Reading Order List — Book Series Reading Order Guide

Zadie Smith Reading Order

8 series · 43 books

Non-Fiction

Zadie Smith is an accomplished English writer known for her sharp cultural commentary across novels, essays, and short fiction. Her breakthrough debut White Teeth established her as a major contemporary voice, earning widespread critical acclaim and numerous literary prizes. As a professor of creative writing at New York University, Smith continues to shape the literary landscape while producing incisive essays and varied fiction that explore themes of identity, race, and modern life.

Anthologies Series

Complete

9 books (1999–2014)

Start with Piece of Flesh, the first of 8 books in the Anthologies series.

Start this series with Piece of Flesh

Buy Book 1 🇺🇸🎧 Listen free on Audible
#Title
1
Cover of Piece of Flesh
Piece of Flesh
1999Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
2
Cover of Speaking With the Angel
Speaking With the Angel
2000Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
3
Cover of The Burned Children of America
The Burned Children of America
2003Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
4
Cover of The Believer Book of Writers Talking to Writers
The Believer Book of Writers Talking to Writers
2005Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
5
Cover of The Book of Other People
The Book of Other People
2007Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
6
Cover of Best European Fiction 2010
Best European Fiction 2010
2009Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
7
The Library Book
2012Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
8
The Best American Essays 2013
2013Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
9
Tales of Two Cities: The Best and Worst of Times In Today's New York
2014Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible

Darkness Series

Complete

1 book (2024–2024)

#Title
1
Voices From the Abyss
2024Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible

Non-Fiction Series

Ongoing

5 books (2009–2025)

Start with Changing My Mind, the first of 5 books in the Non-Fiction series.

Start this series with Changing My Mind

Buy Book 1 🇺🇸🎧 Listen free on Audible
#Title
1
Cover of Changing My Mind
Changing My Mind
2009Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
2
Cover of Stop What You're Doing and Read This!(With: Michael Rosen,Jeanette Winterson,Mark Haddon)
Stop What You're Doing and Read This!(With: Michael Rosen,Jeanette Winterson,Mark Haddon)
2011Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
3
Cover of Feel Free
4
5
Cover of Dead and Alive
Dead and Alive
2025Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible

Picture Series

Ongoing

3 books (2021–2025)

Start with Weirdo(With: Nick Laird) and read in order.

Start this series with Weirdo(With: Nick Laird)

Buy Book 1 🇺🇸🎧 Listen free on Audible
#Title
1
Weirdo(With: Nick Laird)
2021Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
2
Cover of The Surprise(With: Nick Laird)
The Surprise(With: Nick Laird)
2022Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
3
In the Wild(With: Nick Laird)
2025Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible

Short Stories/Novellas Series

Complete

1 book (2013–2013)

#Title
1
Cover of The Embassy of Cambodia
The Embassy of Cambodia
2013Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible

Short Story Collections Series

Complete

2 books (2003–2019)

Start with Martha and Hanwell and read in order.

Start this series with Martha and Hanwell

Buy Book 1 🇺🇸🎧 Listen free on Audible
#Title
1
Cover of Martha and Hanwell
Martha and Hanwell
2003Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
2
Cover of Grand Union

Standalone Novels Series

Likely Complete

7 books (2000–2023)

Start with White Teeth, the first of 7 books in the Standalone Novels series.

Start this series with White Teeth

Buy Book 1 🇺🇸🎧 Listen free on Audible
#Title
1
Cover of White Teeth
2
The Autograph Man
2002Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
3
Cover of On Beauty
4
Cover of NW
5
Cover of Swing Time
6
Cover of The Wife of Willesden
The Wife of Willesden
2021Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
7
Cover of The Fraud

The BBC National Short Story Award Series

Ongoing

15 books (2010–2024)

Start with The BBC National Short Story Award 2010(By: Helen Oyeyemi,David Constantine,Sarah Hall,Aminatta Forna,Jon McGregor), the first of 15 books in the The BBC National Short Story Award series.

Start this series with The BBC National Short Story Award 2010(By: Helen Oyeyemi,David Constantine,Sarah Hall,Aminatta Forna,Jon McGregor)

Buy Book 1 🇺🇸🎧 Listen free on Audible
#Title
1
The BBC National Short Story Award 2010(By: Helen Oyeyemi,David Constantine,Sarah Hall,Aminatta Forna,Jon McGregor)
2010Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
2
The BBC National Short Story Award 2011(By: Alison MacLeod,M.J. Hyland,Jon McGregor,K.J. Orr,Sue MacGregor)
2011Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
3
Cover of The BBC International Short Story Award 2012(By: Miroslav Penkov,Carrie Tiffany,Deborah Levy,M.J. Hyland,Clive Anderson,Lucy Caldwell,Henrietta Rose-Innes,Julian Gough,Chris Womersley,Krys Lee,Adam Ross)
The BBC International Short Story Award 2012(By: Miroslav Penkov,Carrie Tiffany,Deborah Levy,M.J. Hyland,Clive Anderson,Lucy Caldwell,Henrietta Rose-Innes,Julian Gough,Chris Womersley,Krys Lee,Adam Ross)
2012Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
4
The BBC National Short Story Award 2013(By: Lionel Shriver,Sarah Hall,Lavinia Greenlaw,Lucy Wood)
2013Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
5
The BBC National Short Story Award 2014(With: Tessa Hadley,Lionel Shriver,Rose Tremain,Francesca Rhydderch,Alan Yentob)
2014Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
6
The BBC National Short Story Award 2015(By: Jeremy Page)
2015Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
7
BBC National Short Story Award 2016(By: Hilary Mantel,Claire-Louise Bennett,Lavinia Greenlaw,Tahmima Anam,Jenni Murray,K.J. Orr)
2016Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
8
The BBC National Short Story Award 2017(By: Joanna Trollope,Helen Oyeyemi,Jenni Fagan,Benjamin Markovits,Will Eaves,Cynan Jones)
2017Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
9
The BBC National Short Story Award 2018(By: Kerry Andrew,Sarah Hall,Ingrid Persaud,Nell Stevens,Kiare Ladner,Stig Abell)
2018Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
10
The BBC National Short Story Award 2019(By: Lucy Caldwell,Jo Lloyd,Lynda Clark,Jacqueline Crooks,Nikki Bedi)
2019Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
11
The BBC National Short Story Award 2020(By: Eley Williams,Sarah Hall,Caleb Azumah Nelson,Jan Carson,Jack Houston)
2020Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
12
Cover of The BBC National Short Story Award 2021(By: Danny Rhodes,James Runcie,Richard Smyth,Lucy Caldwell,Rory Gleeson,Georgina Harding)
The BBC National Short Story Award 2021(By: Danny Rhodes,James Runcie,Richard Smyth,Lucy Caldwell,Rory Gleeson,Georgina Harding)
2021Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
13
Cover of The BBC National Short Story Award 2022(By: Kerry Andrew,Elizabeth Day,Jenn Ashworth,Anna Bailey,Vanessa Onwuemezi,Saba Sams)
The BBC National Short Story Award 2022(By: Kerry Andrew,Elizabeth Day,Jenn Ashworth,Anna Bailey,Vanessa Onwuemezi,Saba Sams)
2022Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
14
The BBC National Short Story Award 2023(By: Kamila Shamsie,NickMulgrew,NaomiWood,CheriseSaywell,KPatrick,Reeta Chakrabarti)
2023Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
15
The BBC National Short Story Award 2024(By: Lucy Caldwell,Ross Raisin,Will Boast,Manish Chauhan,Paddy O’Connell,Vee Walker)
2024Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible

Frequently Asked Questions

How many books has Zadie Smith written?
Zadie Smith has written 43 books across 8 series. Their published works span from 1999 to 2025.
What is the first book in each Zadie Smith series?
Here are the first books in Zadie Smith's series: Anthologies: Piece of Flesh; Non-Fiction: Changing My Mind; Picture: Weirdo(With: Nick Laird); Short Story Collections: Martha and Hanwell; The BBC National Short Story Award: The BBC National Short Story Award 2010(By: Helen Oyeyemi,David Constantine,Sarah Hall,Aminatta Forna,Jon McGregor).
What order should I read Zadie Smith's books?
We recommend reading Zadie Smith's series in publication order. Each series can be read independently.
Is Zadie Smith still writing new books?
Yes, Zadie Smith has 3 ongoing series: Non-Fiction, Picture, The BBC National Short Story Award.

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