Joy Adamson books in order
Austrian-British naturalist, painter, writer, collector and illustrator
- Lived
- 1910–1980
- Country
- Cisleithania
- Books
- 13
Joy Adamson published 1 novel, 8 non-fiction books, 1 children's book and 3 other books, beginning with Born Free (1960). The best-known is Living Free (1961).
Updated September 2026
Where to start with Joy Adamson
Start here
Living Free
Joy Adamson's most-read book.
Standalone novels in order
Born Free (1960)
Non-fiction in order
Born Free, a Lioness of Two Worlds (1960)
Forever Free (1960)
Living Free (1961)
The Story of Elsa (1966)
Africa (1972)
Pippa's Challenge (1972)
The Searching Spirit (1978)
Queen of Shaba (1980)
Children's books in order
Pippa, the Cheetah, and Her Cubs (1970)
Other books in order
Elsa (1961)
The Spotted Sphinx (1969)
Such Agreeable Friends (1978)
Film and TV adaptations
- Born Free (1966)Film · from Born Free
About Joy Adamson
Friederike Victoria "Joy" Adamson was a Czech-born Austrian-Kenyan naturalist, artist and author. Her book, Born Free, describes her experiences raising a lion cub named Elsa. Born Free was printed in several languages and made into an Academy Award–winning movie of the same name. In 1977, she was awarded the Austrian Cross of Honour for Science and Art.
Biography from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0. Photo via Wikimedia Commons.
Joy Adamson FAQ
- How many books has Joy Adamson written?
- Joy Adamson published 1 novel, 8 non-fiction books, 1 children's book and 3 other books that we list, as of September 2026.
- What order should I read Joy Adamson's books in?
- Publication order is a safe choice; the full list is above. Most readers start with Living Free.
- What is Joy Adamson's last book?
- Queen of Shaba (1980).
- What is Joy Adamson's most famous book?
- Living Free (1961) is Joy Adamson's most widely read book.
- Which Joy Adamson books have been adapted?
- 1 book has been adapted for film or TV, including Born Free (film, 1966).
Sources: book lists and dates from Wikidata and Open Library, ratings from Open Library readers. Last updated September 2026.