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George Eliot: Biography, Books & Where to Start

1819–1880 · Nuneaton, Warwickshire, England · also known as Mary Ann Evans, Marian Evans

George Eliot booksGeorge Eliot biographyMiddlemarchSilas MarnerThe Mill on the FlossAdam BedeMary Ann EvansMarian Evans

Who was George Eliot?

George Eliot was the pen name of Mary Ann Evans, who chose a man’s name so her novels would be taken seriously. A brilliant translator and journalist before she turned to fiction, she wrote some of the most intelligent and humane novels in English: Adam Bede (1859), The Mill on the Floss (1860), the short and moving Silas Marner (1861), and Middlemarch (1871–72), a portrait of a whole provincial town that Virginia Woolf called “one of the few English novels written for grown-up people.”

Where to start

Begin with Silas Marner.

George Eliot’s books, in order

  1. Adam Bede (1859)
    Free at: Project Gutenberg · Standard Ebooks · LibriVox · Wikisource · Internet Archive · Open Library Find a free edition →
  2. The Mill on the Floss (1860)
    Free at: Project Gutenberg · Standard Ebooks · LibriVox · Wikisource · Internet Archive · Open Library Find a free edition →
  3. Silas Marner (1861)
    Free at: Project Gutenberg · Standard Ebooks · LibriVox · Wikisource · Internet Archive · Open Library Find a free edition →
  4. Middlemarch (1872) Read free →

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More British authors

William Shakespeare · Jane Austen · Mary Shelley · Charlotte Brontë · Emily Brontë · Charles Dickens · Thomas Hardy · Arthur Conan Doyle · Joseph Conrad · Virginia Woolf · George Orwell

Frequently asked questions

Who was George Eliot?

George Eliot was the pen name of Mary Ann Evans, who chose a man’s name so her novels would be taken seriously. A brilliant translator and journalist before she turned to fiction, she wrote some of the most intelligent and humane novels in English: Adam Bede (1859), The Mill on the Floss (1860), the short and moving Silas Marner (1861), and Middlemarch (1871–72), a portrait of a whole provincial town that Virginia Woolf called “one of the few English novels written for grown-up people.”

What is George Eliot’s most famous book?

Middlemarch is usually considered George Eliot’s best-known work, followed by Silas Marner, The Mill on the Floss, Adam Bede.

Which George Eliot book should I read first?

Most readers start with Silas Marner.

Is it George Eliot or Mary Ann Evans?

Both refer to the same writer. Other spellings and names include Mary Ann Evans, Marian Evans.

Can I read George Eliot’s books free online?

Yes — 1 of George Eliot’s books are free to read online in Pagine, the free e-reader and reading tracker.

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