William Boyd books in order
Scottish novelist, short story writer, and screen writer
- Born
- 1952
- Country
- United Kingdom
- Books
- 23
William Boyd has published 19 novels, 1 novella, 1 short story collection, 1 non-fiction book and 1 other book, beginning with Any Human Heart (2002). The latest is The Romantic (2022).
Updated September 2026
Where to start with William Boyd
Start here
Any Human Heart
William Boyd's most-read book.
Newest
The Romantic
Published 2022.
Standalone novels in order
A Good Man in Africa (1981)
On the Yankee Station (1981)
An Ice-Cream War (1982)
Stars and Bars (1984)
The New Confessions (Sep 1987)
Brazzaville Beach (1990)
The Blue Afternoon (1993)
Bullets Don't Cry (1994)
Armadillo (1998)
Any Human Heart (2002)
Restless (2006)
Ordinary Thunderstorms (2009)
Waiting of Sunrise (2012)
Waiting for Sunrise (Apr 2012)
Solo (2013)
Sweet Caress (2015)
Love Is Blind (2018)
The Romantic (2022)
The Predicament
Novellas in order
School Ties (1985)
Short story collections in order
The Destiny of Nathalie "x" (1995)
Non-fiction in order
Bamboo (2005)
Other books in order
Killing Lizards and Other Stories (1995)
Film and TV adaptations
- A Good Man in Africa (1994)Film · from A Good Man in Africa
- Stars and Bars (1988)Film · from Stars and Bars
- Any Human HeartTV · from Any Human Heart
- Restless (2012)TV · from Restless
About William Boyd
William Andrew Murray Boyd is a Scottish novelist, short story writer, screenwriter, and film director. He is best known for his novels, which include A Good Man in Africa (1981), Any Human Heart (2002), and Restless (2006), many of which have received critical acclaim and literary awards. Boyd has also written screenplays for film and television, including Chaplin (1992), and directed the World War I drama The Trench (1999).
Biography from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0. Photo via Wikimedia Commons.
William Boyd FAQ
- How many books has William Boyd written?
- William Boyd has published 19 novels, 1 novella, 1 short story collection, 1 non-fiction book and 1 other book that we list, as of September 2026.
- What order should I read William Boyd's books in?
- Publication order is a safe choice; the full list is above. Most readers start with Any Human Heart.
- What is William Boyd's latest book?
- The Romantic (2022).
- What is William Boyd's most famous book?
- Any Human Heart (2002) is William Boyd's most widely read book.
- Which William Boyd books have been adapted?
- 4 books have been adapted for film or TV, including A Good Man in Africa (film, 1994), Stars and Bars (film, 1988), Any Human Heart (TV) and Restless (TV, 2012).
Authors like William Boyd
Sources: book lists and dates from Wikidata and Open Library, ratings from Open Library readers. Last updated September 2026.