Affiliate Disclosure: Links on this page may earn us a commission at no extra cost to you. Read our affiliate policy
Standalone Books in Order
Below you'll find the complete list of Standalone books in publication order. This is generally the recommended reading order for the series.
Reading order verified: April 2026
Quick Answer
What order should I read the Standalone series? Start with "If He Hollers Let Him Go" (1945) and follow publication order through all 12 books.
The complete Standalone reading order is listed below in publication sequence.
Publication Order
If He Hollers Let Him Go
1945
Lonely Crusade
1947
Cast the First Stone / Yesterday Will Make You Cry
1952
Third Generation
1954
The End of a Primitive
1956
Run Man Run
1960
Pinktoes
1961
A Case Of Rape
1963
Black On Black
1973
Plan B
1993
Yesterday Will Make You Cry
2025
The Collected Stories of Chester Himes
1991
Affiliate Disclosure
As an Amazon Associate, Reading Order Books earns from qualifying purchases. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission at no additional cost to you. This helps us maintain the site and continue providing reading order guides. Read our full disclosure