Edward Abbey Collections books in order

Q: "How many books are in the Edward Abbey Collections series?"

"There are four books in the Edward Abbey Collections series, published between 1984 and 1995."

Q: "What is the first book in the Edward Abbey Collections series?"

"The first book in the Edward Abbey Collections series is Slumgullion Stew, published in 1984."

Q: "What is included in The Best of Edward Abbey?"

"The Best of Edward Abbey, published in 1988, is a collection that Abbey selected himself. It pulls together long excerpts from his novels -- including The Brave Cowboy, Black Sun, and The Monkey Wrench Gang -- alongside many of his strongest essays, plus a handful of sketches and poems. It works as a single-volume introduction to his range as a writer, covering both his fiction and non-fiction in one place."

Reading order

#	Title	Published	Author	Buy on Amazon
1	Slumgullion Stew	1984	Edward Abbey	Buy
2	The Best of Edward Abbey	1988	Edward Abbey	Buy
3	Earth Apples	1994	Edward Abbey	Buy
4	The Serpents of Paradise	1995	Edward Abbey	Buy

These four collections gather Edward Abbey’s writing across multiple forms – fiction excerpts, essays, poetry, and journal entries. Slumgullion Stew (1984) was the first major anthology of his work, followed by The Best of Edward Abbey (1988), which Abbey compiled himself and which serves as a good single-volume introduction to his range.

The posthumous collections round out the picture. Earth Apples (1994) collects his poetry, while The Serpents of Paradise (1995), edited by John Macrae, assembles previously uncollected nature writing and personal essays. Together these books offer readers a way to sample Abbey’s work without committing to any single novel or essay collection.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many books are in the Edward Abbey Collections series?

There are four books in the Edward Abbey Collections series, published between 1984 and 1995.

What is the first book in the Edward Abbey Collections series?

The first book in the Edward Abbey Collections series is Slumgullion Stew, published in 1984.

What is included in The Best of Edward Abbey?

The Best of Edward Abbey, published in 1988, is a collection that Abbey selected himself. It pulls together long excerpts from his novels – including The Brave Cowboy, Black Sun, and The Monkey Wrench Gang – alongside many of his strongest essays, plus a handful of sketches and poems. It works as a single-volume introduction to his range as a writer, covering both his fiction and non-fiction in one place.

Reading order#

Frequently Asked Questions

Reading order