Does this page include every Gail Godwin book?

This catalog lists the Gail Godwin books currently available in Sequencebooks, including standalone titles and series entries when available.

Are Gail Godwin series listed separately?

Yes. Each Gail Godwin series is broken out with book numbers, publication years, and a dedicated reading-order page.

Should I read Gail Godwin books in publication order or chronological order?

Publication order is usually the safest reading path. For series, follow the numbered reading order shown beside each title.

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Gail Godwin Complete Bibliography

Q: What is the best order to read Gail Godwin books?

Start with the series reading order for any connected books, then use the chronological list on this page for the full Gail Godwin bibliography.

Browse books by Gail Godwin in publication order, including standalone books, complete series lists, reading order, and publication years.

Updated 2026-07-11 / 29 books / 6 series

American author Gail Godwin is best known for her acclaimed novels, including *The Finishing School* and *A Mother and Two Daughters*. A three-time National Book Award finalist, her works have sold millions of copies. This page provides Gail Godwin’s books in order, including both chronological publication order and series reading order.

Books by Gail Godwin in Publication Order

1970 The Perfectionists POoSN / 1 Buy

1972 Glass People POoSN / 2 Buy

1974 The Odd Woman POoSN / 3 Buy

1976 Dream Children POoSSC / 1 Buy

1978 Violet Clay POoSN / 4 Buy

1982 A Mother and Two Daughters POoSN / 5 Buy

1983 Mr. Bedford and the Muses POoSSC / 2 Buy

1984 The Finishing School POoSN / 6 Buy

1987 A Southern Family POoSN / 7 Buy

1991 Father Melancholy's Daughter POoMBB / 1 Buy

1994 Listening for God Reader, Vol. 1(By: Flannery O'Connor,Raymond Carver,Alice Walker,Garrison Keillor,Annie Dillard,Richard Rodr’guez,Patricia Hampl,Peter Hawkins,Frederick Buechner,Paula J. Carlson,Peter S. Hawkins) POoCLatLoFB / 1 Buy

1994 The Good Husband POoSN / 8 Buy

1996 Listening for God, Vol. 2(With: Anne Tyler,John Updike,Tobias Wolff,Henry Louis Gates Jr.,Kathleen Norris,Paula J. Carlson,Peter S. Hawkins,Carol Bly,Andrew Dubus) POoCLatLoFB / 2 Buy

1999 Evensong POoMBB / 2 Buy

2000 Listening for God, Vol. 3(By: Tillie Olsen,Wendell Berry,John Cheever,Louise Erdrich,Mary Gordon,Tess Gallagher,Reynolds Price,Oscar Hijuelos,Paula J. Carlson,Peter S. Hawkins) POoCLatLoFB / 3 Buy

2001 Heart POoNB / 1 Buy

2002 Listening For God, Vol. 4(By: Robert Olen Butler,Allegra Goodman,James Baldwin,Kent Haruf,SueMiller,Doris Betts,Paula J. Carlson,Peter S. Hawkins,MichaelMalone,Alice Elliot Dark) POoCLatLoFB / 4 Buy

2003 Evenings at Five POoSN / 9 Buy

2006 Queen of the Underworld POoSN / 10 Buy

2007 The Making of a Writer: Journals, 1961-1963 POoB&M / 1 Buy

2009 Unfinished Desires POoSN / 11 Buy

2010 The Making of a Writer, Volume 2: Journals, 1963-1969 POoB&M / 2 Buy

2013 Flora POoSN / 12 Buy

2015 Publishing: A Writer’s Memoir POoB&M / 3 Buy

2017 Grief Cottage POoSN / 13 Buy

2020 Old Lovegood Girls POoSN / 14 Buy

2021 Gabrielle: My Life As I Remember It POoB&M / 4 Buy

2024 Getting to Know Death: A Meditation POoNB / 2 Buy

2026 The Art of Becoming a Citizen POoNB / 3 Buy

Complete Gail Godwin Series Reading Order / browse all ->

Standalone Reading Order 14 books / 1970-2020

01 The Perfectionists 1970 Buy

02 Glass People 1972 Buy

03 The Odd Woman 1974 Buy

04 Violet Clay 1978 Buy

05 A Mother and Two Daughters 1982 Buy

06 The Finishing School 1984 Buy

07 A Southern Family 1987 Buy

08 The Good Husband 1994 Buy

09 Evenings at Five 2003 Buy

10 Queen of the Underworld 2006 Buy

11 Unfinished Desires 2009 Buy

12 Flora 2013 Buy

13 Grief Cottage 2017 Buy

14 Old Lovegood Girls 2020 Buy

Contemporary Literature and the Life of Faith Reading Order 4 books / 1994-2002

01 Listening for God Reader, Vol. 1(By: Flannery O'Connor,Raymond Carver,Alice Walker,Garrison Keillor,Annie Dillard,Richard Rodr’guez,Patricia Hampl,Peter Hawkins,Frederick Buechner,Paula J. Carlson,Peter S. Hawkins) 1994 Buy

02 Listening for God, Vol. 2(With: Anne Tyler,John Updike,Tobias Wolff,Henry Louis Gates Jr.,Kathleen Norris,Paula J. Carlson,Peter S. Hawkins,Carol Bly,Andrew Dubus) 1996 Buy

03 Listening for God, Vol. 3(By: Tillie Olsen,Wendell Berry,John Cheever,Louise Erdrich,Mary Gordon,Tess Gallagher,Reynolds Price,Oscar Hijuelos,Paula J. Carlson,Peter S. Hawkins) 2000 Buy

04 Listening For God, Vol. 4(By: Robert Olen Butler,Allegra Goodman,James Baldwin,Kent Haruf,SueMiller,Doris Betts,Paula J. Carlson,Peter S. Hawkins,MichaelMalone,Alice Elliot Dark) 2002 Buy

Biographies & Memoirs Reading Order 4 books / 2007-2021

01 The Making of a Writer: Journals, 1961-1963 2007 Buy

02 The Making of a Writer, Volume 2: Journals, 1963-1969 2010 Buy

03 Publishing: A Writer’s Memoir 2015 Buy

04 Gabrielle: My Life As I Remember It 2021 Buy

Non-Fiction Reading Order 3 books / 2001-2026

01 Heart 2001 Buy

02 Getting to Know Death: A Meditation 2024 Buy

03 The Art of Becoming a Citizen 2026 Buy

Short Story Collections Reading Order 2 books / 1976-1983

01 Dream Children 1976 Buy

02 Mr. Bedford and the Muses 1983 Buy

Margaret Bonner Reading Order 2 books / 1991-1999

01 Father Melancholy's Daughter 1991 Buy

02 Evensong 1999 Buy

Where to start with Gail Godwin

What is the best order to read Gail Godwin books?

Publication order is usually the safest place to start. If a book belongs to a series, follow the numbered series reading order shown on this page.

Are standalone books and series both included?

Yes. Standalone titles appear in the full chronological bibliography, and series are broken out separately with reading-order links when catalog data is available.

More authors

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Source note: Sequencebooks organizes author, book, and series records from its catalog data. Publication years and series order are shown when available.