Book Series Guide

Joyce Carol Oates

Author guide

Joyce Carol Oates Books in Order

Joyce Carol Oates (born 1938) is an exceptionally prolific American author of fiction, poetry, drama, literary criticism, essays, memoirs, and young-adult and children's literature. She has also published novels under the pseudonyms Rosamond Smith and Lauren Kelly and has received the National Book Award, the PEN/Malamud Award, and numerous other honors.

literary fictionshort storiesnovellaspoetrydramaessaysliterary criticismmemoiryoung adult fictionchildren's literature

Joyce Carol Oates's Newest Book

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Start with one of these

Cover of them

them

The National Book Award-winning novel and the central volume of the Wonderland Quartet.

Cover of Blonde

Blonde

A major, widely read historical and biographical novel about Marilyn Monroe.

Cover of Black Water

Black Water

A compact, acclaimed novella that demonstrates Oates's psychological and political fiction.

Cover of By the North Gate

By the North Gate

Her first book and a strong introduction to her short fiction.

Read in order

Books by series

novel-series · complete

Wonderland Quartet

A four-novel sequence tracing interconnected American lives and social histories.

Series guide →
  1. 1 Cover of A Garden of Earthly Delights
    A Garden of Earthly Delights

    Book 1 · novel · 1967

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  2. 2 Cover of Expensive People
    Expensive People

    Book 2 · novel · 1968

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  3. 3 Cover of them
    them

    Book 3 · novel · 1969

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  4. 4 Cover of Wonderland
    Wonderland

    Book 4 · novel · 1971

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novel-series · complete

Gothic Saga

A loose gothic family and historical saga spanning several generations and settings.

Series guide →
  1. 1 Cover of Bellefleur
    Bellefleur

    Book 1 · novel · 1980

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  2. 2 Cover of A Bloodsmoor Romance
    A Bloodsmoor Romance

    Book 2 · novel · 1982

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  3. 3 Cover of Mysteries of Winterthurn
    Mysteries of Winterthurn

    Book 3 · novel · 1984

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  4. 4 Cover of My Heart Laid Bare
    My Heart Laid Bare

    Book 4 · novel · 1998

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  5. 5 Cover of The Accursed
    The Accursed

    Book 5 · novel · 2013

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Outside the series

Bibliography by category

Novels (76)
  1. With Shuddering Fall

    novel · 1964

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  2. Cover of Do With Me What You Will
    Do With Me What You Will

    novel · 1973

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  3. Love, Careless Love

    novella · 1974

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  4. The Assassins: A Book of Hours

    novel · 1975

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  5. Cover of Childwold
    Childwold

    novel · 1976

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  6. Cover of The Triumph of the Spider Monkey
    The Triumph of the Spider Monkey

    novella · 1976

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  7. Cover of Son of the Morning
    Son of the Morning

    novel · 1978

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  8. Cybele

    novel · 1979

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  9. Unholy Loves

    novel · 1979

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  10. Cover of Angel of Light
    Angel of Light

    novel · 1981

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  11. Cover of Solstice
    Solstice

    novel · 1985

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  12. Cover of Marya: A Life
    Marya: A Life

    novel · 1986

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  13. Cover of Lives of the Twins
    Lives of the Twins

    novel · 1987

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  14. Cover of On Boxing
    On Boxing

    nonfiction · 1987

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  15. Cover of You Must Remember This
    You Must Remember This

    novel · 1987

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  16. Cover of Soul/Mate
    Soul/Mate

    novel · 1989

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  17. Cover of American Appetites
    American Appetites

    novel · 1989

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  18. Nemesis

    novel · 1990

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  19. Cover of Because It Is Bitter, and Because It Is My Heart
    Because It Is Bitter, and Because It Is My Heart

    novel · 1990

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  20. Cover of I Lock My Door Upon Myself
    I Lock My Door Upon Myself

    novella · 1990

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  21. The Rise of Life on Earth

    novella · 1991

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  22. Snake Eyes

    novel · 1992

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  23. Cover of Black Water
    Black Water

    novella · 1992

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  24. Cover of Foxfire: Confessions of a Girl Gang
    Foxfire: Confessions of a Girl Gang

    novel · 1993

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  25. Cover of What I Lived For
    What I Lived For

    novel · 1994

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  26. You Can't Catch Me

    novel · 1995

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  27. Cover of First Love: A Gothic Tale
    First Love: A Gothic Tale

    novella · 1996

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  28. Cover of Zombie
    Zombie

    novel · 1995

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  29. Cover of We Were the Mulvaneys
    We Were the Mulvaneys

    novel · 1996

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  30. Double Delight

    novel · 1997

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  31. Cover of Man Crazy
    Man Crazy

    novel · 1997

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  32. Cover of Starr Bright Will Be With You Soon
    Starr Bright Will Be With You Soon

    novel · 1999

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  33. Cover of Broke Heart Blues
    Broke Heart Blues

    novel · 1999

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  34. Cover of Blonde
    Blonde

    novel · 2000

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  35. Cover of The Barrens
    The Barrens

    novel · 2001

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  36. Middle Age: A Romance

    novel · 2001

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  37. Cover of Beasts
    Beasts

    novella · 2002

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  38. Cover of Big Mouth & Ugly Girl
    Big Mouth & Ugly Girl

    young-adult-novel · 2002

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  39. Cover of I'll Take You There
    I'll Take You There

    novel · 2002

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  40. Cover of Freaky Green Eyes
    Freaky Green Eyes

    young-adult-novel · 2003

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  41. Cover of Rape: A Love Story
    Rape: A Love Story

    novella · 2003

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  42. Take Me, Take Me With You

    novel · 2004

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  43. Cover of The Tattooed Girl
    The Tattooed Girl

    novel · 2003

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  44. Cover of The Falls
    The Falls

    novel · 2004

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  45. The Stolen Heart

    novel · 2005

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  46. Cover of Missing Mom
    Missing Mom

    novel · 2005

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  47. Cover of Sexy
    Sexy

    young-adult-novel · 2005

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  48. The Corn Maiden: A Love Story

    novella · 2005

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  49. Cover of Black Girl / White Girl
    Black Girl / White Girl

    novel · 2006

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  50. Blood Mask

    novel · 2006

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  51. Cover of After the Wreck, I Picked Myself Up, Spread My Wings, and Flew Away
    After the Wreck, I Picked Myself Up, Spread My Wings, and Flew Away

    young-adult-novel · 2006

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  52. Cover of The Gravedigger's Daughter
    The Gravedigger's Daughter

    novel · 2007

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  53. Cover of My Sister, My Love
    My Sister, My Love

    novel · 2008

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  54. Cover of Little Bird of Heaven
    Little Bird of Heaven

    novel · 2009

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  55. Cover of A Fair Maiden
    A Fair Maiden

    novella · 2010

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  56. Patricide

    novella · 2012

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  57. The Rescuer

    novella · 2012

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  58. Cover of Mudwoman
    Mudwoman

    novel · 2012

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  59. Cover of Two or Three Things I Forgot to Tell You
    Two or Three Things I Forgot to Tell You

    young-adult-novel · 2012

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  60. Cover of Daddy Love
    Daddy Love

    novel · 2013

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  61. Evil Eye: Four Novellas of Love Gone Wrong

    novella-collection · 2013

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  62. Cover of Carthage
    Carthage

    novel · 2014

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  63. Cover of The Sacrifice
    The Sacrifice

    novel · 2015

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  64. Cover of Jack of Spades: A Tale of Suspense
    Jack of Spades: A Tale of Suspense

    novel · 2015

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  65. Cover of The Man Without a Shadow
    The Man Without a Shadow

    novel · 2016

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  66. Cover of A Book of American Martyrs
    A Book of American Martyrs

    novel · 2017

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  67. Cover of Hazards of Time Travel
    Hazards of Time Travel

    novel · 2018

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  68. Cover of My Life as a Rat
    My Life as a Rat

    novel · 2019

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  69. Cover of Pursuit
    Pursuit

    novel · 2019

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  70. Cover of Cardiff, by the Sea: Four Novellas of Suspense
    Cardiff, by the Sea: Four Novellas of Suspense

    novella-collection · 2020

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  71. Cover of Night. Sleep. Death. The Stars.
    Night. Sleep. Death. The Stars.

    novel · 2020

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  72. Cover of Breathe
    Breathe

    novel · 2021

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  73. Cover of Babysitter
    Babysitter

    novel · 2022

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  74. Cover of 48 Clues into the Disappearance of My Sister
    48 Clues into the Disappearance of My Sister

    novel · 2023

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  75. Butcher: A Novel

    novel · 2024

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  76. Cover of Fox
    Fox

    novel · 2025

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Nonfiction (5)
  1. The Hostile Sun: The Poetry of D. H. Lawrence

    literary-criticism · 1973

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  2. The Picture of Dorian Gray: Wilde's Parable of the Fall

    literary-criticism · 1980

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  3. Cover of The Journal of Joyce Carol Oates: 1973–1982
    The Journal of Joyce Carol Oates: 1973–1982

    diary · 2007

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  4. Cover of A Widow's Story: A Memoir
    A Widow's Story: A Memoir

    memoir · 2011

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  5. Cover of The Lost Landscape: A Writer's Coming of Age
    The Lost Landscape: A Writer's Coming of Age

    memoir · 2015

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Short fiction (50)
  1. Cover of By the North Gate
    By the North Gate

    short-story-collection · 1963

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  2. Marriages and Infidelities

    short-story-collection · 1972

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  3. Cover of The Goddess and Other Women
    The Goddess and Other Women

    short-story-collection · 1974

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  4. The Hungry Ghosts: Seven Allusive Comedies

    short-story-collection · 1974

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  5. Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?: Stories of Young America

    short-story-collection · 1974

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  6. The Poisoned Kiss and Other Stories from the Portuguese

    short-story-collection · 1975

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  7. Crossing the Border

    short-story-collection · 1976

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  8. Night-Side: Eighteen Tales

    short-story-collection · 1977

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  9. All the Good People I've Left Behind

    short-story-collection · 1979

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  10. A Sentimental Education: Stories

    short-story-collection · 1980

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  11. Last Days: Stories

    short-story-collection · 1984

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  12. Wild Saturday

    short-story-collection · 1984

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  13. Raven's Wing: Stories

    short-story-collection · 1986

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  14. The Assignation: Stories

    short-story-collection · 1988

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  15. Oates in Exile

    short-story-collection · 1990

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  16. Where Is Here?

    short-story-collection · 1992

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  17. Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?: Selected Early Stories

    short-story-collection · 1993

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  18. Cover of Haunted: Tales of the Grotesque
    Haunted: Tales of the Grotesque

    short-story-collection · 1994

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  19. Demon and Other Tales

    short-story-collection · 1996

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  20. Will You Always Love Me? And Other Stories

    short-story-collection · 1996

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  21. Cover of The Collector of Hearts: New Tales of the Grotesque
    The Collector of Hearts: New Tales of the Grotesque

    short-story-collection · 1998

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  22. Cover of Faithless: Tales of Transgression
    Faithless: Tales of Transgression

    short-story-collection · 2001

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  23. Cover of I Am No One You Know: Stories
    I Am No One You Know: Stories

    short-story-collection · 2004

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  24. Cover of High Lonesome: New & Selected Stories, 1966–2006
    High Lonesome: New & Selected Stories, 1966–2006

    short-story-collection · 2006

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  25. Cover of The Female of the Species: Tales of Mystery and Suspense
    The Female of the Species: Tales of Mystery and Suspense

    short-story-collection · 2006

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  26. Cover of The Museum of Dr. Moses: Tales of Mystery and Suspense
    The Museum of Dr. Moses: Tales of Mystery and Suspense

    short-story-collection · 2007

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  27. Cover of Wild Nights!
    Wild Nights!

    short-story-collection · 2008

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  28. Cover of Dear Husband
    Dear Husband

    short-story-collection · 2009

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  29. Cover of Sourland: Stories
    Sourland: Stories

    short-story-collection · 2010

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  30. Cover of Give Me Your Heart: Tales of Mystery and Suspense
    Give Me Your Heart: Tales of Mystery and Suspense

    short-story-collection · 2011

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  31. Cover of The Corn Maiden and Other Nightmares
    The Corn Maiden and Other Nightmares

    short-story-collection · 2011

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  32. Cover of Black Dahlia & White Rose
    Black Dahlia & White Rose

    short-story-collection · 2012

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  33. Cover of High Crime Area: Tales of Darkness and Dread
    High Crime Area: Tales of Darkness and Dread

    short-story-collection · 2014

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  34. Cover of Lovely, Dark, Deep: Stories
    Lovely, Dark, Deep: Stories

    short-story-collection · 2014

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  35. Cover of The Doll-Master and Other Tales of Terror
    The Doll-Master and Other Tales of Terror

    short-story-collection · 2016

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  36. DIS MEM BER and Other Stories of Mystery and Suspense

    short-story-collection · 2017

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  37. Cover of Beautiful Days: Stories
    Beautiful Days: Stories

    short-story-collection · 2018

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  38. Cover of Night-Gaunts and Other Tales of Suspense
    Night-Gaunts and Other Tales of Suspense

    short-story-collection · 2018

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  39. Cover of The Ruins of Contracoeur and Other Presences
    The Ruins of Contracoeur and Other Presences

    short-story-collection · 2021

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  40. Cover of The (Other) You
    The (Other) You

    short-story-collection · 2021

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  41. Cover of Night, Neon: Tales of Mystery and Suspense
    Night, Neon: Tales of Mystery and Suspense

    short-story-collection · 2021

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  42. Extenuating Circumstances: Stories of Crime and Suspense

    short-story-collection · 2022

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  43. Cover of Zero-Sum: Stories
    Zero-Sum: Stories

    short-story-collection · 2023

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  44. Cover of Flint Kill Creek: Stories of Mystery and Suspense
    Flint Kill Creek: Stories of Mystery and Suspense

    short-story-collection · 2024

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  45. The Frenzy

    short-story-collection · 2026

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Essays and speeches (11)
  1. The Edge of Impossibility: Tragic Forms in Literature

    essay-collection · 1972

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  2. New Heaven, New Earth: The Visionary Experience in Literature

    essay-collection · 1974

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  3. Contraries: Essays

    essay-collection · 1981

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  4. The Profane Art: Essays & Reviews

    essay-collection · 1983

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  5. Cover of (Woman) Writer: Occasions and Opportunities
    (Woman) Writer: Occasions and Opportunities

    essay-collection · 1988

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  6. Where I've Been, And Where I'm Going: Essays, Reviews, and Prose

    essay-collection · 1999

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  7. Cover of The Faith of a Writer: Life, Craft, Art
    The Faith of a Writer: Life, Craft, Art

    essay-collection · 2003

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  8. Cover of Uncensored: Views & (Re)views
    Uncensored: Views & (Re)views

    essay-collection · 2005

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  9. In the Absence of Mentors/Monsters

    essay-collection · 2009

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  10. Cover of In Rough Country
    In Rough Country

    essay-collection · 2010

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  11. Soul at the White Heat: Inspiration, Obsession, and the Writing Life

    essay-collection · 2016

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Children's books (4)
  1. Cover of Come Meet Muffin!
    Come Meet Muffin!

    children's-book · 1998

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  2. Cover of Where Is Little Reynard?
    Where Is Little Reynard?

    children's-book · 2003

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  3. Cover of Naughty Chérie!
    Naughty Chérie!

    children's-book · 2008

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  4. The New Kitten

    children's-book · 2019

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Poetry (12)
  1. Women in Love and Other Poems

    poetry-collection · 1968

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  2. Cover of Anonymous Sins & Other Poems
    Anonymous Sins & Other Poems

    poetry-collection · 1969

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  3. Love and Its Derangements

    poetry-collection · 1970

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  4. Angel Fire

    poetry-collection · 1973

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  5. Dreaming America

    poetry-collection · 1973

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  6. The Fabulous Beasts

    poetry-collection · 1975

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  7. Season of Peril

    poetry-collection · 1977

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  8. Women Whose Lives Are Food, Men Whose Lives Are Money

    poetry-collection · 1978

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  9. Invisible Woman: New and Selected Poems, 1970–1982

    poetry-collection · 1982

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  10. The Time Traveler

    poetry-collection · 1989

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  11. Cover of Tenderness
    Tenderness

    poetry-collection · 1996

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  12. Cover of American Melancholy: Poems
    American Melancholy: Poems

    poetry-collection · 2021

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Plays (31)
  1. Sunday Dinner

    play · 1965

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  2. The Sweet Enemy

    play · 1970

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  3. Ontological Proof of My Existence

    one-act-play · 1970

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  4. Miracle Play

    play · 1973

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  5. Cover of The Triumph of the Spider Monkey
    The Triumph of the Spider Monkey

    one-act-play · 1979

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  6. Three Plays

    play-collection · 1980

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  7. Black

    play · 1989

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  8. In Darkest America

    play-collection · 1990

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  9. I Stand Before You Naked

    play · 1990

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  10. American Holiday

    play · 1990

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  11. How Do You Like Your Meat?

    one-act-play · 1990

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  12. Friday Night

    one-act-play · 1990

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  13. The Secret Mirror

    play · 1991

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  14. Twelve Plays

    play-collection · 1991

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  15. Greensleeves

    one-act-play · 1991

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  16. The Key

    one-act-play · 1991

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  17. The Ballad of Love Canal

    one-act-play · 1991

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  18. Under/Ground

    one-act-play · 1991

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  19. The Perfectionist and Other Plays

    play-collection · 1995

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  20. Here She Is!

    one-act-play · 1995

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  21. Negative

    one-act-play · 1995

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  22. Homesick

    one-act-play · 1995

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  23. The Adoption

    one-act-play · 1996

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  24. Cover of Black Water
    Black Water

    play · 1997

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  25. New Plays

    play-collection · 1998

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  26. When I Was a Little Girl and My Mother Didn't Love Me

    one-act-play · 1998

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  27. Dr. Magic

    one-act-play · 2002

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  28. Dr. Magic: Six One Act Plays

    play-collection · 2004

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  29. Wild Nights! and Grandpa Clemens & Angelfish 1906: Two One Act Plays

    play-collection · 2009

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  30. Cover of Wild Nights!
    Wild Nights!

    one-act-play · 2009

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  31. Grandpa Clemens & Angelfish 1906

    one-act-play · 2009

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