Existentialism is the philosophy that asks what to do with your freedom once you realize nobody handed you a script. Here you'll find free existentialism books in PDF, from easy introductions to the classics that started it all.
Kierkegaard wrote about anxiety and faith, and Friedrich Nietzsche announced the death of God. Later, Sartre and Beauvoir turned those questions into a philosophy of choice and responsibility.
Start with an introduction if you're new, or go straight to the originals. Every book is free to read online or download, with no sign-up.
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Beginners
Existentialism Books for Beginners
Not sure where to start with existentialism books? These introductions explain big ideas like freedom, anxiety and authenticity in plain language.
A clear, encyclopedia-style overview of existentialism. It explains key ideas like existence precedes essence, the absurd, authenticity, angst and despair, then traces the movement's history and major thinkers.
A readable university unit on what existentialism is and where it came from. It covers freedom, choice, anxiety and responsibility, the roots of the movement in Kierkegaard and Nietzsche, and its echoes in psychology, film and literature.
A complete course guide that explains the meaning and main themes of existentialism, from Kierkegaard and Nietzsche to Heidegger and Sartre, and shows how it connects with phenomenology and hermeneutics. Self-assessment exercises make it ideal for self-study.
University study material that introduces phenomenology and existentialism side by side. It moves from Husserl to Kierkegaard and Sartre, with clear notes on ideas like bad faith, freedom and the leap of faith.
These classic existentialist books are the originals, from Kierkegaard on faith and anxiety to Nietzsche on the death of God. Forerunners like Pascal and Stirner, and later voices like Unamuno and Shestov, complete the picture.
Key texts by the father of existentialism in Lee M. Hollander's classic translation, including Diapsalmata, In Vino Veritas and Fear and Trembling, with an introduction to his life and ideas.
Nietzsche's most famous book follows the prophet Zarathustra as he announces the death of God and the coming of the Übermensch. Poetic, provocative and essential reading for understanding existentialism.
Also known as The Gay Science, this is the book where Nietzsche first declares that God is dead. Its aphorisms on truth, morality and living fully are a cornerstone of existentialist thought.
Unamuno's masterpiece explores the conflict between reason and faith, and our deep hunger for immortality. A passionate, very personal work that anticipated many of the great themes of 20th-century existentialism.
Sharp aphorisms against rationalism and rigid systems, with a foreword by D. H. Lawrence. Shestov defends doubt, freedom and the individual, ideas that later shaped Camus and the existentialists.
Stirner's radical defense of the individual rejects God, the state and every abstract ideal that tries to rule over the self. A provocative forerunner of existentialism, in Steven T. Byington's classic translation.
Pascal's notes on faith, reason and the human condition, including his famous wager. His reflections on anxiety, boredom and the search for meaning make him a key forerunner of existentialism.
Sartre's lecture Existentialism Is a Humanism made French existentialism famous in 1945. These books are free studies about Sartre, Beauvoir and Camus, and they explain their ideas on freedom, choice and the absurd.
A research study on how Jean-Paul Sartre understands the human condition. It covers his life and key ideas like freedom, anguish, bad faith and responsibility, with a full bibliography that includes Simone de Beauvoir.
An honors thesis that reads Christopher Nolan's Batman films through Sartre, Beauvoir, Nietzsche and Kierkegaard. A fun, accessible way to see existentialist ideas at work in popular culture.
A short, clear thesis on Simone de Beauvoir's ethics of ambiguity. It explains how she builds a morality of freedom and responsibility from existentialism, and where her thinking parts ways with Sartre's.
A doctoral study that clarifies what Camus meant by the absurd and what it means for morality and politics. It also reviews how Nietzsche, Kierkegaard and Sartre approached absurdity before him.
An open access study that brings Sartre, Beauvoir and Camus into dialogue with Hannah Arendt to rethink how we make political choices. It shows how existentialist ideas of freedom and responsibility help with real political dilemmas.
Want to see existentialism put into practice? Viktor Frankl built a whole therapy around the search for meaning, and you can explore it in our logotherapy books.
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