Roxane Gay Reading Order
6 series · 41 books · Born 1974
Roxane Gay is a prominent author known for her impactful storytelling and insightful commentary, primarily in the realms of contemporary fiction and essays. With an impressive catalog of 41 works across six series, including the Out Of Line series and various standalone novels, her most notable title, Bad Feminist, has garnered widespread acclaim. Active from 2010 to 2025, Gay continues to shape discussions on feminism and social issues through her engaging narratives and diverse formats, including graphic novels and non-fiction.
Anthologies Series
Complete19 books (2010–2020)
Start with Girl Crush, the first of 19 books in the Anthologies series.
| # | Title |
|---|---|
| 1 |  Girl Crush 2010Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 2 |  Sententia #1 2010Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 3 |  Re:Telling 2011Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 4 |  Best Sex Writing 2012 2012Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 5 |  Million Writers Award 2012Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 6 | Protectors: Stories to Benefit PROTECT 2012Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 7 |  The Best American Short Stories 2012 2012Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 8 |  24 Bar Blues 2013Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 9 |  Get Out of My Crotch 2013Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 10 | Goodbye to All That 2013Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 11 | New Stories from the Midwest: 2012 2013Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 12 |  The Best American Mystery Stories 2014 2014Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 13 |  The New Black 2014Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 14 | Zombies: More Recent Dead 2014Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 15 |  Winesburg, Indiana 2015Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 16 | Her Own Accord 2016Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 17 |  McSweeney's #49 2017Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 18 |  Tales of Two Americas 2017Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 19 | Take Us to a Better Place 2020Buy 🇺🇸 |
Collections Series
Likely Complete3 books (2011–2023)
Start with Ayiti and read in order.
Graphic Novels Series
Complete3 books (2017–2020)
Start with Black Panther: World of Wakanda and read in order.
Non-Fiction Series
Ongoing8 books (2014–2025)
Start with Bad Feminist, the first of 8 books in the Non-Fiction series.
| # | Title |
|---|---|
| 1 |  Bad Feminist 2014Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 2 |  Urgent, Unheard Stories 2015Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 3 |  Hunger 2017Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 4 |  Not That Bad 2018Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 5 | How to Be Heard 2021Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 6 | Writing Into the Wound: Understanding Trauma, Truth, and Language 2021Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 7 | Do The Work(With: MeganPillow) 2024Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 8 |  Love Letter to a Garden(With: Deborah S Millman) 2025Buy 🇺🇸 |
Out Of Line Series
Complete7 books (2020–2020)
Start with Bear Witness(By: Mary Gaitskill), the first of 7 books in the Out Of Line series.
| # | Title |
|---|---|
| 1 | Bear Witness(By: Mary Gaitskill) 2020Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 2 | Graceful Burdens 2020Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 3 | Halfway to Free(By: Emma Donoghue) 2020Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 4 | Shine, Pamela! Shine!(By: Kate Atkinson) 2020Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 5 | Sweet Virginia(By: Caroline Kepnes) 2020Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 6 | The Contractors(By: Lisa Ko) 2020Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 7 | This Telling(By: Cheryl Strayed) 2020Buy 🇺🇸 |
Standalone Novels Series
Complete1 book (2014–2014)
| # | Title |
|---|---|
| 1 |  An Untamed State 2014Buy 🇺🇸 |
Frequently Asked Questions
- How many books has Roxane Gay written?
- Roxane Gay has written 41 books across 6 series. Their published works span from 2010 to 2025.
- What is the first book in each Roxane Gay series?
- Here are the first books in Roxane Gay's series: Anthologies: Girl Crush; Collections: Ayiti; Graphic Novels: Black Panther: World of Wakanda; Non-Fiction: Bad Feminist; Out Of Line: Bear Witness(By: Mary Gaitskill).
- What order should I read Roxane Gay's books?
- We recommend reading Roxane Gay's series in publication order. Each series can be read independently.
- Is Roxane Gay still writing new books?
- Yes, Roxane Gay has 1 ongoing series: Non-Fiction.