Three Cities books in order

Q: "How many books are in the Three Cities series?"

"There are three books in the Three Cities series, published between 1896 and 2014."

Q: "What is the first book in the Three Cities series?"

"The first book in the Three Cities series is Lourdes, published in 1914."

Q: "Do you need to read the Rougon-Macquart series before the Three Cities trilogy?"

"No, the Three Cities trilogy is a separate work with its own protagonist and storyline. It was written after the Rougon-Macquart cycle and has no direct connection to those novels. You can read it without any background in Zola's earlier work."

Reading order

#	Title	Published	Author	Buy on Amazon
1	Lourdes	1914	Emile Zola	Buy
2	Paris	2014	Emile Zola	Buy
3	Rome	1896	Emile Zola	Buy

The Three Cities trilogy was Emile Zola’s bridge between his massive Rougon-Macquart cycle and his final Four Gospels project. The three novels follow Pierre Froment, a Catholic priest wrestling with a crisis of faith, as he travels through Lourdes, Rome, and Paris searching for answers about religion and modern society.

Each novel is set in one of the title cities and examines a different aspect of the Catholic Church’s relationship with contemporary life. Zola was deeply skeptical of organized religion, and these books reflect that stance while also showing genuine curiosity about why people believe. The trilogy received mixed reactions when published but remains interesting reading for anyone drawn to Zola’s later philosophical works.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many books are in the Three Cities series?

There are three books in the Three Cities series, published between 1896 and 2014.

What is the first book in the Three Cities series?

The first book in the Three Cities series is Lourdes, published in 1914.

Do you need to read the Rougon-Macquart series before the Three Cities trilogy?

No, the Three Cities trilogy is a separate work with its own protagonist and storyline. It was written after the Rougon-Macquart cycle and has no direct connection to those novels. You can read it without any background in Zola’s earlier work.

Reading order#

Frequently Asked Questions

Reading order