Thérèse Raquin
A compact, standalone early novel and an accessible introduction to Zola's naturalist method.
Author guide
Émile Zola Books in Order
Émile Zola (1840–1902) was a French novelist, critic, journalist, playwright, and political writer. He is best known for the twenty-novel Rougon-Macquart cycle, his later cycles Les Trois Villes and Les Quatre Évangiles, his naturalist criticism, and his public intervention in the Dreyfus affair.
naturalismrealismnovelshort fictionliterary criticismjournalismtheatrepoetry
Not sure where to begin?
Start with one of these
L'Assommoir
A major, self-contained novel and an effective entry point to Les Rougon-Macquart.
La Fortune des Rougon
The publication-order beginning of Les Rougon-Macquart.
Read in order
Books by series
novel cycle · complete
Les Rougon-Macquart
A twenty-novel cycle tracing the Rougon-Macquart family across the Second French Empire.
- 1 La Fortune des RougonAmazon ↗
Book 1 · novel · 1871
- 2 La CuréeAmazon ↗
Book 2 · novel · 1872
- 3
Le Ventre de ParisAmazon ↗Book 3 · novel · 1873
- 4
La Conquête de PlassansAmazon ↗Book 4 · novel · 1874
- 5
La Faute de l'abbé MouretAmazon ↗Book 5 · novel · 1875
- 6
Son Excellence Eugène RougonAmazon ↗Book 6 · novel · 1876
- 7 L'AssommoirAmazon ↗
Book 7 · novel · 1877
- 8
Une page d'amourAmazon ↗Book 8 · novel · 1878
- 9
NanaAmazon ↗Book 9 · novel · 1880
- 10
Pot-BouilleAmazon ↗Book 10 · novel · 1882
- 11
Au Bonheur des DamesAmazon ↗Book 11 · novel · 1883
- 12
La Joie de vivreAmazon ↗Book 12 · novel · 1884
- 13
GerminalAmazon ↗Book 13 · novel · 1885
- 14 L'ŒuvreAmazon ↗
Book 14 · novel · 1886
- 15 La TerreAmazon ↗
Book 15 · novel · 1887
- 16 Le RêveAmazon ↗
Book 16 · novel · 1888
- 17
La Bête humaineAmazon ↗Book 17 · novel · 1890
- 18
L'ArgentAmazon ↗Book 18 · novel · 1891
- 19
La DébâcleAmazon ↗Book 19 · novel · 1892
- 20
Le Docteur PascalAmazon ↗Book 20 · novel · 1893
novel cycle · complete
Les Trois Villes
A three-novel cycle examining religion, modernity, and society through Lourdes, Rome, and Paris.
novel cycle · incomplete
Les Quatre Évangiles
Zola's projected four-novel cycle; three novels were completed and published, while Justice remained unfinished.
Outside the series
Bibliography by category
Novels (6)
Nonfiction (6)
- Mes HainesAmazon ↗
criticism · 1866
- Mon SalonAmazon ↗
art criticism · 1866
- Édouard Manet: étude biographique et critiqueAmazon ↗
art criticism · 1867
- Mes SalonsAmazon ↗
art criticism · 1868
- Les Romanciers naturalistesAmazon ↗
literary criticism · 1881
- Documents littérairesAmazon ↗
literary criticism · 1881
Short fiction (4)
Essays and speeches (5)
Plays (8)
- PerretteAmazon ↗
play · 1861
- Les Héritiers RabourdinAmazon ↗
play · 1874
- Thérèse RaquinAmazon ↗
play · 1875
- Le Bouton de roseAmazon ↗
play · 1878
- Nos auteurs dramatiquesAmazon ↗
theatre criticism · 1881
- Le Naturalisme au théâtreAmazon ↗
theatre criticism · 1881
-
RenéeAmazon ↗play · 1887
- Madeleine FératAmazon ↗
play · 1889
Collaborations (2)
Other (1)
- La République en marcheAmazon ↗
political chronicle collection · 1956