Yaşar Kemal books in order
Kurdish writer and human rights activist
- Lived
- 1923–2015
- Country
- Turkey
- Books
- 15
- Series
- 1
Yaşar Kemal published 11 novels, 2 novellas, 1 short story collection and 1 other book, beginning with They Burn the Thistles (1969). The series is İnce Memed tetralogy (2 books, starting with Memed, My Hawk).
Updated September 2026
Where to start with Yaşar Kemal
Start here
Memed, My Hawk
Book 1 of İnce Memed tetralogy, the series that includes They Burn the Thistles, Yaşar Kemal's most-read book.
Standalone novels in order
The Wind from the Plain (1963)
Ölmez Otu (1968)
Iron Earth, Copper Sky (1969)
Ağrıdağı Efsanesi (1970)
Yılanı Öldürseler (1976)
Murder in the Ironsmiths Market (1979)
Teneke (1981)
The Sea-crossed Fisherman (1985)
Salman the Solitary (1997)
Novellas in order
The Legend of Ararat (1974)
The Birds Have Also Gone (1987)
Short story collections in order
Anatolian Tales (1968)
Other books in order
Yilani Öldürseler (1982)
About Yaşar Kemal
Yaşar Kemal was a leading Turkish writer of Kurdish descent and a human rights activist. He received 38 awards during his lifetime and had been a candidate for the Nobel Prize in Literature on the strength of his 1955 novel Memed, My Hawk.
Biography from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0. Photo via Wikimedia Commons.
Yaşar Kemal FAQ
- How many books has Yaşar Kemal written?
- Yaşar Kemal published 11 novels, 2 novellas, 1 short story collection and 1 other book that we list, as of September 2026.
- What order should I read Yaşar Kemal's books in?
- Read each series in its own order: start İnce Memed tetralogy with Memed, My Hawk. The other books stand alone and can be read in any order.
- What is Yaşar Kemal's last book?
- Salman the Solitary (1997).
- What is Yaşar Kemal's most famous book?
- They Burn the Thistles (1969) is Yaşar Kemal's most widely read book.
- Are Yaşar Kemal's books connected?
- 2 books belong to 1 series (İnce Memed tetralogy); the other 13 books stand alone.
Sources: book lists and dates from Wikidata and Open Library, ratings from Open Library readers. Last updated September 2026.