Gulliver's Travels
Swift's best-known satirical novel and the most accessible entry to his fiction.
Author guide
Jonathan Swift Books in Order
Jonathan Swift (1667–1745) was an Anglo-Irish writer and Anglican clergyman who served as Dean of St Patrick's Cathedral, Dublin. Writing anonymously and under numerous pseudonyms, he produced satirical fiction, poetry, political and religious pamphlets, essays, sermons, memoirs, correspondence, and works on Irish affairs. His major works include A Tale of a Tub, Gulliver's Travels, the Drapier's Letters, A Modest Proposal, and A Complete Collection of Genteel and Ingenious Conversation.
satirepoetryessayspolitical writingreligious writingfictionmemoircorrespondence
Not sure where to begin?
Start with one of these
A Tale of a Tub
A foundational early satire that introduces Swift's prose style and intellectual concerns.
A Modest Proposal
A short, self-contained example of Swift's political and satirical writing.
Read in order
Books by series
pamphlet-series · completed
The Bickerstaff Papers
Swift's satirical pamphlets and collections written under the pseudonym Isaac Bickerstaff, chiefly targeting astrologer John Partridge and related credulity.
- 1 Predictions for the Year 1708Amazon ↗
Book 1 · pamphlet · 1708
- 2 The Accomplishment of the First of Mr. Bickerstaff's PredictionsAmazon ↗
Book 2 · pamphlet · 1708
- 3 An Elegy on Mr. Partridge, the Almanack-MakerAmazon ↗
Book 3 · poetry · 1708
- 4 A Vindication of Isaac Bickerstaff, Esq.Amazon ↗
Book 4 · pamphlet · 1709
- 5 A Famous Prediction of Merlin, the British WizardAmazon ↗
Book 5 · pamphlet · 1709
- 6 The Lucubrations of Isaac Bickerstaff, Esq.Amazon ↗
Book 6 · collection · 1720
letter-series · completed
The Drapier's Letters
Swift's separately issued political letters opposing William Wood's Irish halfpence scheme, published under the pseudonym M. B. Drapier.
- 1 A Letter to the Shopkeepers, Tradesmen, Farmers, and Common People of IrelandAmazon ↗
Book 1 · political-writing · 1724
- 2 A Letter to Mr. Harding the PrinterAmazon ↗
Book 2 · political-writing · 1724
- 3 Some Observations upon a Paper Called The Report of the Committee of the Privy Council in England Relating to Wood's HalfpenceAmazon ↗
Book 3 · political-writing · 1724
- 4 A Letter to the Whole People of IrelandAmazon ↗
Book 4 · political-writing · 1724
- 5 Seasonable Advice to the Grand JuryAmazon ↗
Book 5 · political-writing · 1724
- 6 A Letter to the Right Honourable the Lord Viscount MolesworthAmazon ↗
Book 6 · political-writing · 1724
Outside the series
Bibliography by category
Novels (5)
- A Discourse of the Contests and Dissensions Between the Nobles and the Commons in Athens and RomeAmazon ↗
nonfiction · 1701
- A Project for the Advancement of Religion and the Reformation of MannersAmazon ↗
nonfiction · 1709
- Gulliver's TravelsAmazon ↗
novel · 1726
- An Examination of Certain Abuses, Corruptions, and Enormities in the City of DublinAmazon ↗
nonfiction · 1732
-
Directions to ServantsAmazon ↗nonfiction · 1745
Nonfiction (2)
Essays and speeches (12)
- An Answer to a Scurrilous Pamphlet, Lately Printed, Intituled, A Letter from Monsieur de CrosAmazon ↗
pamphlet · 1693
- A Tritical Essay upon the Faculties of the MindAmazon ↗
essay · 1707
- An Argument to Prove That the Abolishing of Christianity in England May, as Things Now Stand, Be Attended with Some InconvenienciesAmazon ↗
essay · 1708
- A Letter from a Member of the House of Commons in Ireland to a Member of the House of Commons in England, Concerning the Sacramental TestAmazon ↗
pamphlet · 1709
- A Meditation upon a BroomstickAmazon ↗
essay · 1710
- A Short Character of His Excellency Thomas Earl of WhartonAmazon ↗
pamphlet · 1711
- Some Remarks upon a Pamphlet, Entitled, A Letter to the Seven Lords of the Committee Appointed to Examine GreggAmazon ↗
pamphlet · 1711
- A Proposal for Correcting, Improving, and Ascertaining the English TongueAmazon ↗
essay · 1712
- Some Advice Humbly Offered to the Members of the October ClubAmazon ↗
pamphlet · 1712
- A Letter of Advice to a Young Poet, Together with a Proposal for the Encouragement of Poetry in IrelandAmazon ↗
essay · 1720
- Brotherly LoveAmazon ↗
sermon · 1754
- Hints toward an Essay on ConversationAmazon ↗
essay · 1758
Poetry (9)
- Phyllis; or, The Progress of LoveAmazon ↗
poetry · 1719
- Cadenus and VanessaAmazon ↗
poetry · 1726
- On Poetry: A RhapsodyAmazon ↗
poetry · 1733
- An Epistle to a Lady Who Desired the Author to Make Verses on Her in the Heroick Stile, with a Poem Occasioned by Reading Dr. Young's SatiresAmazon ↗
poetry · 1734
- A Beautiful Young Nymph Going to Bed, with Strephon and Chloe and Cassinus and PeterAmazon ↗
poetry · 1734
- A Character, Panegyric, and Description of the Legion ClubAmazon ↗
poetry · 1736
- The Beasts' Confession to the PriestAmazon ↗
poetry · 1738
- An Imitation of the Sixth Satire of the Second Book of HoraceAmazon ↗
poetry · 1738
- Verses on the Death of Dr. SwiftAmazon ↗
poetry · 1739
Other (26)
- A Tale of a TubAmazon ↗
satire · 1704
- Miscellanies in Prose and VerseAmazon ↗
collection · 1711
- The Conduct of the Allies and of the Late Ministry in Beginning and Carrying on the Present WarAmazon ↗
political-writing · 1711
- Some Remarks on the Barrier Treaty Between Her Majesty and the States-GeneralAmazon ↗
political-writing · 1712
- Some Reasons to Prove That No Person Is Obliged by His Principles, as a Whig, to Oppose Her Majesty or Her Present MinistryAmazon ↗
political-writing · 1712
- The Publick Spirit of the WhigsAmazon ↗
political-writing · 1714
- A Proposal for the Universal Use of Irish ManufactureAmazon ↗
political-writing · 1720
- A Letter from a Lay-Patron to a Gentleman Designing for Holy OrdersAmazon ↗
religious-writing · 1720
- A Letter to a Young Gentleman, Lately Entered into Holy OrdersAmazon ↗
religious-writing · 1721
- Some Arguments against Enlarging the Power of Bishops in Letting of LeasesAmazon ↗
religious-writing · 1723
- Fraud Detected; or, The Hibernian PatriotAmazon ↗
collection · 1725
- A Short View of the State of IrelandAmazon ↗
political-writing · 1728
- An Answer to a Paper Called A Memorial of the Poor Inhabitants, Tradesmen, and Labourers of the Kingdom of IrelandAmazon ↗
political-writing · 1728
- A Modest ProposalAmazon ↗
political-writing · 1729
- The Journal of a Dublin LadyAmazon ↗
satire · 1729
- Considerations upon Two Bills Sent down from the House of Lords Relating to the Clergy of IrelandAmazon ↗
religious-writing · 1732
- The Advantages Proposed by Repealing the Sacramental Test Impartially ConsideredAmazon ↗
religious-writing · 1732
- A Proposal for an Act of Parliament to Pay off the Debt of the Nation without Taxing the SubjectAmazon ↗
political-writing · 1732
- The Life and Genuine Character of Doctor Swift, Written by HimselfAmazon ↗
satire · 1733
- The Presbyterians' Plea of Merit in Order to Take off the Test Impartially ExaminedAmazon ↗
religious-writing · 1733
- Reasons Why We Should Not Lower the Coins Now Current in This KingdomAmazon ↗
political-writing · 1736
- A Proposal for Giving Badges to the Beggars in All the Parishes of DublinAmazon ↗
political-writing · 1737
- A Complete Collection of Genteel and Ingenious ConversationAmazon ↗
dialogue · 1738
- Some Free Thoughts upon the Present State of AffairsAmazon ↗
political-writing · 1741
- The Story of the Injured LadyAmazon ↗
satire · 1746
- Journal to StellaAmazon ↗
correspondence · 1766