Throughout the

history of literature The history of literature is the historical development of writings in prose or poetry that attempt to provide entertainment, enlightenment, or instruction to the reader/listener/observer, as well as the development of the literary techniques ...

, since the creation of bound texts in the forms of books and

codices The codex (plural codices ) was the historical ancestor of the modern book. Instead of being composed of sheets of paper, it used sheets of vellum, papyrus, or other materials. The term ''codex'' is often used for ancient manuscript books, with ...

, various works have been published and written anonymously, often due to their political or controversial nature, or merely for the purposes of the privacy of their authors, among other reasons. This article provides a list of literary works published anonymously, either attributed to " Anonymous", or with no specific author's name given. Not included in this list are works which predate the advent of publishing and general attribution of authorship, such as ancient written inscriptions (such as hieroglyphic or pictographical, transcribed texts), certain historical folklore and myths of oral traditions now published as text, and reference or plain texts (letters, notes, graffiti) recovered archaeologically, which are otherwise unimportant to literary studies.

Religious texts Religious texts, including scripture, are texts which various religions consider to be of central importance to their religious tradition. They differ from literature by being a compilation or discussion of beliefs, mythologies, ritual prac ...

and

grimoires A grimoire ( ) (also known as a "book of spells" or a "spellbook") is a textbook of magic, typically including instructions on how to create magical objects like talismans and amulets, how to perform magical spells, charms and divination, and ...

, which are often written anonymously, may appear, along with works initially written anonymously whose authors are now known. This list is ordered alphabetically by title.

Works predating the Common Era

Ancient Mesopotamian works

* ''

Debate between bird and fish The "Debate between bird and fish" is an essay written in the Sumerian language on clay tablets, dating back to the mid to late 3rd millennium BC. Seven ''"debate"'' topics are known from Sumerian literature, falling in the category of 'disputati ...

'' * '' Enûma Eliš'' * '' Hurrian hymn to Nikkal'' * Inscriptions at Tell Abu Salabikh ** '' Instructions of Shuruppak'', attributed to the historically debatable Shuruppak * '' Kesh Temple Hymn'' * Mesopotamian City Laments ** '' Lament for Ur'' ** '' Lament for Sumer and Ur'' ** '' Lament for Nippur'' ** '' Lament for Eridu'' ** '' Lament for Uruk'' *

Sumerian creation myth The earliest record of a Sumerian creation myth, called The Eridu Genesis by historian Thorkild Jacobsen, is found on a single fragmentary tablet excavated in Nippur by the Expedition of the University of Pennsylvania in 1893, and first recognized ...

Ancient Egyptian works

* Ancient Egyptian funerary texts ** '' Coffin Texts'' ** New Kingdom funerary texts *** '' Book of the Dead'' *** '' Amduat'' *** '' Spell of the Twelve Caves'' *** '' The Book of Gates'' *** '' Book of the Netherworld'' *** ''

Book of Caverns The Book of Caverns is an important ancient Egyptian netherworld book of the New Kingdom.Hornung (1999) p.83 Like all other netherworld books, it is also attested on the inside of kings’ tombs for the benefit of the deceased. It describes the ...

'' *** '' Book of the Earth'' *** '' Litany of Re'' *** ''Book of the Heavens'' ** ''

Pyramid Texts The Pyramid Texts are the oldest ancient Egyptian funerary texts, dating to the late Old Kingdom. They are the earliest known corpus of ancient Egyptian religious texts. Written in Old Egyptian, the pyramid texts were carved onto the subterrane ...

'' * Ancient Egyptian medical papyri

Other works

* '' I Ching'' * ''The Aesop Romance''

Early classics

* '' Cantar de Mio Cid'' * '' Beowulf'' * '' De Dubiis Nominibus'' * Dresden Codex * ''

Sir Gawain and the Green Knight ''Sir Gawain and the Green Knight'' is a late 14th-century chivalric romance in Middle English. The author is unknown; the title was given centuries later. It is one of the best-known Arthurian stories, with its plot combining two types of ...

'' * ''

The Second Shepherds' Play ''The Second Shepherds' Play'' (also known as ''The Second Shepherds' Pageant'') is a famous medieval mystery play which is contained in the manuscript HM1, the unique manuscript of the Wakefield Cycle. These plays are also referred to as the Tow ...

'' * "''Enchiriadis''" texts ** ''

Scolica enchiriadis ''Scolica enchiriadis'' is an anonymous ninth-century music theory treatise and commentary on its companion work, the ''Musica enchiriadis''. These treatises were once attributed to Hucbald, but this is no longer accepted.Hoppin, Richard H. ''Medi ...

'' ** ''

Musica enchiriadis ''Musica enchiriadis'' is an anonymous musical treatise of the 9th century. It is the first surviving attempt to set up a system of rules for polyphony in western art music. The treatise was once attributed to Hucbald, but this is no longer accept ...

'' * ''

The Battle of Maldon "The Battle of Maldon" is the name given to an Old English poem of uncertain date celebrating the real Battle of Maldon of 991, at which an Anglo-Saxon army failed to repulse a Viking raid. Only 325 lines of the poem are extant; both the beginni ...

'' * ''Diaries of Court Ladies of Old Japan'' * ''

Gesta Hungarorum ''Gesta Hungarorum'', or ''The Deeds of the Hungarians'', is the earliest book about Hungarian history which has survived for posterity. Its genre is not chronicle, but ''gesta'', meaning "deeds" or "acts", which is a medieval entertaining li ...

'' * ''

The Secret History of the Mongols ''The Secret History of the Mongols'' (Middle Mongol: ''Mongɣol‑un niɣuca tobciyan''; Traditional Mongolian: , Khalkha Mongolian: , ; ) is the oldest surviving literary work in the Mongolian language. It was written for the Mongol royal fam ...

'' * '' St. Erkenwald'' * '' Corpus Hermeticum'' * ''

Poetic Edda The ''Poetic Edda'' is the modern name for an untitled collection of Old Norse anonymous narrative poems, which is distinct from the ''Prose Edda'' written by Snorri Sturluson. Several versions exist, all primarily of text from the Icelandic med ...

'' * The Lady of Escalot *'' One Thousand and One Nights''

15th century

* The Book of Dede Korkut * The

pasquinade A pasquinade or pasquil is a form of satire, usually an anonymous brief lampoon in verse or prose, and can also be seen as a form of literary caricature. The genre became popular in early modern Europe, in the 16th century, though the term had ...

s (satirical poems) glued to the

Talking Statues of Rome The talking statues of Rome ( it, statue parlanti di Roma) or the Congregation of Wits () provided an outlet for a form of anonymous political expression in Rome. Criticisms in the form of poems or witticisms were posted on well-known statues in ...

. They still appear from time to time. * The '' Key of Solomon'' * The ''

Skibby Chronicle The ''Skibby Chronicle'' (Danish: ''Skibbykrøniken'', Latin: ''Chronicon Skibyense'') is a Danish chronicle written in Latin and dating from the 1530s. It is preserved in a manuscript now held at the Arnamagnæan Institute. The manuscript w ...

'' * ''

La Farce de maître Pierre Pathelin LA most frequently refers to Los Angeles, the second largest city in the United States. La, LA, or L.A. may also refer to: Arts and entertainment Music * La (musical note), or A, the sixth note * "L.A.", a song by Elliott Smith on ''Figure ...

'' * ''

Hypnerotomachia Poliphili ''Hypnerotomachia Poliphili'' (; ), called in English ''Poliphilo's Strife of Love in a Dream'' or ''The Dream of Poliphilus'', is a book said to be by Francesco Colonna. It is a famous example of an incunable (a work of early printing). The wor ...

'', published anonymously at the time, now considered likely to have been written by Francesco Colonna * The

Voynich manuscript The Voynich manuscript is an illustrated codex hand-written in an otherwise unknown writing system, referred to as 'Voynichese'. The vellum on which it is written has been carbon-dated to the early 15th century (1404–1438), and stylistic ana ...

16th century

* '' Narrative of Some Things of New Spain and of the Great City of Temestitan'' * '' Lazarillo de Tormes'' * ''

Chilam Balam The Books of Chilam Balam () are handwritten, chiefly 17th and 18th-centuries Maya miscellanies, named after the small Yucatec towns where they were originally kept, and preserving important traditional knowledge in which indigenous Maya and early ...

17th century

* '' Actio Curiosa'' * '' Theophrastus redivivus'' * The entire catalog of Pierre Marteau * All works published after 1788 by Sylvain Maréchal *'' Vertue Rewarded''

18th century

* '' An Essay on the Principle of Population'' by T.R. Malthus, originally published anonymously * ''

Anti-Machiavel ''Anti-Machiavel'' is an 18th-century essay by Frederick the Great, King of Prussia and patron of Voltaire, consisting of a chapter-by-chapter rebuttal of ''The Prince'', the 16th-century book by Niccolò Machiavelli. It was first published in S ...

'' by

Frederick the Great Frederick II (german: Friedrich II.; 24 January 171217 August 1786) was King in Prussia from 1740 until 1772, and King of Prussia from 1772 until his death in 1786. His most significant accomplishments include his military successes in the S ...

, originally published anonymously * ''

Dream of the Red Chamber ''Dream of the Red Chamber'' (''Honglou Meng'') or ''The Story of the Stone'' (''Shitou Ji'') is a novel composed by Cao Xueqin in the middle of the 18th century. One of the Four Great Classical Novels of Chinese literature, it is known fo ...

'' by

Cao Xueqin Cáo Xuěqín ( ; ); (4 April 1710 — 10 June 1765)Briggs, Asa (ed.) (1989) ''The Longman Encyclopedia'', Longman, was a Chinese writer during the Qing dynasty. He is best known as the author of ''Dream of the Red Chamber'', one of the Four G ...

, originally published anonymously * ''The Sorrows of Yamba'' by

Hannah More Hannah More (2 February 1745 – 7 September 1833) was an English religious writer, philanthropist, poet and playwright in the circle of Johnson, Reynolds and Garrick, who wrote on moral and religious subjects. Born in Bristol, she taught at a ...

, originally published anonymously * ''

Common Sense (pamphlet) ''Common Sense'' is a 47-page pamphlet written by Thomas Paine in 1775–1776 advocating independence from Great Britain to people in the Thirteen Colonies. Writing in clear and persuasive prose, Paine collected various moral and political a ...

'' by

Thomas Paine Thomas Paine (born Thomas Pain; – In the contemporary record as noted by Conway, Paine's birth date is given as January 29, 1736–37. Common practice was to use a dash or a slash to separate the old-style year from the new-style year. In th ...

, originally published anonymously * ''

The Federalist Papers ''The Federalist Papers'' is a collection of 85 articles and essays written by Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, and John Jay under the collective pseudonym "Publius" to promote the ratification of the Constitution of the United States. The c ...

'', by Alexander Hamilton,

James Madison James Madison Jr. (March 16, 1751June 28, 1836) was an American statesman, diplomat, and Founding Father. He served as the fourth president of the United States from 1809 to 1817. Madison is hailed as the "Father of the Constitution" for h ...

, and

John Jay John Jay (December 12, 1745 – May 17, 1829) was an American statesman, patriot, diplomat, abolitionist, signatory of the Treaty of Paris, and a Founding Father of the United States. He served as the second governor of New York and the f ...

; originally published under the pseudonym "Publius" * ''The Animated Skeleton'' * ''The Cavern of Death''

19th century

* ''

Frankenstein ''Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus'' is an 1818 novel written by English author Mary Shelley. ''Frankenstein'' tells the story of Victor Frankenstein, a young scientist who creates a sapient creature in an unorthodox scientific ...

'' by Mary Shelley, originally published anonymously * ''A Brief Inquiry into the Natural Rights of Man'' * '' A Strange Manuscript Found in a Copper Cylinder'' by James De Mille, originally published anonymously. * ''

Democracy Democracy (From grc, δημοκρατία, dēmokratía, ''dēmos'' 'people' and ''kratos'' 'rule') is a form of government in which people, the people have the authority to deliberate and decide legislation ("direct democracy"), or to choo ...

'' by Henry Adams, originally published anonymously. * '' Elizabeth and Her German Garden'' by

Elizabeth von Arnim Elizabeth von Arnim (31 August 1866 – 9 February 1941), born Mary Annette Beauchamp, was an English novelist. Born in Australia, she married a German aristocrat, and her earliest works are set in Germany. Her first marriage made her Countess v ...

, originally published anonymously. * ''

Fantasmagoriana ''Fantasmagoriana'' is a French anthology of German ghost stories, translated anonymously by Jean-Baptiste Benoît Eyriès and published in 1812. Most of the stories are from the first two volumes of Johann August Apel and Friedrich Laun's (1 ...

'' by

Jean-Baptiste Benoît Eyriès Jean-Baptiste Benoît Eyriès (; 24 June 176713 June 1846) was a French geographer, author and translator, best remembered in the English speaking world for his translation of German ghost stories '' Fantasmagoriana'', published anonymously in 18 ...

, published anonymously. * ''Keep Cool'' by John Neal, published under the pseudonym "Somebody, M.D.C. &c. &c. &c.", in which "M.D.C." stands for "Member of the Delphian Club" * '' Seventy-Six'' by John Neal, attributed to "the author of Logan" * '' Might is Right'', published under the pseudonym "Ragnar Redbeard". The most commonly claimed authors are

Arthur Desmond Arthur Desmond (c. 1859 – 23 January 1929?), also known as Arthur Uing, Richard Thurland, Desmond Dilg, and Gavin Gowrie, was a political activist, poet, and author. He lived for periods in New Zealand, Australia, the United States, and Engl ...

Jack London John Griffith Chaney (January 12, 1876 – November 22, 1916), better known as Jack London, was an American novelist, journalist and activist. A pioneer of commercial fiction and American magazines, he was one of the first American authors to ...

. * '' Romance of Lust'', originally published anonymously but variously attributed to Edward Sellon or William Simpson Potter * '' Supernatural Religion: An Inquiry into the Reality of Divine Revelation'' by

Walter Richard Cassels Walter Richard Cassels (4 September 1826 – 10 June 1907) was an English poet and theological critic best known as the author of ''Supernatural Religion'' (1874). Early life Cassels was born in London, the son of a British consular official. I ...

, originally published anonymously. * '' Tales of the Dead'', translated by Sarah Elizabeth Utterson, published anonymously. * '' Tamerlane and Other Poems'', the first published collection of poems by

Edgar Allan Poe Edgar Allan Poe (; Edgar Poe; January 19, 1809 – October 7, 1849) was an American writer, poet, editor, and literary critic. Poe is best known for his poetry and short stories, particularly his tales of mystery and the macabre. He is wid ...

, originally published anonymously. * ''The Log-Cabin Lady'' * ''The Princess Ilsée'' * ''

The String of Pearls ''The'' () is a grammatical article in English, denoting persons or things already mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite article in English. ''The'' is the ...

'' * ''

The Way of a Pilgrim ''The Way of a Pilgrim'', or ''The Pilgrim's Tale'', is the English title of a 19th-century Russian work, recounting the narrator's journey as a mendicant pilgrim while practicing the Jesus Prayer. The pilgrim's travels take him through southern ...

'' * ''The Great Organ in the Boston Music Hall'' * ''

Under the Greenwood Tree ''Under the Greenwood Tree: A Rural Painting of the Dutch School'' is a novel by the English writer Thomas Hardy, published anonymously in 1872. It was Hardy's second published novel, and the first of what was to become his series of Wessex n ...

'' by Thomas Hardy, originally published anonymously. * '' Vestiges of the Natural History of Creation'' by

Robert Chambers (publisher, born 1802) Robert Chambers (; 10 July 1802 – 17 March 1871) was a Scottish publisher, geologist, evolutionary thinker, author and journal editor who, like his elder brother and business partner William Chambers, was highly influential in mid-19th-centu ...

, as only revealed after his death

20th century

*
Jack Pots
' by Eugene Edwards published in 1900 by Jamieson-Higgins. A collection of poker stories. Author is believed to be another pseudonym of

S. W. Erdnase S. W. Erdnase is a pseudonym used by the author of ''The Expert at the Card Table'', a book detailing sleight of hand, cheating and legerdemain using playing cards. Still considered essential reading for any card magician, the book (usually known a ...

. *''

The Autobiography of a Flea ''The Autobiography of a Flea'' is an anonymous erotic novel first published in 1887 in London by Edward Avery. Later research has revealed that the author was a London lawyer of the time named Stanislas de Rhodes. The story is narrated by a ...

'' erotic novel published in 1901. * ''

The Expert at the Card Table ''The Expert at the Card Table'', is an extensive book on the art of sleight of hand published in 1902 by S. W. Erdnase, a pseudonymous author whose identity has remained a mystery for over a century. As a detailed manual of card sharps, the book ...

'' by

, a book on sleight-of-hand with cards for card advantage play and magic, self-published in 1902 in Chicago. *'' The Autobiography of an Ex-Colored Man'', the story of a young biracial man, was published anonymously in 1912 by

James Weldon Johnson James Weldon Johnson (June 17, 1871June 26, 1938) was an American writer and civil rights activist. He was married to civil rights activist Grace Nail Johnson. Johnson was a leader of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored Peop ...

who revealed himself as the author in 1927. * The Strange Death of Adolf Hitler, anonymously written 1939 book which claims that

Adolf Hitler Adolf Hitler (; 20 April 188930 April 1945) was an Austrian-born German politician who was dictator of Nazi Germany, Germany from 1933 until Death of Adolf Hitler, his death in 1945. Adolf Hitler's rise to power, He rose to power as the le ...

died in 1938 and was subsequently impersonated by look-alikes. *''

Demian ''Demian: The Story of Emil Sinclair's Youth'' is a Bildungsroman by Hermann Hesse, first published in 1919; a prologue was added in 1960. ''Demian'' was first published under the pseudonym "Emil Sinclair", the name of the narrator of the story, ...

'' by

Hermann Hesse Hermann Karl Hesse (; 2 July 1877 – 9 August 1962) was a German-Swiss poet, novelist, and painter. His best-known works include ''Demian'', '' Steppenwolf'', '' Siddhartha'', and ''The Glass Bead Game'', each of which explores an individual's ...

, originally published under the pseudonym "Emil Sinclair" * '' Go Ask Alice'', now known to have been written by

Beatrice Sparks Beatrice Ruby Mathews Sparks (January 15, 1917 – May 25, 2012) was a Mormon youth counselor, author, and serial hoaxer, known primarily for producing books purporting to be the "real diaries" of troubled teenagers. The books deal with topical i ...

. * '' A Woman in Berlin'', an anonymous diary detailing experiences of a German woman as Germany is defeated in World War II. * '' Primary Colors'', published anonymously. Journalist

Joe Klein Joe Klein (born September 7, 1946) is an American political commentator and author. He is best known for his work as a columnist for ''Time'' magazine and his novel ''Primary Colors'', an anonymously written roman à clef portraying Bill Clinton' ...

was immediately suspected as the author. He originally denied it, but admitted authorship within six months.

21st century

* '' Bourbon Kid'', an ongoing supernatural horror series first published in 2000 * '' The Bride Stripped Bare'', an erotic novel published in 2003; soon after, the author was revealed as the Australian writer Nikki Gemmell. * ''Through Our Enemies' Eyes: Osama Bin Laden, Radical Islam and the Future of America'' (2003) and '' Imperial Hubris: Why the West is Losing the War on Terror'' (2004) – both revealed to have been written by former CIA employee

Michael Scheuer Michael F. Scheuer (pronounced "SHOY-er"), (born 1952) is an American former intelligence officer for the Central Intelligence Agency, blogger, author, commentator and former adjunct professor at Georgetown University's Center for Peace and Sec ...

. * ''Recipes for Disaster: An Anarchist Cookbook'' (2004) - published by the CrimethInc. collective. * '' My Immortal'' (2005) – A work of fiction settled in the '' Harry Potter'' universe involving goth subculture which has become a cult phenomenon. * '' Rolling Thunder'' (2005–2014) – eleven issues of "an anarchist journal of dangerous living" published the CrimethInc collective. * ''

Diary of an Oxygen Thief ''Diary of an Oxygen Thief'' is a 2006 Dutch novel, written by Anonymous and published in Amsterdam by NLVI. ''Diary of an Oxygen Thief'' was called a "surprise dark-horse Williamsburg best seller" by ''New York Magazine'', referring to the indepe ...

'' (2006) – A Dutch novel about the independent art, literature, and music scene in

Brooklyn Brooklyn () is a borough of New York City, coextensive with Kings County, in the U.S. state of New York. Kings County is the most populous county in the State of New York, and the second-most densely populated county in the United States, be ...

, New York. * '' O: A Presidential Novel'' (2011) – . A speculative novel about President

Barack Obama Barack Hussein Obama II ( ; born August 4, 1961) is an American politician who served as the 44th president of the United States from 2009 to 2017. A member of the Democratic Party, Obama was the first African-American president of the ...

's 2012 re-election campaign. The publishers,

Simon & Schuster Simon & Schuster () is an American publishing company and a subsidiary of Paramount Global. It was founded in New York City on January 2, 1924 by Richard L. Simon and M. Lincoln Schuster. As of 2016, Simon & Schuster was the third largest pu ...

, claim that the book was written by someone who was "in the room" with the President. * '' The Incest Diary'' (2017) * '' Lucy in the Sky'' (2012) * '' Letting Ana Go'' (2013), the anonymous diary of an

anorexic Anorexia nervosa, often referred to simply as anorexia, is an eating disorder characterized by low weight, food restriction, body image disturbance, fear of gaining weight, and an overpowering desire to be thin. ''Anorexia'' is a term of Gre ...

teenager, was published by

Simon and Schuster Simon & Schuster () is an American publishing company and a subsidiary of Paramount Global. It was founded in New York City on January 2, 1924 by Richard L. Simon and M. Lincoln Schuster. As of 2016, Simon & Schuster was the third largest pub ...

with no discernible author. * '' A Warning'' (2019) – A book written by anonymously by Trump senior official Miles Taylor that expands upon '' I Am Part of the Resistance Inside the Trump Administration'' (2018) from the

New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''the Times'', ''NYT'', or the Gray Lady) is a daily newspaper based in New York City with a worldwide readership reported in 2020 to comprise a declining 840,000 paid print subscribers, and a growing 6 million paid ...

References

External links

*See http://onlinebooks.library.upenn.edu to find some of these texts on the web. * {{DEFAULTSORT:Anonymously Published Works Lists of books

Works Works may refer to: People * Caddy Works (1896–1982), American college sports coach * Samuel Works (c. 1781–1868), New York politician Albums * '' ''Works'' (Pink Floyd album)'', a Pink Floyd album from 1983 * ''Works'', a Gary Burton album ...

Works predating the Common Era

Ancient Mesopotamian works

Ancient Egyptian works

Other works

Early classics

15th century

16th century

17th century

18th century

19th century

20th century

21st century

See also

References

External links