Colson Whitehead has published 9 novels, 2 non-fiction books and 1 other book, beginning with The Intuitionist (1999). The best-known is The Underground Railroad (2016). The latest is Crook Manifesto (2023).
Updated September 2026
Where to start with Colson Whitehead
Start here
The Underground Railroad
Colson Whitehead's most-read book, rated by 52 Open Library readers.
Shortest way in
The Nickel Boys
One of the most-read, at about 224 pages.
Newest
Crook Manifesto
Published 2023.
Standalone novels in order
The Intuitionist (Jan 1999)
John Henry Days (May 2001)
Apex Hides the Hurt (Mar 2006)
Sag Harbor (Apr 2009)
Zone One (Oct 2011)
The Underground Railroad (Aug 2016)
The Nickel Boys (Jul 2019)
Harlem Shuffle (Sep 2021)
Crook Manifesto (2023)
Non-fiction in order
The Colossus of New York (2003)
The Noble Hustle (2014)
Other books in order
Cool Machine
Film and TV adaptations
- The Underground RailroadTV · from The Underground Railroad
- Nickel Boys (2024)Film · from The Nickel Boys
About Colson Whitehead
Arch Colson Chipp Whitehead is an American novelist. He is the author of ten novels, including his 1999 debut The Intuitionist; The Underground Railroad (2016), for which he won the 2016 National Book Award for Fiction and the 2017 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction; and The Nickel Boys, for which he won the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction again in 2020, making him one of only four writers ever to win the prize twice. He has also published two books of nonfiction. In 2002, he received a MacArthur Fellowship.
Biography from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0. Photo via Wikimedia Commons.
Colson Whitehead FAQ
- How many books has Colson Whitehead written?
- Colson Whitehead has published 9 novels, 2 non-fiction books and 1 other book that we list, as of September 2026.
- What order should I read Colson Whitehead's books in?
- Publication order is a safe choice; the full list is above. Most readers start with The Underground Railroad.
- What is Colson Whitehead's latest book?
- Crook Manifesto (2023).
- What is Colson Whitehead's most famous book?
- The Underground Railroad (2016) is Colson Whitehead's most widely read book.
- Which Colson Whitehead books have been adapted?
- 2 books have been adapted for film or TV, including The Underground Railroad (TV) and The Nickel Boys (as Nickel Boys, film, 2024).
Authors like Colson Whitehead
Sources: book lists and dates from Wikidata and Open Library, ratings from Open Library readers. Last updated September 2026.