Roddy Doyle has published 16 novels, 4 novellas, 3 short story collections, 1 non-fiction book, 7 children's books and 1 poetry collection, beginning with The Commitments (1987). The series is The Last Roundup (3 books, starting with A Star Called Henry). The best-known is Paddy Clarke Ha Ha Ha (1993). The latest is Life Without Children (2021).
Updated September 2026
The Last Roundup books in order (3)Series page
Reading order: 1 A Star Called Henry (1999) · 2 Oh, Play That Thing! (2004) · 3 The Dead Republic (2010)
- 1.
A Star Called Henry (1999)
- 2.
Oh, Play That Thing! (2004)
- 3.
The Dead Republic (Mar 2010)
Where to start with Roddy Doyle
Start here
Paddy Clarke Ha Ha Ha
Roddy Doyle's most-read book.
Shortest way in
The Woman Who Walked into Doors
One of the most-read, at about 226 pages.
Newest
Life Without Children
Published 2021.
Standalone novels in order
The Commitments (1987)
The Snapper (1990)
The Van (1991)
Paddy Clarke Ha Ha Ha (1993)
The Woman Who Walked into Doors (1996)
Rory & Ita (2002)
Paula Spencer (2006)
Click (Oct 2007), with Eoin Colfer and Nick Hornby
The Rover Adventures (2009)
The Guts (2013)
Smile (2017)
Love (May 2020)
Life Without Children (2021)
Novellas in order
Not Just for Christmas (1999)
Mad Weekend (2006)
Two Pints (2012)
Dead Man Talking (2015)
Short story collections in order
McSweeney's (2006)
The Deportees and Other Stories (2007)
Bullfighting (2011)
Non-fiction in order
Cigar Box Banjo A Life In Music And Words (2010)
Children's books in order
The Giggler Treatment (2000)
Rover Saves Christmas (2001)
The Meanwhile Adventures (2004)
Wilderness (2007)
Her Mother's Face (2008)
A Greyhound of a Girl (2011)
Brilliant (2014)
Poetry in order
Brownbread; And, War (1992)
Film and TV adaptations
- The Commitments (1991)Film · from The Commitments
- The Snapper (1993)Film · from The Snapper
About Roddy Doyle
Roderick Doyle is an Irish novelist, dramatist and screenwriter. He is the author of eleven novels for adults, eight books for children, seven plays and screenplays, and dozens of short stories. Several of his books have been made into films, beginning with The Commitments in 1991. Doyle's work is set primarily in Ireland, especially working-class Dublin, and is notable for its heavy use of dialogue written in slang and Irish English dialect. Doyle was awarded the Booker Prize in 1993 for his novel Paddy Clarke Ha Ha Ha.
Biography from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0. Photo via Wikimedia Commons.
Roddy Doyle FAQ
- How many books has Roddy Doyle written?
- Roddy Doyle has published 16 novels, 4 novellas, 3 short story collections, 1 non-fiction book, 7 children's books and 1 poetry collection that we list, as of September 2026.
- What order should I read Roddy Doyle's books in?
- Read each series in its own order: start The Last Roundup with A Star Called Henry. The other books stand alone and can be read in any order.
- What is Roddy Doyle's latest book?
- Life Without Children (2021).
- What is Roddy Doyle's most famous book?
- Paddy Clarke Ha Ha Ha (1993) is Roddy Doyle's most widely read book.
- Are Roddy Doyle's books connected?
- 3 books belong to 1 series (The Last Roundup); the other 29 books stand alone.
- Which Roddy Doyle books have been adapted?
- 2 books have been adapted for film or TV, including The Commitments (film, 1991) and The Snapper (film, 1993).
Authors like Roddy Doyle
Sources: book lists and dates from Wikidata and Open Library, ratings from Open Library readers. Last updated September 2026.