Order of Book Series
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Tom Swift I Books in Order

Tom Swift I by Victor Appleton contains 40 books, published between 1910 and 1941. The first book is Tom Swift and His Motor-Cycle / Fun and Adventure on the Road (1910) and the newest is Tom Swift and His Magnetic Silencer (1941). Publication order is the reading order below.

Books
40
Published
1910–1941
Pages on record
2,960 in 21 of 40 books
Reading time
49–74 hours

Reading time is an estimate, not a recorded figure: 2,960 pages at 300 words a page, read at 200–300 words a minute, covering the 21 of 40 titles with a page count on record.

See all 40 books in order Printable Tom Swift I checklist

Tom Swift I is the first Tom Swift series, 40 volumes published under the name Victor Appleton between 1910 and 1941. Each book pairs Tom Swift with a machine: a motor-cycle, a motor-boat, an airship, a submarine boat and an electric runabout, all in 1910, then a wireless message, a sky racer and an electric rifle in 1911. Adventure, technology and early science fiction define the run, which closes with Tom Swift and His Magnetic Silencer (1941).

How many Tom Swift I books are there?

Tom Swift I has 40 books, released between 1910 and 1941.

Tom Swift I Books in Publication Order

The table lists all 40 Tom Swift I books in the order they were published, with the release year, the page count where one is on record, and how many independent book listings confirm each title. Catalogue data as of September 2026.

  1. Cover of Tom Swift and His Motor-Cycle / Fun and Adventure on the Road by Victor Appleton, book 1 of the Tom Swift I series
  2. Cover of Tom Swift and His Airship / The Stirring Cruise of the Red Cloud by Victor Appleton (1910)
  3. Cover of Tom Swift and His Submarine Boat / Under the Ocean for Sunken Treasure by Victor Appleton (1910)
  4. Cover of Tom Swift and His Electric Runabout / The Speediest Car on the Road by Victor Appleton (1910)
  5. Cover of Tom Swift and His Wireless Message / The Castaways of Earthquake Island by Victor Appleton (1911)
  6. Cover of Tom Swift Among the Diamond Makers / The Secret of Phantom Mountain by Victor Appleton (1911)
  7. Cover of Tom Swift and His Electric Rifle / Daring Adventures in Elephant Island by Victor Appleton (1911)
  8. Cover of Tom Swift in the Caves of Ice / The Wreck of the Airship by Victor Appleton, book 10 of the Tom Swift I series
  9. Cover of Tom Swift in the City of Gold / Marvelous Adventures Underground by Victor Appleton (1912)
  10. Cover of Tom Swift in Captivity / A Daring Escape by Airship by Victor Appleton, book 13 of the Tom Swift I series (1912)
  11. Cover of Tom Swift and His Great Search Light / On the Border for Uncle Sam by Victor Appleton (1912)
  12. Cover of Tom Swift and His Giant Cannon / The Longest Shots on Record by Victor Appleton, book 16 of the Tom Swift I series
  13. Cover of Tom Swift and His Photo Telephone / The Picture That Saved a Fortune by Victor Appleton (1914)
  14. Cover of Tom Swift and His Aerial Warship / The Naval Terror of the Seas by Victor Appleton (1915)
  15. Cover of Tom Swift and His Big Tunnel / The Hidden City of the Andes by Victor Appleton, book 19 of the Tom Swift I series
  16. Cover of Tom Swift in the Land of Wonders / The Underground Search for the Idol of Gold by Victor Appleton (1917)
  17. Cover of Tom Swift and His Air Scout / Uncle Sam's Mastery of the Sky by Victor Appleton, book 22 of the Tom Swift I series
  18. Cover of Tom Swift and His Undersea Search / The Treasure on the Floor of the Atlantic by Victor Appleton (1920)
  19. Cover of Tom Swift Among the Fire Fighters / Battling with Flames in the Air / Tom Swift and the Flaming Air Battle by…
  20. Cover of Tom Swift and His Electric Locomotive / Two Miles a Minute on the Rails by Victor Appleton (1922)
  1. 1
    Tom Swift and His Motor-Cycle / Fun and Adventure on the Road1910 · 96 pages · confirmed 2/4
    191096
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  2. 2
    Tom Swift and His Motor-Boat / The Rivals of Lake Carlopa1910 · confirmed 2/4
    1910–
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  3. 3
    Tom Swift and His Airship / The Stirring Cruise of the Red Cloud1910 · 100 pages · confirmed 2/4
    1910100
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  4. 4
    Tom Swift and His Submarine Boat / Under the Ocean for Sunken Treasure1910 · 144 pages · confirmed 2/4
    1910144
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  5. 5
    Tom Swift and His Electric Runabout / The Speediest Car on the Road1910 · 136 pages · confirmed 2/4
    1910136
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  6. 6
    Tom Swift and His Wireless Message / The Castaways of Earthquake Island1911 · 140 pages · confirmed 2/4
    1911140
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  7. 7
    Tom Swift Among the Diamond Makers / The Secret of Phantom Mountain1911 · 144 pages · confirmed 2/4
    1911144
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  8. 8
    Tom Swift and His Sky Racer / The Quickest Flight on Record1911 · confirmed 2/4
    1911–
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  9. 9
    Tom Swift and His Electric Rifle / Daring Adventures in Elephant Island1911 · 192 pages · confirmed 2/4
    1911192
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  10. 10
    Tom Swift in the Caves of Ice / The Wreck of the Airship1911 · 148 pages · confirmed 2/4
    1911148
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  11. 11
    Tom Swift in the City of Gold / Marvelous Adventures Underground1912 · 116 pages · confirmed 2/4
    1912116
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  12. 12
    Tom Swift and His Air Glider / Seeking the Platinum Treasure1912 · confirmed 2/4
    1912–
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  13. 13
    Tom Swift in Captivity / A Daring Escape by Airship1912 · 152 pages · confirmed 2/4
    1912152
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  14. 14
    Tom Swift and His Wizard Camera / Thrilling Adventures While Taking Moving Pictures1912 · 148 pages · confirmed 2/4
    1912148
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  15. 15
    Tom Swift and His Great Search Light / On the Border for Uncle Sam1912 · 118 pages · confirmed 2/4
    1912118
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  16. 16
    Tom Swift and His Giant Cannon / The Longest Shots on Record1913 · 152 pages · confirmed 2/4
    1913152
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  17. 17
    Tom Swift and His Photo Telephone / The Picture That Saved a Fortune1914 · 152 pages · confirmed 2/4
    1914152
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  18. 18
    Tom Swift and His Aerial Warship / The Naval Terror of the Seas1915 · 156 pages · confirmed 2/4
    1915156
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  19. 19
    Tom Swift and His Big Tunnel / The Hidden City of the Andes1916 · 156 pages · confirmed 2/4
    1916156
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  20. 20
    Tom Swift in the Land of Wonders / The Underground Search for the Idol of Gold1917 · 148 pages · confirmed 2/4
    1917148
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  21. 21
    Tom Swift and His War Tank / Doing His Bit for Uncle Sam1918 · confirmed 2/4
    1918–
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  22. 22
    Tom Swift and His Air Scout / Uncle Sam's Mastery of the Sky1919 · 104 pages · confirmed 2/4
    1919104
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  23. 23
    Tom Swift and His Undersea Search / The Treasure on the Floor of the Atlantic1920 · 214 pages · confirmed 2/4
    1920214
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  24. 24
    Tom Swift Among the Fire Fighters / Battling with Flames in the Air / Tom Swift and the Flaming Air Battle1921 · 100 pages · confirmed 2/4
    1921100
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  25. 25
    Tom Swift and His Electric Locomotive / Two Miles a Minute on the Rails1922 · 144 pages · confirmed 2/4
    1922144
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  26. 26
    Tom Swift and His Flying Boat / Castaways of the Giant Iceberg1923 · confirmed 2/4
    1923–
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  27. 27
    Tom Swift and His Great Oil Gusher / The Treasure of Goby Farm1924 · confirmed 2/4
    1924–
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  28. 28
    Tom Swift and His Chest of Secrets / Tracing the Stolen Inventions1925 · confirmed 2/4
    1925–
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  29. 29
    Tom Swift and His Airline Express / From Ocean to Ocean by Daylight1926 · confirmed 2/4
    1926–
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  30. 30
    Tom Swift Circling the Globe / The Daring Cruise of the Air Monarch1927 · confirmed 2/4
    1927–
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  31. 31
    Tom Swift and His Talking Pictures / The Greatest Invention on Record1928 · confirmed 2/4
    1928–
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  32. 32
    Tom Swift and His House on Wheels / A Trip Around the Mountain of Mystery1929 · confirmed 2/4
    1929–
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  33. 33
    Tom Swift and His Big Dirigible / Adventures Over the Forest of Fire1930 · confirmed 2/4
    1930–
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  34. 34
    Tom Swift and His Sky Train / Overland Through the Clouds1931 · confirmed 2/4
    1931–
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  35. 35
    Tom Swift and His Giant Magnet / Bringing Up the Lost Submarine1932 · confirmed 2/4
    1932–
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  36. 36
    Tom Swift and His Television Detector / Trailing the Secret Plotters1933 · confirmed 2/4
    1933–
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  37. 37
    Tom Swift and His Ocean Airport / Foiling the Haargolanders1934 · confirmed 2/4
    1934–
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  38. 38
    Tom Swift and His Planet Stone / Discovering the Secret of Another World1935 · confirmed 2/4
    1935–
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  39. 39
    Tom Swift and His Giant Telescope1939 · confirmed 2/4
    1939–
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  40. 40
    Tom Swift and His Magnetic Silencer1941 · confirmed 2/4
    1941–
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK

Is there a chronological order for Tom Swift I?

No separate chronological order is on record for Tom Swift I, because none of the book listings this catalogue draws on publishes one; the publication order above is the only order given.

Do you have to read Tom Swift I books in order?

You should read the Tom Swift I books in publication order, the order of the numbered table above. The catalogue does not record whether each Tom Swift I book also stands alone.

Where to start with Tom Swift I

Start with Tom Swift and His Motor-Cycle / Fun and Adventure on the Road (1910), the earliest published title.

What is the newest Tom Swift I book?

Tom Swift and His Magnetic Silencer (1941) is the newest Tom Swift I book released so far.

Is there a new Tom Swift I book coming?

No next Tom Swift I book is announced in the catalogue, which is a gap in the listings it merges rather than a sign that the run has ended.

Tom Swift I at a glance

No recent titles
The newest Tom Swift I title on record dates from 1941, 85 years ago. No later title is catalogued.
Release pace
Tom Swift I books have appeared about one a year on average.
Length
2,960 pages across the 21 of 40 books with a recorded length, a median of 144 pages each.
Busiest decade
Most Tom Swift I books, 22 of 40, were published in the 1910s.

What the Tom Swift I books are about

14 of the 40 Tom Swift I books carry subject tags in Open Library's catalogue. The subjects below are the ones that recur across them, most frequent first: adventure stories is tagged on 10 of 14. The subjects are cataloguers’ headings, not a plot summary.

More books by Victor Appleton

The author page linked below lists every book in publication order.

Characters in the Tom Swift I books

The character linked below has its own reading-order page.

Other series by Victor Appleton

Each series linked below has its own reading-order page.