How many books has Abdulrazak Gurnah written?

Abdulrazak Gurnah has published 12 novels, 1 non-fiction book and 1 other book that we list, as of September 2026.

What order should I read Abdulrazak Gurnah's books in?

Publication order is a safe choice; the full list is above. Most readers start with Paradise.

What is Abdulrazak Gurnah's most famous book?

Paradise (1994) is Abdulrazak Gurnah's most widely read book.

Abdulrazak Gurnah books in order

Tanzanian-born British writer, winner of the Nobel Prize in Literature (2021)

Born: 1948
Country: Tanzania
Books: 14

Literary fiction

Abdulrazak Gurnah has published 12 novels, 1 non-fiction book and 1 other book, beginning with Paradise (1994). The latest is Theft (2025).

Updated September 2026

Where to start with Abdulrazak Gurnah

Start here
Paradise
Abdulrazak Gurnah's most-read book.
Newest
Theft
Published March 2025.

Standalone novels in order

Memory of Departure (1987)
159 pages
Buy
Pilgrims Way (1988)
232 pages
Buy
Dottie (1990)
332 pages
Buy
Paradise (1994)
256 pages
Buy
Admiring Silence (Nov 1996)
216 pages
Buy
By the Sea (2001)
245 pages
Buy
Desertion (2005)
262 pages
Buy
The Last Gift (2011)
288 pages
Buy
Gravel Heart (Aug 2017)
272 pages
Buy
Afterlives (2020)
312 pages
Buy
La Voie Des Pèlerins (2025)
Buy
Theft (Mar 2025)
276 pages
Buy

Non-fiction in order

Essays on African Writing (1993)
185 pages
Buy

Other books in order

The Collected Ctories of Abdulrazak Gurnah (2004)
Buy

About Abdulrazak Gurnah

Abdulrazak Gurnah is a Tanzanian novelist and academic of Yemeni origin. He was born in the Sultanate of Zanzibar and moved to the United Kingdom in the 1960s as a refugee during the Zanzibar Revolution. His novels include Paradise (1994), which was shortlisted for both the Booker and the Whitbread Prize; By the Sea (2001), which was longlisted for the Booker and shortlisted for the Los Angeles Times Book Prize; and Desertion (2005), shortlisted for the Commonwealth Writers' Prize.

Biography from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0. Photo via Wikimedia Commons.

Abdulrazak Gurnah FAQ

How many books has Abdulrazak Gurnah written?: Abdulrazak Gurnah has published 12 novels, 1 non-fiction book and 1 other book that we list, as of September 2026.
What order should I read Abdulrazak Gurnah's books in?: Publication order is a safe choice; the full list is above. Most readers start with Paradise.
What is Abdulrazak Gurnah's latest book?: Theft (2025).
What is Abdulrazak Gurnah's most famous book?: Paradise (1994) is Abdulrazak Gurnah's most widely read book.