Julian Barnes Reading Order
7 series · 40 books · Born 19 January 1946
Julian Barnes is a celebrated English author known for his contributions to literary fiction, with a distinctive style that often explores themes of memory and identity. Over his prolific career from 1980 to 2026, he produced 40 books across 7 series, including notable works like *The Sense of an Ending*, which won the Man Booker Prize. His diverse repertoire also includes crime fiction under the name Dan Kavanagh, as well as standalone novels, plays, short stories, and nonfiction.
Anthologies Series
Complete7 books (1983–2014)
Start with Best of Young British Novelists, the first of 7 books in the Anthologies series.
| # | Title |
|---|---|
| 1 |  Best of Young British Novelists 1983Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 2 |  The Penguin Book of Modern British Short Stories 1987Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 3 | Secret Ingredients 2007Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 4 |  Birds of Prey 2010Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 5 |  Stories to Get You Through the Night 2010Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 6 | The Library Book 2012Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 7 | That Glimpse of Truth 2014Buy 🇺🇸 |
Non-Fiction Series
Ongoing11 books (1995–2025)
Start with Letters From London, the first of 11 books in the Non-Fiction series.
| # | Title |
|---|---|
| 1 |  Letters From London 1995Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 2 |  Something to Declare 2002Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 3 |  The Pedant in the Kitchen 2003Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 4 |  Death 2008Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 5 | Nothing to be Frightened Of 2008Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 6 | Keeping an Eye Open 2011Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 7 |  A Life with Books 2012Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 8 |  Through the Window 2012Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 9 |  Levels of Life 2013Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 10 |  The Man in the Red Coat 2019Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 11 |  Changing My Mind 2025Buy 🇺🇸 |
Short Stories/Novellas Series
Complete4 books (1996–2015)
Start with Cross Channel, the first of 4 books in the Short Stories/Novellas series.
| # | Title |
|---|---|
| 1 |  Cross Channel 1996Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 2 |  Evermore 1996Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 3 | Explaining the Explicit 2013Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 4 | Homage to Hemingway 2015Buy 🇺🇸 |
Short Story Collections Series
Complete2 books (2004–2011)
Start with The Lemon Table and read in order.
| # | Title |
|---|---|
| 1 |  The Lemon Table 2004Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 2 |  Pulse 2011Buy 🇺🇸 |
Standalone Novels Series
Ongoing13 books (1980–2026)
Start with Metroland, the first of 13 books in the Standalone Novels series.
| # | Title |
|---|---|
| 1 |  Metroland 1980Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 2 | Before She Met Me 1982Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 3 |  Flaubert's Parrot 1984Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 4 |  Staring at the Sun 1986Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 5 |  A History of the World in 10½Chapters 1989Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 6 |  The Porcupine 1992Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 7 |  England, England 1998Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 8 |  Arthur & George 2005Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 9 |  The Sense of an Ending 2011Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 10 |  The Noise of Time 2016Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 11 |  The Only Story 2018Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 12 |  Elizabeth Finch 2022Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 13 |  Departure(s) 2026Buy 🇺🇸 |
Standalone Plays Series
Complete1 book (1986–1986)
| # | Title |
|---|---|
| 1 | Arthur and George: Stage Version 1986Buy 🇺🇸 |
Talking It Over Series
Complete2 books (1991–1992)
Start with Talking It Over and read in order.
| # | Title |
|---|---|
| 1 |  Talking It Over 1991Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 2 |  Love, Etc. 1992Buy 🇺🇸 |
Frequently Asked Questions
- How many books has Julian Barnes written?
- Julian Barnes has written 40 books across 7 series. Their published works span from 1980 to 2026.
- What is the first book in each Julian Barnes series?
- Here are the first books in Julian Barnes's series: Anthologies: Best of Young British Novelists; Non-Fiction: Letters From London; Short Stories/Novellas: Cross Channel; Short Story Collections: The Lemon Table; Talking It Over: Talking It Over.
- What order should I read Julian Barnes's books?
- We recommend reading Julian Barnes's series in publication order. Each series can be read independently.
- Is Julian Barnes still writing new books?
- Yes, Julian Barnes has 2 ongoing series: Non-Fiction, Standalone Novels.