James Thurber Books In Order

Publication Order of Vintage Thurber Books

Publication Order of Standalone Novels

Publication Order of Short Stories/Novellas

Publication Order of Collections

Publication Order of Non-Fiction Books

Publication Order of Children's Books

Publication Order of James Thurber as Illustrator Books

Publication Order of Creative Classic Books

Publication Order of Selected Shorts Books

Publication Order of Anthologies

James Thurber

James Grover Thurber worked as an American writer, cartoonist, humorist, journalist, and playwright. He came from Columbus, Ohio and went to Ohio State University but left in 1918 before finishing his degree. After spending more than a year in Paris as a code clerk for the US State Department, he went back to Columbus in 1920 and got a job as a reporter for the Columbus Dispatch. He married a woman named Althea Adams in 1922, and then in early 1927 he was hired by The New Yorker, where he would become a very active and well liked writer.

Thurber had many clear strengths when putting stories together. He knew how to build characters and main figures in a way that felt real and interesting, which made his tales fun for people to read. His work as a cartoonist and humorist gave him a special eye for small human behaviors, and he used those details to shape people on the page. Because of this, his stories never felt flat or boring, and readers often found themselves pulled along by his sharp sense of timing and wit.

Thurber’s work is likely to stay alive because it feels fresh and human in any time period. Future readers can still laugh at his confused characters and his gentle way of making fun of daily life. His stories and cartoons do not depend on current events or flashy tricks. So long as people enjoy honest, clever humor with a soft heart, his name and his work will keep being shared.

Early and Personal Life

Growing up in Columbus, Ohio, a boy named Jamie to his family came into the world on December 8, 1894. His father worked as a clerk for the Ohio Republican Party, and his mother came from a wealthy local family. As the middle son between two brothers, William and Robert, he spent his early years in a busy household that would later shape many of his funny stories about family life.

A serious accident happened when Jamie was a child living near Washington D.C. One Sunday, while playing with a bow and arrow in the yard, his older brother shot an arrow that hit Jamie in the left eye. The eye was later removed by a specialist, an event that changed his life but did not stop him from becoming a sharp observer of the world around him.

Many popular writers find that early struggles or losses give them a unique way of seeing things, and Thurber was no different. He turned his attention to reading and writing, using humor to make sense of life’s difficulties. Even after a long career, he kept working until his final days, passing away in 1961 and being laid to rest in his hometown of Columbus near his parents.

Writing Career

A fairy tale by Thurber called The White Deer took home the Ohioana Book Award for 1946. Two of his books were later finalists for the National Book Award. Those were The Years with Ross in 1960 and Further Fables for Our Time in 1957.

Thurber was given three honorary doctorates of letters during his life. He got them from Yale in 1953, Williams College in 1951, and Kenyon College in 1950. Also in 1953, the Ohioana Library Association gave him a special career award. A speech he wrote about McCarthyism for that event was published as a book titled Thurber on Humor in 1954.

A special Tony Award for a stage show named A Thurber Carnival went to Thurber in 1960. After he died, the US Postal Service put out a stamp in his honor in 1994. Ohio State University gave him a posthumous degree in 1995. The Thurber Prize, an annual award for humorous writing, began in 1997, and past winners include Trevor Noah, Jon Stewart, Calvin Trillin, and The Onion.

The Secret Life of Walter Mitty and Other Pieces

James Thurber wrote the short story collection titled The Secret Life of Walter Mitty and Other Pieces. Harcourt, Brace and Company published this book in 1964. The volume came out three years after the author’s death.

James Thurber is known for his sharp humor, odd imagination, and unusual way of seeing daily life. His most famous story, “The Secret Life of Walter Mitty,” follows a man whose daydreams feel more real than his actual surroundings. This book also brings together funny essays, poems, and cartoons from across his many collections. Thurber pokes fun at himself and others, including a difficult English teacher and a stubborn dog, making his work a good pick for anyone who enjoys a laugh.

Readers will likely find this book to be a fun and easy companion for a quiet afternoon. The humor feels fresh even years after it was written. Someone who enjoys clever jokes and odd daydreams will probably come back to these pages more than once. It is a solid pick for anyone wanting a laugh without leaving the house.

The Middle aged Man on the Flying Trapeze

James Thurber released this short story collection through Trapeze. Harcourt, Brace and Company in 1935. The volume came out during the middle part of Thurber’s active writing career.

This book carries a long subtitle that calls it a collection of short pieces, mostly funny but with a few sad ones mixed in, plus drawings by the author. The tone is darker than his earlier work “My Life and Hard Times,” and much of the humor comes from his own difficult marriage. Inside are 36 stories with titles like “The Gentleman is Cold,” “Mr. Preble Gets Rid of His Wife,” and “How to See a Bad Play.” The London Times once noted that while other humorists in America may be greater, none have quite the same individual touch or flavor as Thurber.

Anyone who picks up this book will find humor that feels real and a little bit sad at the same time. The short pieces are easy to read in one sitting, and the author’s own drawings add a nice touch. Someone going through a tough patch might appreciate how the jokes still land even when life feels heavy. It is a good choice for anyone who likes funny stories with a bit of heart behind them.