Jim Carroll books in order
American author, poet, and punk musician
- Lived
- 1949–2009
- Country
- United States
- Books
- 6
Jim Carroll published 3 novels, 1 non-fiction book and 2 poetry collections, beginning with The Basketball Diaries (1978).
Updated September 2026
Where to start with Jim Carroll
Start here
The Basketball Diaries
Jim Carroll's most-read book.
Standalone novels in order
The Basketball Diaries (1978)
Fear of Dreaming (1993)
The Petting Zoo (2010)
Non-fiction in order
Forced Entries (1987)
Poetry in order
Living at the Movies (1973)
The Book of Nods (1986)
Film and TV adaptations
- The Basketball Diaries (1995)Film · from The Basketball Diaries
About Jim Carroll
James Dennis Carroll was an American author, poet, and punk musician. Carroll was best known for his 1978 autobiographical work The Basketball Diaries, which inspired a 1995 film of the same title that starred Leonardo DiCaprio as Carroll, and his 1980 song "People Who Died" with the Jim Carroll Band.
Biography from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0. Photo via Wikimedia Commons.
Jim Carroll FAQ
- How many books has Jim Carroll written?
- Jim Carroll published 3 novels, 1 non-fiction book and 2 poetry collections that we list, as of September 2026.
- What order should I read Jim Carroll's books in?
- Publication order is a safe choice; the full list is above. Most readers start with The Basketball Diaries.
- What is Jim Carroll's last book?
- The Petting Zoo (2010).
- What is Jim Carroll's most famous book?
- The Basketball Diaries (1978) is Jim Carroll's most widely read book.
- Which Jim Carroll books have been adapted?
- 1 book has been adapted for film or TV, including The Basketball Diaries (film, 1995).
Sources: book lists and dates from Wikidata and Open Library, ratings from Open Library readers. Last updated September 2026.