What order should I read Erskine Caldwell's books in?

Publication order is a safe choice; the full list is above. Most readers start with Tobacco Road.

What is Erskine Caldwell's last book?

The Black & White Stories of Erskine Caldwell (1984).

What is Erskine Caldwell's most famous book?

Tobacco Road (1932) is Erskine Caldwell's most widely read book.

Which Erskine Caldwell books have been adapted?

2 books have been adapted for film or TV, including Tobacco Road (film, 1941) and God's Little Acre (film, 1958).

Erskine Caldwell books in order

American novelist, short story writer, travel writer, essayist

Lived: 1903–1987
Country: United States
Books: 36

Erskine Caldwell published 27 novels, 1 novella, 4 short story collections, 2 non-fiction books and 2 other books, beginning with Tobacco Road (1932).

Updated September 2026

Where to start with Erskine Caldwell

Start here
Tobacco Road
Erskine Caldwell's most-read book.

Standalone novels in order

The Bastard (1929)
192 pages
Buy
Poor Fool (1930)
160 pages
Buy
Tobacco Road (1932)
186 pagesAdapted for film
Buy
God's Little Acre (1933)
216 pagesAdapted for film
Buy
Journeyman (1935)
195 pages
Buy
Kneel to the Rising Sun (1935)
246 pages
Buy
Georgia Boy (1943)
239 pages
Buy
Tragic Ground (1944)
237 pages
Buy
A House in the Uplands (1946)
198 pages
Buy
The Sure Hand of God (1947)
243 pages
Buy
This Very Earth (1948)
254 pages
Buy
Place Called Estherville (1949)
215 pages
Buy
Call It Experience (1951)
200 pages
Buy
Southways (1953)
206 pages
Buy
Love and Money (1954)
244 pages
Buy
Gretta (1955)
244 pages
Buy
Certain Women (1957)
176 pages
Buy
Claudelle Inglish (1958)
208 pages
Buy
We Are the Living (1960)
264 pages
Buy
Jenny by Nature (1961)
216 pages
Buy
Close to Home (1962)
215 pages
Buy
The Last Night of Summer (1963)
179 pages
Buy
Lovers (1968)
Buy
Summertime Island (1968)
183 pages
Buy
The Weather Shelter (1969)
188 pages
Buy
Episode in Palmetto (1972)
208 pages
Buy
Trouble in July (1974)
200 pages
Buy

Novellas in order

The Sacrilege of Alan Kent (1936)
62 pages
Buy

Short story collections in order

Complete Stories (1941)
664 pages
Buy
Gulf Coast Stories (1956)
208 pages
Buy
Men and Women (1958)
313 pages
Buy
The Black & White Stories of Erskine Caldwell (1984)
189 pages
Buy

Non-fiction in order

Say, Is This the U.s.a (1941)
182 pages
Buy
Deep South; Memory and Observation (1966)
257 pages
Buy

Other books in order

You Have Seen Their Faces (1937)
127 pages
Buy
Molly Cottontail (1958)
Buy

Film and TV adaptations

Tobacco Road (1941)Film · from Tobacco Road
God's Little Acre (1958)Film · from God's Little Acre

About Erskine Caldwell

Erskine Preston Caldwell was an American novelist and short story writer. His writings about poverty, racism and social problems in his native Southern United States, in novels such as Tobacco Road (1932) and God's Little Acre (1933), won him critical acclaim.

Biography from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0. Photo via Wikimedia Commons.

Erskine Caldwell FAQ

How many books has Erskine Caldwell written?: Erskine Caldwell published 27 novels, 1 novella, 4 short story collections, 2 non-fiction books and 2 other books that we list, as of September 2026.
What order should I read Erskine Caldwell's books in?: Publication order is a safe choice; the full list is above. Most readers start with Tobacco Road.
What is Erskine Caldwell's last book?: The Black & White Stories of Erskine Caldwell (1984).
What is Erskine Caldwell's most famous book?: Tobacco Road (1932) is Erskine Caldwell's most widely read book.
Which Erskine Caldwell books have been adapted?: 2 books have been adapted for film or TV, including Tobacco Road (film, 1941) and God's Little Acre (film, 1958).

Sources: book lists and dates from Wikidata and Open Library, ratings from Open Library readers. Last updated September 2026.