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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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