C. Northcote Parkinson books in order
British naval historian
- Lived
- 1909–1993
- Country
- United Kingdom
- Books
- 26
C. Northcote Parkinson published 11 novels, 1 novella, 9 non-fiction books, 1 children's book and 4 other books, beginning with In-laws and Outlaws (1962). 6 feature Richard Delancey. The best-known is The Life and Times of Horatio Hornblower (1970).
Updated September 2026
Where to start with C. Northcote Parkinson
Start here
The Life and Times of Horatio Hornblower
C. Northcote Parkinson's most-read book.
Standalone novels in order
Portsmouth Point (1948)
The Law and the Profits (1960)
Mrs. Parkinson's Law (1968)
The Life and Times of Horatio Hornblower (1970)
Jeeves, a Gentleman's Personal Gentleman (1979)
Novellas in order
The Law of Delay (1970)
Non-fiction in order
Trade in the Eastern Seas, 1793-1813 (1937)
War in the Eastern Seas, 1793-1815 (1954)
The Evolution of Political Thought (1958)
British Intervention in Malaya, 1867-1877 (1960)
East and West (1963)
A Law Unto Themselves (1966)
Left Luggage (1967)
The Fur-lined Mousetrap (1973)
Parkinson, the Law (1980)
Children's books in order
In-laws and Outlaws (1962)
Other books in order
law (1968)
Gunpowder, Treason and Plot (1976)
Parkinson (1983)
Parkinsons Law (1986)
About C. Northcote Parkinson
Cyril Northcote Parkinson was a British naval historian and author of some 60 books, the most famous of which was his best-seller Parkinson's Law (1957), in which Parkinson named the satirical Law stating that "work expands so as to fill the time available for its completion" after himself. The Law came to be taken seriously and led to his being regarded as an important scholar in public administration and management.
Biography from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0. Photo via Wikimedia Commons.
C. Northcote Parkinson FAQ
- How many books has C. Northcote Parkinson written?
- C. Northcote Parkinson published 11 novels, 1 novella, 9 non-fiction books, 1 children's book and 4 other books that we list, as of September 2026.
- What order should I read C. Northcote Parkinson's books in?
- Publication order is a safe choice; the full list is above. Most readers start with The Life and Times of Horatio Hornblower.
- What is C. Northcote Parkinson's last book?
- So Near, So Far (1982).
- What is C. Northcote Parkinson's most famous book?
- The Life and Times of Horatio Hornblower (1970) is C. Northcote Parkinson's most widely read book.
Authors like C. Northcote Parkinson
Sources: book lists and dates from Wikidata and Open Library, ratings from Open Library readers. Last updated September 2026.