Primo Levi books

Complete list of all Primo Levi books in order, including the Auschwitz Trilogy, non-fiction, poetry, and standalone novels.

Anthologies

Title Published Buy on Amazon
Friendship 1990 Buy
On Suicide: Great Writers on the Ultimate Question 1992 Buy
Art from the Ashes: A Holocaust Anthology 1995 Buy
Writers: Their Lives and Works 2018 Buy

Auschwitz Trilogy Reading Order

Title Published Buy on Amazon
Survival in Auschwitz 1947 Buy
הזהו אדם? 1947 N/A
The Reawakening 1963 Buy
I sommersi e i salvati 1986 N/A
The Drowned and the Saved 1986 Buy

Collections

Title Published Buy on Amazon
The Sixth Day And Other Tales 1966 Buy
The Periodic Table 1975 Buy
The Mirror Maker 1986 Buy
A Tranquil Star 1988 Buy

Non-Fiction

Title Published Buy on Amazon
If This Is a Man & The Truce 1947 Buy
Moments of Reprieve 1981 Buy
The Search for Roots 1981 Buy
Conversations 1984 Buy
Dialogo 1984 Buy
Other People’s Trades 1985 Buy
Auschwitz Report 1989 Buy
The Voice of Memory 1997 Buy
The Black Hole of Auschwitz 2004 Buy
Auschwitz Testimonies 2015 Buy
The Last Interview 2016 Buy

Poetry Collections

Title Published Buy on Amazon
Shema 1981 Buy
Collected Poems 1981 Buy
The Survivor 1988 Buy

Standalone Novels

Title Published Buy on Amazon
The Monkey’s Wrench 1978 Buy
If Not Now, When? 1982 Buy
The Magic Paint 2011 Buy

Primo Levi (1919-1987) was an Italian Jewish chemist and writer who survived Auschwitz. His first book, “Survival in Auschwitz” (1947), recounted his imprisonment with a clarity and restraint that set it apart from other Holocaust testimonies. He spent four decades writing about the experience and its meaning.

Beyond his Holocaust writing, Levi produced fiction, poetry, and essays on science, language, and craft. “The Periodic Table,” which uses chemical elements as chapter frameworks for autobiographical stories, has been called one of the best science books ever written. His work as a whole stands as a model of precise, humane, and unsentimental literary witness.

Below you will find all of Primo Levi’s books in order, grouped by type.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many books has Primo Levi written?

Primo Levi has written 30 books across six series.

What was Primo Levi's first book?

Primo Levi’s first book is If This Is a Man & The Truce, published in 1947.

Why is Primo Levi considered one of the most important Holocaust writers?

Primo Levi survived 11 months in Auschwitz as an Italian Jewish chemist and spent the rest of his life bearing witness to the experience. His writing — especially “Survival in Auschwitz” and “The Drowned and the Saved” — is valued for its clarity, moral precision, and refusal to simplify the horror. He wrote without sentimentality, making his accounts among the most trusted and widely read Holocaust testimonies.

Disclosure: As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases. We may receive commissions for purchases made through links on this site.

Privacy Policy