William Ernest Henley published 2 novels, 1 non-fiction book, 3 poetry collections and 1 other book, beginning with A Book of Verses (1888). The best-known is Poems (1904).
Updated September 2026
Where to start with William Ernest Henley
Standalone novels in order
Invictus (1888)
Lyra Heroica (1891)
Non-fiction in order
Views and Reviews (1890)
Poetry in order
A Book of Verses (1888)
English Lyrics (1897)
Poems (1904)
Other books in order
London Voluntaries (1893)
Free to read
All free classics![Cover of Slang and its analogues past and present, volume 2 [of 7]](https://www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/77292/pg77292.cover.medium.jpg)
![Cover of Slang and its analogues past and present, volume 3 [of 7]](https://www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/74870/pg74870.cover.medium.jpg)
![Cover of Slang and its analogues past and present, volume 1 [of 7]](https://www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/78263/pg78263.cover.medium.jpg)
About William Ernest Henley
William Ernest Henley was an English poet, writer, critic, and editor. Though he wrote several books of poetry, Henley is remembered most often for his 1875 poem "Invictus". A fixture in London literary circles, the one-legged Henley was an inspiration for Robert Louis Stevenson's character Long John Silver, while his young daughter Margaret Henley inspired J. M. Barrie's choice of the name Wendy for the heroine of his play Peter Pan (1904).
Biography from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0. Photo via Wikimedia Commons.
William Ernest Henley FAQ
- How many books has William Ernest Henley written?
- William Ernest Henley published 2 novels, 1 non-fiction book, 3 poetry collections and 1 other book that we list, as of September 2026.
- What order should I read William Ernest Henley's books in?
- Publication order is a safe choice; the full list is above. Most readers start with Poems.
- What is William Ernest Henley's last book?
- Lyra Heroica (1891).
- What is William Ernest Henley's most famous book?
- Poems (1904) is William Ernest Henley's most widely read book.
- Can I read William Ernest Henley's books for free?
- Yes. 8 books by William Ernest Henley are in the public domain in the US and free to read online or download here.
Authors like William Ernest Henley
Sources: book lists and dates from Wikidata and Open Library, ratings from Open Library readers, free texts from Project Gutenberg. Last updated September 2026.