satirist, and historian. Famous for his wit and his criticism of Christianity and of slavery, Voltaire was an advocate of freedom of speech, freedom of religion, and separation of church and state.
Biography from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0. Photo via Wikimedia Commons.
Voltaire FAQ
- How many books has Voltaire written?
- Voltaire published 14 novels, 4 novellas, 10 non-fiction books, 3 poetry collections, 18 plays and 2 other books that we list, as of September 2026.
- What order should I read Voltaire's books in?
- Publication order is a safe choice; the full list is above. Most readers start with Candide.
- What is Voltaire's last book?
- The White Bull (1773).
- What is Voltaire's most famous book?
- Candide (1759) is Voltaire's most widely read book.
- Does Voltaire write under a pen name?
- Yes: Voltaire has also published as Bénédictin.
- Which Voltaire books have been adapted?
- 1 book has been adapted for film or TV, including Candide (as Candide, or the Optimist of the Twentieth Century, film, 1960).
- Can I read Voltaire's books for free?
- Yes. 23 books by Voltaire are in the public domain in the US and free to read online or download here.
Authors like Voltaire
Sources: book lists and dates from Wikidata and Open Library, ratings from Open Library readers, free texts from Project Gutenberg. Last updated September 2026.