Anthologies#
| Title |
Published |
Buy on Amazon |
| Colors of a New Day |
1990 |
Buy |
| Africa39 |
2014 |
Buy |
Collections#
| Title |
Published |
Buy on Amazon |
| Idanre and Other Poems |
1968 |
Buy |
| A Shuttle in the Crypt |
1972 |
Buy |
| Mandela’s Earth |
1988 |
Buy |
| Early Poems |
1998 |
Buy |
Non-Fiction#
| Title |
Published |
Buy on Amazon |
| The Man Died |
1972 |
Buy |
| Aké: The Years of Childhood |
1981 |
Buy |
| Ìsarà: A Voyage Around “Essay” |
1989 |
Buy |
| Ibadan: The Penkelemes Years:A Memoir: 1945 1965 |
1994 |
Buy |
| Climate of Fear: The Quest for Dignity in a Dehumanized World |
2005 |
Buy |
| You Must Set Forth at Dawn |
2006 |
Buy |
Plays#
| Title |
Published |
Buy on Amazon |
| A Dance of the Forests |
1963 |
Buy |
| The Road |
1965 |
Buy |
| Kongi’s Harvest |
1965 |
Buy |
| Madmen and Specialists |
1971 |
Buy |
| Camwood On The Leaves |
1973 |
Buy |
| The Bacchae of Euripides |
1973 |
Buy |
| Opera Wonyosi |
1981 |
Buy |
| A Play of Giants |
1984 |
Buy |
| Requiem For A Futurologist |
1985 |
Buy |
| Childe internationale |
1987 |
Buy |
| From Zia, with love |
1992 |
Buy |
| Beautification of Area Boy |
1999 |
Buy |
| Death and the King’s Horseman |
2002 |
Buy |
| King Baabu: |
2002 |
Buy |
| The Lion and the Jewel |
2005 |
Buy |
| Jero’s Metamorphosis |
2005 |
Buy |
Standalone Novels#
| Title |
Published |
Buy on Amazon |
| The Interpreters |
1965 |
Buy |
| Season of Anomy |
1973 |
Buy |
| Chronicles from the Land of the Happiest People on Earth |
2021 |
Buy |
The Pantheon Fairy Tale and Folklore Library Reading Order#
| Title |
Published |
Buy on Amazon |
| Household Tales by Brothers Grimm |
1976 |
Buy |
| Gods and Heroes of Ancient Greece |
1957 |
Buy |
| Russian Fairy Tales |
1945 |
Buy |
| Eventyrskatter |
1960 |
Buy |
| Japanese Tales |
1980 |
Buy |
| The Norse Myths |
1980 |
Buy |
| Chinese Fairy Tales and Fantasies |
1980 |
Buy |
| Irish Folk Tales |
1985 |
Buy |
| American Indian Myths and Legends |
1985 |
Buy |
| The Victorian Fairy Tale Book |
1988 |
Buy |
| Yiddish Folktales |
1988 |
Buy |
| Legends and Tales of the American West |
1998 |
Buy |
| Latin American Folktales: Stories from Hispanic and Indian Traditions |
2001 |
Buy |
| Favorite Folktales from Around the World |
2014 |
Buy |
| African Folktales |
2016 |
Buy |
Wole Soyinka has been one of the most prominent African writers since the 1960s. Born in Abeokuta, Nigeria, in 1934, he studied at the University of Ibadan and the University of Leeds before returning to Nigeria to write and teach. His plays draw on Yoruba mythology, political satire, and the tensions of post-colonial Nigerian society.
Beyond drama, Soyinka has written novels (The Interpreters, Season of Anomy), poetry collections (Idanre and Other Poems, Mandela’s Earth), and memoirs including the celebrated childhood account Ake: The Years of Childhood. He was imprisoned during the Nigerian Civil War and wrote The Man Died about his time in solitary confinement. His work has been translated worldwide, and he remains an outspoken voice on African politics and human rights.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many books has Wole Soyinka written?
Wole Soyinka has written 46 books across six series.
What was Wole Soyinka's first book?
Wole Soyinka’s first book is A Dance of the Forests, published in 1963.
What is Wole Soyinka best known for?
Wole Soyinka is best known for his plays, particularly Death and the King’s Horseman and The Lion and the Jewel, and for being the first African to win the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1986. He has also written novels, poetry, memoirs, and political essays.