Untimely Meditations (1873–1876): Five essays exploring historical, cultural, and philosophical topics.
The Birth of Tragedy (1872): An analysis of Greek tragedy and its relation to Apollonian and Dionysian forces.
Human, All Too Human (1878–1880): Two volumes containing aphorisms on various subjects, reflecting Nietzsche's transition away from metaphysics towards psychology.
Daybreak (1881): A continuation of Human, All Too Human, consisting mostly of aphorisms.
The Gay Science (1882): Explores the joy of scientific discovery and the free spirit.
Thus Spoke Zarathustra (1883–1885): A narrative of the titular character's teaching on overman, eternal return, and the death of God.
Beyond Good and Evil (1886): Reflects on morality, religion, and philosophy, introducing the notion of genealogical critique.
On the Genealogy of Morality (1887): Discusses the origins of moral concepts and the slave revolt in morality.
Twilight of the Idols (1888): Contains aphorisms on politics, art, and religion, serving as a bridge to Nietzsche's final works.
Antichrist (1888): Critiques Christian morality and religion, arguing for the necessity of overman.
Ecce Homo (1888): An autobiographical account of Nietzsche's life and work, written shortly before his mental collapse.