Although Benjamin Disraeli is now better known as a Prime Minister than a writer, his novels were very influential in their day. Disraeli's father Isaac Disraeli was also an author and wrote an Arabian tale, Mejnoun and Leila, in the tradition of Beckford's Vathek. Beckford called it capital and collected all his works.

Disraeli's first novel, Vivian Grey, published when he was only 21, was extremely popular and spawned a genre of novels known as silver fork. It was an influence on his friend Bulwer-Lytton's Pelham and Oscar Wilde's Dorian Gray. The Gray of Wilde's title, and the name of the character Sybil were probably in homage to Disraeli. Wilde also named his son Vyvyan. Disraeli's novels were also an influence on Poe and Melville.

Disraeli was an icon to young men of fashion, taking great pains with his appearance. Helen Selina Sheridan, Lady Dufferin, Sheridan's grandaughter describes his attire at their first meeting. He wore a black velvet coat lined with satin, purple trousers with a gold band running down the outside seam, a scarlet waistcoat, long lace ruffles falling down to the tips of his fingers, white gloves with several brilliant rings outside them, and long black ringlets rippling down upon his shoulders.

Like his father,Disraeli wrote an Arabian fantasy, The Wondrous Tale of Alroy, which was well received by Beckford. I have slowly and reluctantly finished the truly wondrous tale of Alroy, which I wish had been extended to 20 volumes. I did not hurry on, fearful of expending the treasure too fast, for a treasure I consider it to be, and of the richest kind....Most proud I am to perceive that he is so strongly imbued with Vathek. Disraeli and Beckford, then in his seventies kept a correspondence for almost a decade.

"Pray what wine is this, Mr. Beckendorff?" eagerly asked the Prince, with a countenance glowing with delight-and his Highness was vulgar enough to smack his lips, which, for a Prince, is really shocking.

"I really don't know. I never drink wine."

"Not know! Grey, take a glass. What's your opinion? I never tasted such wine in my life. Why I do declare it is real Tokay!

Vivian Grey (1826)

Although the phrase I never drink wine is usually associated with Dracula, it never appears in Stoker's book. It is also Tokay that Jonathan Harker drinks in Dracula's castle.

Disraeli's best-known novels are those which express his political ideals, Coningsby, Sybil and Tancred; these had an influence on Charlotte Brontë's Shirley among others. His novel Venetia is modelled on the life of Byron who admired Disraeli and called him the author whose works in general I have read oftener than perhaps those of any other English author whatever. Disraeli was a family friend of Byron's wife Annabella. The Austen family were Disraeli's friends and helped him in his early writing career.

The character of Harold Transome in George Eliot's Felix Holt seems to have been based on Disraeli.