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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: March 2026
Quick Answer
What order should I read the Standalone series? Start with "Welcome to Hard Times" (1960) and follow publication order through all 17 books.
The complete Standalone reading order is listed below in publication sequence.
Publication Order

Welcome to Hard Times
1960

Big As Life
1966

The Book of Daniel
1971

Ragtime
1975

Drinks Before Dinner
1979

Loon Lake
1980

American Anthem (With: J.C. Suares)
1982

World's Fair
1985

The Waterworks
1994

City of God
2000

The March
2005

Homer & Langley
2009

Andrew's Brain
2014

Three Screenplays: Daniel, Ragtime, Loon Lake
2003

Sweet Land Stories
2004

Poems for Life: A Special Collection of Poetry
2011

All the Time in the World
2011
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