James Branch Cabell books in order
American author
- Lived
- 1879–1958
- Country
- United States
- Books
- 33
- Series
- 1
James Branch Cabell published 23 novels, 1 novella, 1 short story collection, 2 non-fiction books and 6 other books, beginning with "Jurgen, A Comedy of Justice" (1919). The series is Biography of the Life of Manuel (4 books, starting with The Soul of Melicent).
Updated September 2026
Biography of the Life of Manuel books in order (4)Series page
Reading order: 1 The Soul of Melicent (1913) · 2 "Jurgen, A Comedy of Justice" (1919) · 3 Figures of Earth (1921) · 4 The High Place (1923)
- 1.
The Soul of Melicent (1913)
- 2.
"Jurgen, A Comedy of Justice" (1919)
- 3.
Figures of Earth (1921)
- 4.
The High Place (1923)
Where to start with James Branch Cabell
Start here
The Soul of Melicent
Book 1 of Biography of the Life of Manuel, the series that includes "Jurgen, A Comedy of Justice", James Branch Cabell's most-read book.
Shortest way in
"Jurgen, A Comedy of Justice"
One of the most-read, at about 284 pages.
Standalone novels in order
Gallantry (1907)
From the Hidden Way (1916)
The Cream of the Jest (1917)
Beyond Life (1919)
The Cords of Vanity (1919)
The Certain Hour (1920)
Chivalry (1921)
The Eagle's Shadow (1923)
Straws and Prayer-books, Dizain Des Diversions (1924)
The Silver Stallion (1926)
Something About Eve (1927)
The Way of Ecben (1929)
These Restless Heads (1932)
Smirt (1934)
The King Was in His Counting House (1938)
Hamlet Had an Uncle (1940)
The Witch-Woman (1948)
The Devil's Own Dear Son (1949)
Novellas in order
Quiet, Please (1952)
Short story collections in order
The Line of Love (1919)
Non-fiction in order
Ladies and Gentlemen (1934)
Let Me Lie (1947)
Other books in order
Branch of Abingdon (1911)
The Judging of Jurgen (1920)
Joseph Hergesheimer (1921)
Taboo (1921)
The Jewel Merchants (1921)
The Lineage of Lichfield (1922)
Free to read
All free classics
About James Branch Cabell
James Branch Cabell was an American author of fantasy fiction and belles-lettres. Cabell was well-regarded by his contemporaries, including H. L. Mencken, Edmund Wilson, and Sinclair Lewis. His works were considered escapist and fit well in the culture of the 1920s, when they were most popular. For Cabell, veracity was "the one unpardonable sin, not merely against art, but against human welfare".
Biography from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0. Photo via Wikimedia Commons.
James Branch Cabell FAQ
- How many books has James Branch Cabell written?
- James Branch Cabell published 23 novels, 1 novella, 1 short story collection, 2 non-fiction books and 6 other books that we list, as of September 2026.
- What order should I read James Branch Cabell's books in?
- Read each series in its own order: start Biography of the Life of Manuel with The Soul of Melicent. The other books stand alone and can be read in any order.
- What is James Branch Cabell's last book?
- Quiet, Please (1952).
- What is James Branch Cabell's most famous book?
- "Jurgen, A Comedy of Justice" (1919) is James Branch Cabell's most widely read book.
- Are James Branch Cabell's books connected?
- 4 books belong to 1 series (Biography of the Life of Manuel); the other 29 books stand alone.
- Can I read James Branch Cabell's books for free?
- Yes. 18 books by James Branch Cabell are in the public domain in the US and free to read online or download here.
Authors like James Branch Cabell
Edgar Rice Burroughs
Also wrote literary fiction and fantasy
H. G. Wells
Also wrote literary fiction and science fiction
H. P. Lovecraft
Also wrote fantasy and science fiction
William Morris
Also wrote fantasy and science fiction
C. S. Lewis
Also wrote science fiction and fantasy
Vladimir Nabokov
Also wrote literary fiction and science fiction
Sources: book lists and dates from Wikidata and Open Library, ratings from Open Library readers, free texts from Project Gutenberg. Last updated September 2026.