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Why I Write Books in Order
Below you'll find the complete list of Why I Write 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 Why I Write series? Start with "Devotion (By: Patti Smith)" (2017) and follow publication order through all 9 books.
The complete Why I Write reading order is listed below in publication sequence.
Publication Order
Devotion (By: Patti Smith)
2017
Inadvertent (By: Karl Ove Knausgård)
2018
For Now (By: Eileen Myles)
2020
The House of Being
2024
What Nails It (By: Greil Marcus)
2024
The New Young American Poets
2000
Other Tongues: Mixed-Race Women Speak Out
2010
American Journal
2018
Breaking into Blossom: Poems with Extraordinary Endings
2025
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