Anthologies#
| Title |
Published |
Buy on Amazon |
| Downhome |
1995 |
Buy |
Collections#
| Title |
Published |
Buy on Amazon |
| White Rat |
1977 |
Buy |
| Song for Anninho |
1981 |
Buy |
| Hermit-Woman |
1983 |
Buy |
| Xarque And Other Poems |
1985 |
Buy |
| Song for Almeyda and Song for Anninho |
2022 |
Buy |
| Butter |
2023 |
Buy |
Non-Fiction#
| Title |
Published |
Buy on Amazon |
| Liberating Voices |
1991 |
Buy |
Standalone Novels#
| Title |
Published |
Buy on Amazon |
| Corregidora |
1975 |
Buy |
| Eva’s Man |
1976 |
Buy |
| The Healing |
1998 |
Buy |
| Mosquito |
1998 |
Buy |
| Palmares |
2021 |
Buy |
| The Birdcatcher |
2022 |
Buy |
| The Unicorn Woman |
2024 |
Buy |
Gayl Jones emerged in the mid-1970s with two novels that announced a major literary talent. Corregidora (1975), about a blues singer haunted by her family’s history of enslavement in Brazil, and Eva’s Man (1976), exploring a woman’s violent response to a lifetime of abuse, were both edited by Toni Morrison and drew immediate critical attention for their raw power and psychological depth. Jones was just 26 when Corregidora appeared.
After The Healing and Mosquito (both 1998), Jones largely withdrew from public life before returning with Palmares (2021), a historical novel set among the communities of escaped enslaved people in colonial Brazil. The Birdcatcher (2022) and The Unicorn Woman (2024) continued her late-career resurgence. Her poetry and short fiction collections — including White Rat (1977), Song for Anninho (1981), and Butter (2023) — show the same intensity and experimental spirit found in her novels. Jones remains one of the most distinctive and uncompromising voices in American literature.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many books has Gayl Jones written?
Gayl Jones has written fifteen books across four series.
What was Gayl Jones's first book?
Gayl Jones’s first book is Corregidora, published in 1975.
What is Gayl Jones best known for?
Gayl Jones is best known for her debut novels Corregidora (1975) and Eva’s Man (1976), which Toni Morrison championed while working as an editor at Random House. After a long absence from publishing, Jones returned with Palmares (2021), a historical novel set in 17th-century Brazil. Her work is praised for its unflinching treatment of trauma, race, and sexuality.