Order of Russell Banks Books

Russell Banks (1940-2023) was an American author. His works often explored major events in American history and working-class life. His novels have been translated into twenty languages, received numerous international awards, and two were adapted into acclaimed films. He earned his Bachelor of Arts degree from University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill.

Russell Banks made his debut as a novelist in 1974 with Snow. Below is a list of Russell Banks’ books in order of when they were originally published:

Publication Order of Standalone Novels

Publication Order of Collections

Publication Order of Non-Fiction Books

Publication Order of Art of the Story Books

Publication Order of Anthologies

If You Like Russell Banks Books, You’ll Love…

• Philip Roth
• Cormac McCarthy
• David Sedaris

Russell Banks Synopses: In American Spirits by Russell Banks, a man’s decision to sell property to a volatile outsider spirals into public outrage when he dares to question the buyer’s integrity – unleashing a storm of online hostility. In a quiet neighborhood, a couple becomes increasingly uneasy when the reclusive family next door draws their children in – and the kids whisper desperate pleas for help. And in a harrowing race against time, two criminals hold an elderly couple hostage, using them as leverage to force their grandson into settling a dangerous debt.

The Magic Kingdom is a standalone novel by Russel Banks. Property developer Harley Mann, now an aging man, begins recording his life story on a reel-to-reel tape machine, revisiting his youth in early 20th-century Florida. Following his father’s sudden death, Harley’s family joins a Shaker colony led by the enigmatic and devout Elder John. Within this isolated religious community, shaped by discipline, labor, and spiritual ideals, Harley finds both refuge and conflict.

As he comes of age, Harley falls in love with Sadie Pratt, a fragile, spirited young woman battling illness within the colony’s care. Their deepening connection challenges the strict codes of the Shaker faith and forces Harley to confront the boundaries of loyalty, belief, and personal desire.

Told across decades, Harley’s reflections trace a fading dream of American utopia against Florida’s shifting landscape. With time and distance, he uncovers long-buried truths about Sadie, Elder John, and the community that shaped – and tested – his life.

The Reserve is a standalone novel by Russell Banks. On July 4, 1936, in the secluded luxury of the Reserve – an exclusive Adirondack enclave – Vanessa Cole’s world tilts irrevocably when her father dies suddenly of a heart attack. A stunning and impulsive heiress with a scandalous past, Vanessa draws in Jordan Groves, a free-spirited local artist with a passion for independence and a weakness for beauty.

Their meeting sparks an intense and dangerous attraction, but as Vanessa unravels in the wake of her father’s death, her behavior becomes increasingly erratic. With ruthless charm and emotional volatility, she begins to manipulate those around her, setting in motion a chain of events that threatens to upend lives, reputations, and loyalties.

In Affliction by Russell Banks, Wade Whitehouse is a small-town New Hampshire well-digger and part-time policeman whose best days seem far behind him. Once a high school sports hero, he is now a solitary, heavy-drinking man haunted by rage, regret, and a volatile temper. As winter deepens and personal pressures mount, Wade begins to unravel.

Narrated by his introspective younger brother, Wade’s story becomes a harrowing portrait of a man shaped – and ultimately undone – by the legacy of violence and emotional repression handed down through generations.