James Thurber books in order
American cartoonist, author, journalist, playwright
- Lived
- 1894–1961
- Country
- United States
- Books
- 34
James Thurber published 7 novels, 3 novellas, 3 short story collections, 6 non-fiction books, 5 children's books, 2 poetry collections, 1 play and 7 other books, beginning with Is Sex Necessary? (1929). The best-known is Many Moons (1943).
Updated September 2026
Where to start with James Thurber
Start here
Many Moons
James Thurber's most-read book.
Standalone novels in order
Is Sex Necessary? (1929), with E. B. White
The Beast in Me and Other Animals (1948)
The Thurber Album (1952)
dogs (1955)
Lanterns & Lances (1960)
Alarms and Diversions (1962)
Thurber Country (1979)
Novellas in order
The Last Flower (1939)
The Wonderful O (1957)
The Thirteen Clocks (1999)
Short story collections in order
My World - and Welcome to It (1937)
The Greatest Man in the World (1979)
Thurber on Crime (1991)
Non-fiction in order
Let Your Mind Alone and Other (1937)
The Middle-aged Man on the Flying Trapeze (1945)
Years With Ross (1957)
Credos and Curios (1962)
Selected Letters of James Thurber (1981)
Collecting Himself (1989)
Children's books in order
The Secret Life of Walter Mitty (1939)
Many Moons (1943)
The Great Quillow (1944)
The White Deer (1945)
The 13 Clocks (Jan 1950)
Poetry in order
Fables for Our Time and Famous Poems (1940)
Fables for Our Time (1990)
Plays in order
A Thurber Carnival (1944)
Other books in order
The Owl in the Attic and Other Perplexities (1931)
The Seal in the Bedroom & Other Predicaments (1932)
Further Fables for Our Time (1940)
The Male Animal (1940)
Men, Women and Dogs (1943)
The 13 Clocks and the Wonderful O (1975)
People Have More Fun Than Anybody (1994)
Film and TV adaptations
- The Secret Life of Walter Mitty (1947)Film · from The Secret Life of Walter Mitty
- The Secret Life of Walter Mitty (2013)Film · from The Secret Life of Walter Mitty
About James Thurber
James Grover Thurber was an American cartoonist, writer, humorist, journalist, and playwright. He was born in Columbus, Ohio, and attended Ohio State University (OSU), leaving in 1918 without graduating. He spent over a year in Paris, working for the US State Department as a code clerk, and on his return to Columbus in 1920 was hired as a reporter for the Columbus Dispatch. He married his first wife, Althea Adams, in 1922. Thurber was hired by The New Yorker in early 1927, and soon became a prolific and popular contributor.
Biography from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0. Photo via Wikimedia Commons.
James Thurber FAQ
- How many books has James Thurber written?
- James Thurber published 7 novels, 3 novellas, 3 short story collections, 6 non-fiction books, 5 children's books, 2 poetry collections, 1 play and 7 other books that we list, as of September 2026.
- What order should I read James Thurber's books in?
- Publication order is a safe choice; the full list is above. Most readers start with Many Moons.
- What is James Thurber's last book?
- Credos and Curios (1962).
- What is James Thurber's most famous book?
- Many Moons (1943) is James Thurber's most widely read book.
- Which James Thurber books have been adapted?
- 1 book has been adapted for film or TV, including The Secret Life of Walter Mitty (film, 1947).
Authors like James Thurber
Sources: book lists and dates from Wikidata and Open Library, ratings from Open Library readers. Last updated September 2026.