Al listing of the first publication dates of the novels and poetry of Thomas Hardy

His first novel The Poor Man and the Lady was turned down by the publishers Macmillan and the manuscript did not survive, being destroyed by Thomas Hardy a few years before his death. Hardy was later to adapt this novel as "An Indiscretion in the Life of and Heiress". His first published novel "Desperate Remedies" was initially not succesful failing to sell the 500 copies printed. However it was "Far from the Madding Crowd" that waa the making of him. Though difficult to imagine today most of the authors work was highly controversial at the time with many people taking serious offence, indeed the hostility to "Jude the Obscure" led him to to decision to write only poetry and prose in the future.

Desperate Remedies. London: William Tinsley, 1871.
Under the Greenwood Tree. London: William Tinsley, 1872.
A Pair of Blue Eyes. London: William Tinsley, 1873.
Far from the Madding Crowd. London: Smith, Elder, 1874.
The Hand of Ethelberta. London: Smith, Elder, 1876.
The Return of the Native. London: Smith, Elder, 1878.
The Trumpet-Major. London: Smith, Elder, 1880.
A Laodicean. New York: Harper, 1881.
Two on a Tower. London: Low, Marston, Searle & Rivington, 1882.
The Mayor of Casterbridge. London: Smith, Elder, 1886.
The Woodlanders. London: Macmillan, 1887.
Wessex Tales (short stories). London: Macmillan, 1888.
A Group of Noble Dames (short stories). London: Osgood, McIlvaine, 1891.
Tess of the d'Urbervilles. London: Osgood, McIlvaine, 1891.
Life's Little Ironies (short stories). London: Osgood, McIlvaine, 1894.
The Wessex Novels. 18 vol. London: Osgood, McIlvaine, 1895-1913.
Jude the Obscure. London: Osgood, McIlvaine, 1896.
The Well-Beloved. London: Osgood, McIlvaine, 1897.
Wessex Poems and Other Verses. London: Harper, 1898. Contains "Hap" and "Neutral Tones."
Poems of the Past and the Present. London: Harper, 1901. Contains "The Ruined Maid."
The Dynasts: Part First (epic drama). London: Macmillan, 1904.
The Dynasts: Part Second. London: Macmillan, 1906.
The Dynasts: Part Third. London: Macmillan, 1908.
Time's Laughingstocks and Other Verses. London: Macmillan, 1909.
Works, in Prose and Verse. 24 vol. London: Macmillan, 1912-1931.
A Changed Man, The Waiting Supper, and Other Tales (short stories). London: Macmillan, 1913.
Satires of Circumstance (poetry). London: Macmillan, 1914. Contains "The Convergence of the Twain," "In Church," and "The Workbox."
Selected Poems. London: Macmillan, 1916.
Moments of Vision and Miscellaneous Verses. London: Macmillan, 1917. Contains "During Wind and Rain" and "The Oxen."
Collected Poems. London: Macmillan, 1919. Enlarged editions 1923, 1928, 1930.
Late Lyrics and Earlier. London: Macmillan, 1922.
The Famous Tragedy of the Queen of Cornwall (drama). London: Macmillan, 1923.
Human Shows, Far Phantasies, Songs and Trifles (poetry). London: Macmillan, 1925.
Winter Words (poetry). London: Macmillan, 1928.
Chosen Poems. London: Macmillan, 1929.
Our Exploits at West Poley (juvenile). Oxford University Press, 1952.
Thomas Hardy's Personal Writings: Prefaces, Literary Opinions, Reminiscences. Ed. Harold Orel. Lawrence: University of Kansas Press, 1966.
The Complete Poems. Ed. James Gibson. London: Macmillan, 1976. Variorum edition, 1979.
The Personal Notebooks of Thomas Hardy. Ed. Richard H. Taylor. London: Macmillan, 1978.

 

UK Major Novels First Editions

DESPERATE REMEDIES Anonymous Published by Tinsley Brothers, 1871 in three volumes. 500 copies
UNDER THE GREENWOOD TREE 'by the author of "Desperate Remedies"' Published by Tinsley Brothers, 1872 in two volumes. Green cloth
A PAIR OF BLUE EYES Published by Tinsley Brothers, 1873 in three volumes - triple decker
FAR FROM THE MADDING CROWD Published by Tinsley Brothers, 1874 in two volumes - two decker . Green cloth, gilt lettering with illustrated scenes from the book to front panel
THE HAND OF ETHELBERT APublished by Smith Elder, 1876 in two volumes
THE RETURN OF THE NATIVE Published by Smith Elder, 1878 in three volumes
THE TRUMPET-MAJOR Published by Smith Elder, 1880 in three volumes. Red cloth gilt lettering, sword and trumpet on spine, black lettering and three panel design to front board
A LAODICEAN Published by Sampson Low, 1881 in three volumes
TWO ON A TOWER Published by Sampson Low, 1882 in three volumes
THE MAYOR OF CASTERBRIDGE Published by Smith Elder, 1886 in two volumes
THE WOODLANDERS Published by Macmillan, 1887 in three volumes
WESSEX TALES Published by Macmillan, 1888 in two volumes
TESS OF THE D'UBERVILLES Published by Osgood McIlvaine, 1892
JUDE THE OBSCURE Published by Osgood McIlvaine, 1896 [1895] Wessex Novels Series
WESSEX POEMS Published by Harper, 1898
POEMS OF THE PAST AND PRESENT Published by Harper, 1902 [1901]