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Standalone Books in Order

16
Books
1970
First Book
2005
Latest Book
36
Years

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 "The Bluest Eye" (1970) and follow publication order through all 16 books.

The complete Standalone reading order is listed below in publication sequence.

Publication Order

1
The Bluest Eye cover

The Bluest Eye

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1970

2
Sula cover

Sula

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1973

3
Song of Solomon cover

Song of Solomon

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1977

4
Tar Baby cover

Tar Baby

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1981

5
Beloved cover

Beloved

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1987

6
Jazz cover

Jazz

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1992

7
Paradise cover

Paradise

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1997

8
Love cover

Love

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2003

9
A Mercy cover

A Mercy

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2008

10
Home cover

Home

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2011

11
God Help the Child cover

God Help the Child

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2014

12
Recitatif cover

Recitatif

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1983

13
Race cover

Race

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2017

14
The Big Box cover

The Big Box

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1999

15
The Book of Mean People cover

The Book of Mean People

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2002

16
The Mirror Or The Glass? cover

The Mirror Or The Glass?

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2005

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