Pearl S. Buck Short Story Collections books in order

Pearl S. Buck's short story collections gather decades of her shorter fiction and thematic anthologies, from The First Wife and Other Stories in 1933 through posthumous selections, covering China, Japan, and the American experience.

Reading order

# Title Published Author Buy on Amazon
1 The First Wife and Other Stories 1933 Pearl S. Buck Buy
2 Today and Forever: Stories of Japan 1941 Pearl S. Buck Buy
3 Once Upon a Christmas 1950 Pearl S. Buck Buy
4 One Bright Day and Other Stories for Children 1952 Pearl S. Buck Buy
5 Fourteen Stories 1961 Pearl S. Buck Buy
6 With a Delicate Air and Other Stories 1962 Pearl S. Buck Buy
7 To My Daughters, With Love 1967 Pearl S. Buck Buy
8 The Good Deed and Other Stories of Asia Past and Present 1969 Pearl S. Buck Buy
9 The Story Bible, Volume I: The Old Testament 1971 Pearl S. Buck Buy
10 Pearl S. Buck: The Complete Woman 1971 Pearl S. Buck Buy
11 The Story Bible, Volume II: The New Testament 1972 Pearl S. Buck Buy
12 A Gift for the Children 1973 Pearl S. Buck Buy
13 Words of Love 1974 Pearl S. Buck Buy
14 Pearl S. Buck’s Book of Christmas 1974 Pearl S. Buck Buy
15 East and West 1975 Pearl S. Buck Buy
16 Mrs. Stoner and the Sea and Other Works 1976 Pearl S. Buck Buy
17 Secrets of the Heart 1976 Pearl S. Buck Buy
18 Hearts Come Home and Other Stories 1976 Pearl S. Buck Buy
19 The Lovers and Other Stories 1977 Pearl S. Buck Buy
20 The Woman Who Was Changed and Other Stories 1979 Pearl S. Buck Buy
21 A Pearl Buck Reader, Vol. 1 1985 Pearl S. Buck Buy
22 A Pearl Buck Reader, Vol. 2 1985 Pearl S. Buck Buy

Pearl S. Buck published short fiction steadily alongside her novels, and the collections gather that output across multiple decades. The First Wife and Other Stories (1933) appeared early in her career and established her short fiction voice. Today and Forever: Stories of Japan (1941) moved her attention to a different Asian culture at a particularly charged political moment.

Later collections like The Good Deed and Other Stories (1969) and Hearts Come Home (1976) show a writer returning to the subjects — China, Japan, family, cultural encounter — that animated her whole career. The Story Bible volumes (1971–72) represent a different kind of collection: Buck’s retelling of biblical narratives in accessible prose.


Frequently Asked Questions

How many books are in the Pearl S. Buck Short Story Collections series?

There are 22 books in the Pearl S. Buck Short Story Collections series, published between 1933 and 1985.

What is the first book in the Pearl S. Buck Short Story Collections series?

The first book in the Pearl S. Buck Short Story Collections series is The First Wife and Other Stories, published in 1933.

What is the range of subjects in Pearl S. Buck's short story collections?

The collections span Chinese rural life, Japanese culture, American family stories, biblical retellings, and autobiographical reflections, reflecting the full breadth of Buck’s literary interests across her career.

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