Amor Towles Books In Order

Publication Order of Standalone Novels

Publication Order of Short Stories/Novellas

Publication Order of Short Story Collections

Publication Order of Forward Books

Publication Order of Anthologies

Amor Towles is a writer who debuted with his book Rules of Civility featuring 1930s Manhattan style romance in 2011. He is known well amongst his peers for the massive success of his first book which was filled with entertaining dialogues and the sharp observations along with his elegant writing style. He has gained a large fan base with his classic writing style and believes that the quality things which are pushed out of general taste in a generation will resurge with a new audience after a generation or two. The novels written by Amor have a little part of his life along with history and a generous dose of invention.

Being born in 1964, he was raised in the suburban region of Boston, Massachusetts. After graduating from Yale College, he went on to do his MA in English from the Stanford University and was a Scowcroft Fellow during his time there. He previously worked as an investment professional in New York from 1991 till 2012 for twenty years before he became a full time fiction writer. Amor was all prepared to go to China for teaching for two years but the Tiananmen Square massacre put an end to his plans and he headed for Manhattan. On the first night in the city he met with two strangers, one became his brother-in-law and the other landed him a job on which he worked for twenty years. He still lives in Manhattan along with his wife and their two children.

Amor is an admirer of early 20th century paintings along with jazz music of the 1950’s. He also likes cop shows which were released around 1970. Other than being a fan of the 50’s jazz music, he likes rock & roll music on vinyl too. He is a great fan of good music and he likes all phases of Bob Dylan. This writer not only gives life to characters in his books but also enjoys his own life playing card games and visiting cafes and his favorite time of the day is early hours.

Towles says that he loves breakfast pastries and pasta along with having a sweet tooth for the cookies made by both of his grandmothers. He likes manifestoes and is not shy to reveal that he likes liquor as well. Among his favorite places are the Tuscany and Provence although he also likes the idea of visiting Disneyland or Hollywood whenever possible. His favorite celebrities include the cast of Casablanca 007 along with Captain Kirk.

‘Rules of Civility’ was the first book to be written by Amor Towles and was published by Viking/Penguin in July 2011. It went the bestseller lists of The New York Times along with the Los Angeles Times and the Boston Globe. The Wall Street Journal rated this book as one of the best ten works in the fiction genre in 2011 and the French translation of the book received the Prix Fitzgerald in 2012. This book has been published in 15 languages and was optioned by Lionsgate in the fall of 2012 for making into a feature film. Currently the producer Marc Platt is working along with director Sam Gold and has a written script in hand, as soon as they find their lead actress the film should move forth quickly.

Rules of Civility:

The ‘Rules of Civility’ is an enchanting book which presents the reader with the story of a young woman Katey whose life is about to change completely. The story begins as 25-year old Katey Kontent is sitting in a second-rate jazz bar situated in Greenwich Village on New Year’s Eve in 1937. Katey is a clever girl who grew up in Brooklyn and was named Katya; she changed her name for an all-American inclusion. As she sits on the table with her roommate with a budget of three dollars, a handsome banker Tinker Grey sits on the table beside. The encounter with this stranger who possesses a tempered smile and royal blue eyes takes her on a journey which will change her life entirely. She goes on to see the lives of rich people in exquisite mansions and relies on her wit and calm nerve throughout the story. She experiences different relationships with a number of characters and is challenged by an arrogant mentor as she comes to know about the failed aspirations of people which lie just below the surface of rich lives. The sequel of this book further sheds light on the story.

A Gentleman in Moscow:

A Gentleman in Moscow is another great piece of art by this writer in sophisticated fiction and flawless style. This story engulfs the reader into an elegantly drawn era through the tale of Count Alexander Rostov. After being deemed as an unrepentant aristocrat by a Bolshevik tribunal in 1922, the count is sentenced for a house arrest inside the Metropol which is a grand hotel situated across the street from the Kremlin. Rostov, who cannot be subdued easily possesses a good amount of knowledge and wit and has not worked in his life for even a single day. He is forced to live in an attic room as Russia sees some of the worst decades in history outside the door of his hotel. The story progresses as the peripheral workers turn into confidants followed by equals and finally to friends.

As Rostov sits alone in his room, the circumstances help him to unravel a world of emotional discovery. This book is filled with humor and a wide array of amazing characters who are portrayed in beautifully written scenes one after the other. The novel captivates the reader as it shows them the count’s strife for gaining a better understanding into being a man of purpose. This book has received high praise from the readers and critics. The amazing ways in which Amor Towles pays attention to detail and the development of characters and things has awed the audience. The story never gets boring and keeps buzzing with the energy of various adventures, twists of fate, love affairs and silly antics. Readers have also related the feeling of reading the book to the feeling Rostov has in the story i.e., emotional breakthrough as the world changes outside the window.

One Response to “Amor Towles”

1. Marfran: 4 years ago

   I am enjoying a gentleman in Moscow at present, loving the wit and style immensely, and also the fact that the characters don’t all have immense Russian names that no one can remember.

   Reply