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 "The Broom of the System" (1987) and follow publication order through all 9 books.
The complete Standalone reading order is listed below in publication sequence.
Publication Order
The Broom of the System
1987
Infinite Jest
1996
The Pale King
2011
Something to Do with Paying Attention
2022
Girl With Curious Hair
1989
Brief Interviews with Hideous Men
1999
Oblivion
2004
String Theory
2014
The David Foster Wallace Reader
2014
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