Author guide

Natalie Haynes Books in Order

Natalie Haynes is a British writer, broadcaster, classicist, and former stand-up comedian. Her fiction retells Greek myths from the perspectives of marginalized or overlooked characters, while her nonfiction examines the continuing influence of the classical world. She presents the BBC Radio 4 series Natalie Haynes Stands Up for the Classics. Her novel A Thousand Ships was shortlisted for the Women's Prize for Fiction, and her books include The Ancient Guide to Modern Life, Pandora's Jar, Divine Might, Stone Blind, and No Friend to This House.

literary fictionhistorical fictionmyth retellingnonfictionchildren's fiction

Catalog record updated August 25, 2026.

Natalie Haynes's Newest Book

No Friend to This House

novel · First published 2025

No Friend to This House is an extraordinary reimagining of the myth of Medea from the New York Times bestselling author of Stone Blind, Natalie Haynes. This is what no one tells you, in the songs sung about Jason and the Argo. This part of his quest has been forgotten, by everyone but me . . . Jason and his Argonauts set sail to find the Golden Fleece. The journey is filled with danger, for him and everyone he meets. But if he ever reaches the distant land he seeks, he faces almost certain death. Medea—priestess, witch, and daughter of a brutal king—has the power to save the life of a stranger. Will she betray her family and her home, and what will she demand in return? Medea and Jason seize their one chance of a life together, as the gods intend. But their love is steeped in vengeance from the beginning, and no one—not even those closest to them—will be safe. Based on the classic tragedy by Euripides, this is Medea as you've never seen her before . . .

Not sure where to begin?

Start with one of these

A Thousand Ships

A widely acclaimed standalone myth retelling and an accessible introduction to Haynes's central themes.

The Ancient Guide to Modern Life

A clear starting point for her nonfiction and classical-cultural criticism.

Outside the series

Bibliography by category

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Novels (8)

The Ancient Guide to Modern Life
nonfiction · 2010

“A wonderfully whimsical yet instructional view of Greco-Roman history.” —Kirkus Reviews In this thoroughly engaging book, Natalie Haynes brings her scholarship and wit to the most fascinating true stories of the ancient world. The…
The Amber Fury
novel · 2014

*** From the bestselling author of Stone Blind and A Thousand Ships *** When you open up, who will you let in? Alex Morris has lost everything: her relationship, her career and her faith in the future. Moving to Edinburgh to escape her…
The Children of Jocasta
novel · 2017

Retelling of Oedipus and Antigone from the perspectives of the women the myths overlooked. Thebes is a city in mourning, still reeling from a devastating attack of plague that invaded every home and left the survivors devastated and…
A Thousand Ships
novel · 2019

This is the women’s war, just as much as it is the men’s. They have waited long enough for their turn . . . This was never the story of one woman, or two. It was the story of them all . . . In the middle of the night, a woman wakes to…
Pandora's Jar: Women in the Greek Myths
nonfiction · 2020

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER “Funny, sharp explications of what these sometimes not-very-nice women were up to, and how they sometimes made idiots of . . . but read on!”—Margaret Atwood, author of The Handmaid's Tale The national bestselling…
Stone Blind
novel · 2022
Divine Might: Goddesses in Greek Myth
nonfiction · 2023

Get ready to meet the goddesses. In Divine Might, Natalie Haynes, The Sunday Times bestselling author of Stone Blind and The New York Times bestselling author of Pandora's Jar, introduces us to the stories of the Greek goddesses. As…
No Friend to This House
novel · 2025

No Friend to This House is an extraordinary reimagining of the myth of Medea from the New York Times bestselling author of Stone Blind, Natalie Haynes. This is what no one tells you, in the songs sung about Jason and the Argo. This part…

Children's books (1)

The Great Escape
children's novel · 2007

It's the summer holidays and Millie's bored stiff. Every week, she has to clean windows with her dad at a nearby laboratory. But she's sure something weird is going on inside. Then, one day, a cat comes hurtling through the lobby towards…

Frequently asked questions about Natalie Haynes

Who is Natalie Haynes?

Natalie Haynes is a British writer, broadcaster, classicist, and former stand-up comedian known for making the ancient world accessible to modern audiences.

Sources: alumni.christs.cam.ac.uk (opens in a new tab)university.open.ac.uk (opens in a new tab)

Where was Natalie Haynes born, and what did she study?

She was born in Birmingham in 1974 and studied Classics at Christ’s College, Cambridge, where she was also involved with the Footlights dramatic club.

Source: alumni.christs.cam.ac.uk (opens in a new tab)

How did comedy and broadcasting shape Natalie Haynes’s career?

After a decade as a stand-up comedian, Haynes combined comic performance with classical scholarship in live events and BBC Radio 4 programs, including Natalie Haynes Stands Up for the Classics.

Sources: alumni.christs.cam.ac.uk (opens in a new tab)nataliehaynes.com (opens in a new tab)

What themes and influences define Natalie Haynes’s work?

Her work is rooted in Greek mythology, classical literature, and the changing reception of ancient stories. She frequently centers women and other overlooked perspectives, giving them greater narrative voice in retellings.

Sources: university.open.ac.uk (opens in a new tab)panmacmillan.com (opens in a new tab)

What awards and major recognition has Natalie Haynes received?

Her children’s book The Great Escape won a PETA Proggy Award in 2008, and her novel A Thousand Ships was shortlisted for the Women’s Prize for Fiction in 2020.

Sources: alumni.christs.cam.ac.uk (opens in a new tab)womensprize.com (opens in a new tab)