How many books has Robert Coover written?

Robert Coover published 14 novels, 6 novellas and 4 short story collections that we list, as of September 2026.

What order should I read Robert Coover's books in?

Publication order is a safe choice; the full list is above. Most readers start with The Universal Baseball Association, Inc.

What is Robert Coover's most famous book?

The Universal Baseball Association, Inc (1968) is Robert Coover's most widely read book.

Robert Coover books in order

American novelist

Lived: 1932–2024
Country: United States
Books: 24

Literary fiction

Robert Coover published 14 novels, 6 novellas and 4 short story collections, beginning with The Universal Baseball Association, Inc (1968).

Updated September 2026

Where to start with Robert Coover

Start here
The Universal Baseball Association, Inc
Robert Coover's most-read book.

Standalone novels in order

The Origin of the Brunists (1966)
441 pages
Buy
The Universal Baseball Association, Inc (1968)
242 pages
Buy
The Water Pourer (1972)
Buy
The Public Burning (1977)
534 pages
Buy
Gerald's Party (1986)
316 pages
Buy
A Night at the Movies (1987)
187 pages
Buy
Whatever Happened to Gloomy Gus of the Chicago Bears? (1987)
154 pages
Buy
Pinocchio in Venice (1991)
330 pages
Buy
John's Wife (1996)
428 pages
Buy
The Adventures of Lucky Pierre (2002)
405 pages
Buy
Noir (2010)
208 pages
Buy
Briar Rose and Spanking the Maid (2011)
176 pages
Buy
The Brunist Day of Wrath (2014)
1015 pages
Buy
Huck Out West (2017)
320 pages
Buy

Novellas in order

A Political Fable (Aug 1980)
88 pages
Buy
Spanking the Maid (1981)
102 pages
Buy
Briar Rose (1996)
91 pages
Buy
Ghost Town (1998)
147 pages
Buy
The Grand Hotels (Of Joseph Cornell) (2002)
64 pages
Buy
Stepmother (2004)
96 pages
Buy

Short story collections in order

Pricksongs and Descants (1969)
256 pages
Buy
Child Again (2005)
200 pages
Buy
Romance Of The Thin Man And The Fat Lady (2011)
Buy
Going for a Beer (2018)
416 pages
Buy

About Robert Coover

Robert Lowell Coover was an American novelist, short story writer, and T. B. Stowell Professor Emeritus in Literary Arts at Brown University. He is generally considered a writer of fabulation and metafiction. He became a proponent of electronic literature and was a founder of the Electronic Literature Organization.

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

Robert Coover FAQ

How many books has Robert Coover written?: Robert Coover published 14 novels, 6 novellas and 4 short story collections that we list, as of September 2026.
What order should I read Robert Coover's books in?: Publication order is a safe choice; the full list is above. Most readers start with The Universal Baseball Association, Inc.
What is Robert Coover's last book?: Going for a Beer (2018).
What is Robert Coover's most famous book?: The Universal Baseball Association, Inc (1968) is Robert Coover's most widely read book.