Where to start with Anthony Powell
Begin with A Question of Upbringing, the first novel in Anthony Powell’s A Dance to the Music of Time series, published in 1951. This series comprises eight volumes written between 1951 and 1971, and reading them in publication order follows the sequence in which the author composed them. The series unfolds through the lives and relationships of a group of English characters, exploring personal and cultural change across decades. After completing the series, consider the standalone novel From a View to a Death, published in 1933, which predates the series and offers a distinct narrative. The Soldier’s Art, published in 1966, is another standalone work, set in a different context and not connected to the series.
Series by Anthony Powell
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1951 · Anthony Powell
A Question of Upbringing is the opening novel in Anthony Powell's A Dance to the Music of Time, a twelve-volume cycle published in 1951 that spans…
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1952 · Anthony Powell
A Buyer's Market is the second novel in Anthony Powell's A Dance to the Music of Time series. Published in 1952, it follows the narrator, Nick…
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1955 · Anthony Powell
The Acceptance World is the third book of Anthony Powell's twelve-novel sequence, A Dance to the Music of Time. Nick Jenkins narrates his life and…
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At Lady Molly's is the fourth volume in Anthony Powell's twelve-novel sequence A Dance to the Music of Time, winner of the 1957 James Tait Black…
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1960 · Anthony Powell
Casanova's Chinese Restaurant is a 1960 novel by Anthony Powell, forming the fifth volume of the twelve-volume sequence A Dance to the Music of Time.…
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The Kindly Ones is a 1962 novel by Anthony Powell, the sixth in his twelve-volume sequence A Dance to the Music of Time. Its title relates to the…
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1964 · Anthony Powell
The Valley of Bones is a 1964 novel by Anthony Powell, the seventh novel in his twelve-volume series A Dance to the Music of Time. It is the first…
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Books Do Furnish a Room is a novel by Anthony Powell, the tenth in the twelve-novel sequence A Dance to the Music of Time. It was first published in…
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Standalone books
Frequently asked questions
How many books has Anthony Powell written?
We list 11 books by Anthony Powell across 1 series, published between 1933–1971 — each shown in full reading order.
What order should I read Anthony Powell's books?
Read each series in publication order. A good place to start is “A Question of Upbringing.” Open any series above for its complete numbered reading order.
Where can I buy Anthony Powell's books?
Every title links to Amazon from its series page — see our affiliate disclosure in the footer for how that supports the site.
Reading order compiled from author/publisher guidance and verified bibliographic data. Spotted a wrong order, a missing book, or any other mistake? and we'll correct it.