William Faulkner Reading Order
8 series · 66 books · Born 25 September 1897
William Faulkner was a prolific American author known for his innovative narrative techniques and deep exploration of the human condition. With a career spanning from 1926 to 2018, he authored 66 works across eight series, including notable titles such as Sin and Salvation and The Snopes Trilogy. Renowned for his contributions to modern literature, Faulkner's body of work includes novels, screenplays, and a variety of short stories and novellas.
Anthologies Series
Complete19 books (1943–2018)
Start with World's Great Mystery Stories, the first of 19 books in the Anthologies series.
| # | Title |
|---|---|
| 1 | World's Great Mystery Stories 1943Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 2 |  50 Great Short Stories 1952Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 3 | Short Story Masterpieces: 35 Classic American and British Stories from the First Half of the 20th Century 1954Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 4 |  Writers At Work: The Paris Review Interviews 1957Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 5 |  50 Great American Short Stories 1963Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 6 | Stories of the Modern South 1977Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 7 |  The Best Horror Stories 1977Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 8 |  65 Great Tales Of Horror 1981Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 9 | Magical Realist Fiction 1984Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 10 | Louisiana Stories 1990Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 11 |  Volume II: The Medusa In The Shield 1990Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 12 |  Growing Up in the South 1991Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 13 |  The Short Story: 30 Masterpieces 1992Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 14 |  First Fiction: An Anthology of the First Published Stories by Famous Writers 1994Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 15 | 40 Short Stories: A Portable Anthology 2000Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 16 |  The Best American Mystery Stories of the Century 2000Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 17 |  The Best American Short Stories of the Century 2000Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 18 |  Writing Los Angeles 2002Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 19 | Writers: Their Lives and Works 2018Buy 🇺🇸 |
Screenplays Series
Complete1 book (1981–1981)
| # | Title |
|---|---|
| 1 |  Road to Glory(With: Joel Sayre) 1981Buy 🇺🇸 |
Short Stories/Novellas Series
Complete6 books (1930–1996)
Start with A Rose for Emily, the first of 6 books in the Short Stories/Novellas series.
Short Story Collections Series
Complete17 books (1927–2018)
Start with Wishing Tree, the first of 17 books in the Short Story Collections series.
| # | Title |
|---|---|
| 1 |  Wishing Tree 1927Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 2 | These 13 1931Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 3 |  Doctor Martino and Other Stories 1934Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 4 |  Barn Burning and other stories 1939Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 5 |  Go Down, Moses 1942Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 6 |  Collected Stories 1948Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 7 |  Knight's Gambit 1949Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 8 |  Big Woods 1955Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 9 |  Selected Short Stories 1956Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 10 | New Orleans Sketches 1957Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 11 |  Three Famous Short Novels 1958Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 12 |  Marble Faun and a Green Bough 1960Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 13 |  Uncle Willy and Other Stories 1967Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 14 |  Jealousy and Episode 1977Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 15 |  Uncollected Stories of William Faulkner 1979Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 16 | The Essential Faulkner 2013Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 17 |  Ole Miss Juvenilia 2018Buy 🇺🇸 |
Sin and Salvation Series
Complete7 books (1929–1950)
Start with Sartoris, the first of 7 books in the Sin and Salvation series.
Standalone Novels Series
Complete10 books (1926–1973)
Start with Soldiers' Pay, the first of 10 books in the Standalone Novels series.
The Dark Descent Series
Complete3 books (1987–1991)
Start with Volume I: The Color of Evil and read in order.
The Snopes Trilogy Series
Complete3 books (1940–1959)
Start with The Hamlet and read in order.
Frequently Asked Questions
- How many books has William Faulkner written?
- William Faulkner has written 66 books across 8 series. Their published works span from 1926 to 2018.
- What is the first book in each William Faulkner series?
- Here are the first books in William Faulkner's series: Anthologies: World's Great Mystery Stories; Short Stories/Novellas: A Rose for Emily; Short Story Collections: Wishing Tree; Sin and Salvation: Sartoris; The Dark Descent: Volume I: The Color of Evil.
- What order should I read William Faulkner's books?
- We recommend reading William Faulkner's series in publication order. Each series can be read independently.
- Are William Faulkner's series complete?
- William Faulkner has 8 completed series.