William L. Shirer books in order
American journalist
- Lived
- 1904–1993
- Country
- United States
- Books
- 15
William L. Shirer published 4 novels, 7 non-fiction books, 2 children's books and 2 other books, beginning with Berlin Diary (1941). The best-known is The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich (1960).
Updated September 2026
Where to start with William L. Shirer
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The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich
William L. Shirer's most-read book.
Standalone novels in order
End of a Berlin Diary (1947)
Midcentury Journey (1952)
The Start, 1904-1930 (1976)
20th Century Journey (1990)
Non-fiction in order
Berlin Diary (1941)
The Challenge of Scandinavia: Norway, Sweden, Denmark, and Finland in Our Time (1955)
The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich (Oct 1960)
The Collapse of the Third Republic (1969)
Gandhi, a Memoir (1979)
Love and Hatred (1994)
This Is Berlin (1999)
Children's books in order
The Rise and Fall of Adolf Hitler (1961)
The Sinking of the Bismarck (1962)
Other books in order
Berlin Diary Part 1 Of 2 (1941)
The Traitor (1950)
About William L. Shirer
William Lawrence Shirer was an American journalist, war correspondent, and historian. His history of Nazi Germany, The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich (1960), has been read and cited in scholarly works for more than 60 years; its 50th anniversary was marked by a new edition of the book.
Biography from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0. Photo via Wikimedia Commons.
William L. Shirer FAQ
- How many books has William L. Shirer written?
- William L. Shirer published 4 novels, 7 non-fiction books, 2 children's books and 2 other books that we list, as of September 2026.
- What order should I read William L. Shirer's books in?
- Publication order is a safe choice; the full list is above. Most readers start with The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich.
- What is William L. Shirer's last book?
- Love and Hatred (1994).
- What is William L. Shirer's most famous book?
- The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich (1960) is William L. Shirer's most widely read book.
Sources: book lists and dates from Wikidata and Open Library, ratings from Open Library readers. Last updated September 2026.