Cormac McCarthy books in order
American novelist, playwright, and screenwriter
- Lived
- 1933–2023
- Country
- United States
- Books
- 14
- Series
- 1
Cormac McCarthy published 10 novels, 2 novellas and 2 plays, beginning with The Orchard Keeper (1965). The series is The Border Trilogy (3 books, starting with No Country for Old Men). The best-known is The Road (2006).
Updated September 2026
The Border Trilogy books in order (3)Series page
Reading order: 1 No Country for Old Men (2005) · 2 The Road (2006) · 3 Cities of the Plain (1998)
- 1.
No Country for Old Men (Jul 2005), also published as All the Pretty Horses
- 2.
The Road (Sep 2006), also published as The Crossing
- 3.
Cities of the Plain (May 1998)
Where to start with Cormac McCarthy
Start here
No Country for Old Men
Book 1 of The Border Trilogy, the series that includes The Road, Cormac McCarthy's most-read book.
Shortest way in
Child of God
One of the most-read, at about 197 pages.
Standalone novels in order
The Orchard Keeper (May 1965)
Outer Dark (1968)
Child of God (1973)
Suttree (May 1979)
Blood Meridian (Feb 1985)
The Passenger (Oct 2022)
Stella Maris (Dec 2022)
Novellas in order
The Gardener's Son (1996)
Counsellor (2013)
Plays in order
The Stonemason (1994)
The Sunset Limited (2006)
Film and TV adaptations
- Child of God (2013)Film · from Child of God
- No Country for Old Men (2007)Film · from No Country for Old Men
- The Road (2009)Film · from The Road
- The Sunset Limited (2011)TV · from The Sunset Limited
About Cormac McCarthy
Cormac McCarthy was an American author who wrote twelve novels, two plays, five screenplays, and three short stories, spanning the Western, post-apocalyptic, and Southern Gothic genres. His works often include graphic depictions of violence, and his writing style is characterized by a sparse use of punctuation and attribution. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest American novelists.
Biography from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0. Photo via Wikimedia Commons.
Cormac McCarthy FAQ
- How many books has Cormac McCarthy written?
- Cormac McCarthy published 10 novels, 2 novellas and 2 plays that we list, as of September 2026.
- What order should I read Cormac McCarthy's books in?
- Read each series in its own order: start The Border Trilogy with No Country for Old Men. The other books stand alone and can be read in any order.
- What is Cormac McCarthy's last book?
- Stella Maris (2022).
- What is Cormac McCarthy's most famous book?
- The Road (2006) is Cormac McCarthy's most widely read book.
- Are Cormac McCarthy's books connected?
- 3 books belong to 1 series (The Border Trilogy); the other 11 books stand alone.
- Which Cormac McCarthy books have been adapted?
- 4 books have been adapted for film or TV, including Child of God (film, 2013), No Country for Old Men (film, 2007), The Road (film, 2009) and The Sunset Limited (TV, 2011).
Authors like Cormac McCarthy
Sources: book lists and dates from Wikidata and Open Library, ratings from Open Library readers. Last updated September 2026.