Colm Tóibín has published 19 novels, 1 novella, 1 short story collection, 7 non-fiction books, 1 play and 3 other books, beginning with The Story of the Night (1996). The best-known is Brooklyn (2009). The latest is On Elizabeth Bishop (2025).
Updated September 2026
Where to start with Colm Tóibín
Start here
Brooklyn
Colm Tóibín's most-read book.
Newest
On Elizabeth Bishop
Published 2025.
Standalone novels in order
The South (1990)
The Heather Blazing (Sep 1992)
The Sign of the Cross (1994)
The Story of the Night (1996)
The Blackwater Lightship (1999)
The Penguin Book of Irish Fiction (1999)
The Irish Famine (May 2001)
The Master (2004)
Mothers and Sons (2006)
Brooklyn (Apr 2009)
New Ways to Kill Your Mother (2012)
[Nora Webster] [published (2014)
Nora Webster (2014)
House of Names (2017)
The Dead Girls (2019)
The Magician (2021)
Long Island (2024)
Bad Blood (2025)
On Elizabeth Bishop (2025)
Novellas in order
The Testament of Mary (Nov 2012)
Short story collections in order
The Empty Family (Oct 2010)
Non-fiction in order
Walking Along the Border (1987)
Homage to Barcelona (1990)
Love in a Dark Time (2001)
Lady Gregory's Toothbrush (2002)
All a Novelist Needs (2010)
What Would Lynne Tillman Do? (2014)
Mad, Bad, Dangerous to Know (2018)
Plays in order
Beauty in a Broken Place (2004)
Other books in order
Henry James Novel (2003)
by Colm Toibin Brooklyn (2009)
Guest at the Feast (2023)
Film and TV adaptations
- The Blackwater Lightship (2004)Film · from The Blackwater Lightship
- Brooklyn (2015)Film · from Brooklyn
- Fatherland (2026)Film · from The Magician
About Colm Tóibín
Colm Tóibín is an Irish novelist, short story writer, essayist, journalist, critic, playwright and poet.
Biography from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0. Photo via Wikimedia Commons.
Colm Tóibín FAQ
- How many books has Colm Tóibín written?
- Colm Tóibín has published 19 novels, 1 novella, 1 short story collection, 7 non-fiction books, 1 play and 3 other books that we list, as of September 2026.
- What order should I read Colm Tóibín's books in?
- Publication order is a safe choice; the full list is above. Most readers start with Brooklyn.
- What is Colm Tóibín's latest book?
- On Elizabeth Bishop (2025).
- What is Colm Tóibín's most famous book?
- Brooklyn (2009) is Colm Tóibín's most widely read book.
- Which Colm Tóibín books have been adapted?
- 3 books have been adapted for film or TV, including The Blackwater Lightship (film, 2004), Brooklyn (film, 2015) and The Magician (as Fatherland, film, 2026).
Authors like Colm Tóibín
Sources: book lists and dates from Wikidata and Open Library, ratings from Open Library readers. Last updated September 2026.