We have listed all of Erzkine Caldwell’s books in order of publication. This way you can see his entire life’s work in one place and will hopefully help you discover more of this great writer’s literature.
Erskine Caldwell Novels in Publication Order
- The Bast*ard (1929)
- Poor Fool (1930)
- Tobacco Road (1932)
- God’s Little Acre (1933)
- Journeyman (1935)
- Sacriledge of Alan Kent (1936)
- This Very Earth (1940)
- Trouble in July (1940)
- Georgia Boy (1943)
- Tragic Ground (1944)
- A House in the Uplands (1946)
- The Sure Hand of God (1947)
- A Place Called Estherville (1949)
- Episode in Palmetto (1950)
- A Lamp for Nightfall (1952)
- Love and Money (1954)
- Gretta (1955)
- Claudelle (1958)
- Molly Cottontail (1958)
- Jenny By Nature (1961)
- Close to Home (1962)
- The Last Night of Summer (1963)
- Miss Mamma Aimee (1967)
- Summertime Island (1968)
- The Weather Shelter (1969)
- Earnshaw Neighbourhood (1972)
- Annette (1974)
Erskine Caldwell Collections
- American Earth (1931)
- We Are the Living (1933)
- Kneel to the Rising Sun (1935)
- Humorous Side of Erskine Caldwell (1951)
- The Courting of Susie Brown (1952)
- Complete Stories of Erskine Caldwell (1953)
- Certain Women (1957)
- Men and Women (1962)
- Stories of Life, North and South (1984)
- The Black and White Stories of Erskine Caldwell (1984)
- Midsummer Passion (1990)
- The Stories of Erskine Caldwell (1995)
Erskine Caldwell Picture Books In Order
- You Have Seen Their Faces (1937)
- North of the Danube (1939)
- Say, Is This the U.S.A.? (1941)
Erskine Caldwell Non-Fiction Books in Order
- Call It Experience (1951)
- In Search of Bisco (1965)
- Deep South (1967)
- Afternoons in Mid-America (1976)
- With All My Might (1987)
- Selected Letters: 1929-55 (1999)
More About Erskine Caldwell
Erskine Caldwell, a prominent American novelist and short story writer, was born on December 17, 1903, in Coweta County, Georgia. His works, often set in the Southern United States and deeply influenced by his Georgian upbringing, are known for their stark portrayal of poverty, racism, and social injustice.
Growing up as the son of a minister, Caldwell’s family moved frequently across the South, an experience that exposed him to the plight of the rural poor, an influence that profoundly shaped his later writing. Despite an unstable educational journey due to his family’s constant relocations, Caldwell developed a passion for reading, which laid the foundation for his literary aspirations.
Caldwell’s early career was marked by a variety of jobs, from mill worker to journalist, experiences that provided him with a wealth of material for his novels and short stories. He gained significant recognition with the publication of “Tobacco Road” in 1932. The novel, known for its raw depiction of the destitution faced by a family of Georgian sharecroppers during the Great Depression, was both celebrated and controversial for its unflinching realism.
His subsequent work, “God’s Little Acre,” further cemented his reputation as a writer unafraid to tackle the harsh realities of Southern rural life. His depiction of poverty, sexual tension, and desperation in a struggling farming community was groundbreaking for its time and sparked legal battles over censorship.
Caldwell’s writing style is characterized by its simplicity and directness, a reflection of the unadorned lives of his characters. His ability to convey powerful narratives through sparse, unembellished prose has made his work a vital part of America’s literary heritage.
Throughout his career, Caldwell continued to write prolifically, producing more than 25 novels and numerous short stories. His works often stirred controversy and debate, yet they played a crucial role in bringing to light the social and economic issues of the American South.
Erskine Caldwell passed away on April 11, 1987, but his legacy endures. His novels and stories remain significant for their historical and social insight, and for their contribution to the conversation about the human condition in the face of adversity. Caldwell’s work stands as a poignant and enduring chronicle of Southern life during some of America’s most challenging times.