Buchi Emecheta published 13 novels, 6 novellas and 1 children's book, beginning with In the Ditch (1972). The best-known is The Joys of Motherhood (1979).
Updated September 2026
Where to start with Buchi Emecheta
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The Joys of Motherhood
Buchi Emecheta's most-read book.
Standalone novels in order
Second-class Citizen (1974)
The Bride Price (1976)
The Slave Girl (1977)
The Joys of Motherhood (May 1979)
Destination Biafra (1982)
Double Yoke (Jan 1982)
Adah's Story (1983)
The Rape of Shavi (1985)
Head Above Water (1986)
Gwendolen (1989)
The Family (Jan 1990)
Head Above Water (Jan 1994)
The New Tribe (2000)
Novellas in order
In the Ditch (1972)
Titch the Cat (Jan 1979)
Nowhere to Play (1980)
Naira Power (1982)
The Wrestling Match (Feb 1983)
Kehinde (1994)
Children's books in order
The Moonlight Bride (Jan 1980)
About Buchi Emecheta
Buchi Emecheta was a Nigerian writer, whose work includes novels, plays, autobiography, and children's books. She was best known for her 1974 novel, Second Class Citizen. Her other novels include The Bride Price (1976), The Slave Girl (1977), and The Joys of Motherhood (1979). Emecheta has been characterized as "the first successful black woman novelist living in Britain after 1948".
Biography from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0. Photo via Wikimedia Commons.
Buchi Emecheta FAQ
- How many books has Buchi Emecheta written?
- Buchi Emecheta published 13 novels, 6 novellas and 1 children's book that we list, as of September 2026.
- What order should I read Buchi Emecheta's books in?
- Publication order is a safe choice; the full list is above. Most readers start with The Joys of Motherhood.
- What is Buchi Emecheta's last book?
- The New Tribe (2000).
- What is Buchi Emecheta's most famous book?
- The Joys of Motherhood (1979) is Buchi Emecheta's most widely read book.
Authors like Buchi Emecheta
Sources: book lists and dates from Wikidata and Open Library, ratings from Open Library readers. Last updated September 2026.