Winston Graham Books In Order

Publication Order of The Poldark Saga Books

Publication Order of Standalone Novels

Publication Order of Short Story Collections

Publication Order of Non-Fiction Books

Publication Order of Anthologies

Winston Graham was an English novelist best known for the Poldark series of historical novels set in Cornwall. He was born in 1930 in Victoria Park, Manchester, United Kingdom and he died in 2003 in London. He was blessed with a wife and two children, and some of his books have been turned into movies. ‘The Walking Stick’ is a 1970 film based on his novel, and ‘Marnie’, ‘Take my Life’ and ‘Night Without Stars’ are other movies based on his books. He has written over forty books and he is most famous for the Poldark series, which was so successful that it was turned into a television series.

The first book in the Poldark series is titled ‘Ross Poldark’ and it introduces the reader to Ross Poldark, a war hero who is tired from a grim war in America and returns to his land and family. However, the joyous homecoming that he was anticipating turns sour, and he finds that his father had died and his estate had crumbled. To make matters worse, the girl that he loves was now engaged to marry his cousin. He is heartbroken and decides to immerse himself in the work of restoring his property as well as the family’s mining business.

As one can imagine, the family gatherings in which Ross has to sit down for a meal and exchange some polite talk with the cousin and his lost love proves to be awkward and excruciating. But Ross being the strong man that he is discovers a new purpose, and he goes about restoring his family’s empire and providing advice to tenants living on his property. Along the way, several characters provide him with much-needed support, and they also prove to be a highly entertaining lot.

First of all we have Prudie and Jud, the hilariously lazy and vulgar couple who work as caretakers of Poldark’s estate. His cousin Verity offers moral support while a feisty urchin called Demelza now works in the kitchen after being rescued from a brawl in the street. The Cornish land is well described by the author, and he also does an excellent job of bringing the people to life. The words used by the author transports you to another world, and you find yourself almost feeling the spray of the sea on your face as you read the author’s description of one of the scenes.

The relationships in the story are also very complex, and Ross is feeling conflicted over his true feelings for his lost love, Elizabeth. Ross also interacts very differently with Demelza. There is discord within the family when kindhearted Verity falls for a man with a murky past. All of this makes for a great reading, the kind of drama that you would find in a soap opera. This is a book that is hard to put down, and you will find yourself reading late into the night. Several storylines are left unresolved towards the end of the road and so readers can expect to find out more by reading the next installment.

The second book in the Poldark series is aptly called ‘Demelza’, and it tells us the story of the impoverished miner’s daughter whom Ross Poldark rescued from a life of violence. The two are now married, and their love and marriage is now being tested by the turbulent years that follow. Demelza is now making efforts to adapt herself to the lifestyle of the upper classes, and she takes the bull by the horns and faces challenges in life with courage and grace. Despite being loyal to Ross, Demelza still chooses her own path when she has a firm belief in anything.

Ross Poldark is a man of strength and he is looked upon as a leading figure in the community. However, Demelza is the one who now starts to make an impression on everyone around her, taking center stage and overshadowing her husband. As you can see from the book’s title, this is actually Demelza’s book. In book one, she was just a waif but in the second book, she now comes of age. She is now a friend, a lady of the land, a mother and a wife and she handles all these roles with dexterity.

Even though Demelza is prone to the occasional error, she continues to grow through all her trials and tribulations. The good thing is that her character doesn’t change. As the story starts, she wants to prove that she can be a gentleman’s lady and so she decides to use a child’s christening to host an after-party. But whether or not she’s ready to become the lady of the house, she still needs constant assurance from Ross about her place in his life. He tells her that nothing else matters but her, and he tells her to always remember that.

Demelza is also constantly trying to make the people that she adores happy, and that is why you will find her meddling and scheming behind her husband’s back. However, she soon learns that sometimes what she intended for good would have dire consequences, even to the point of threatening her marriage. On the other hand, Ross is a worried man because the copper sector is going through very tough times. The Warleggan has a stranglehold on Cornwall’s financial power, and Ross’ family is having internal wrangles.

This series is really the saga that surrounds Poldark’s family and the author also touches on the things going on in the Cornish community. The story progresses steadily and it accumulates intricate plots and players along the way. The story is easy to follow and you can easily become engrossed in the state of affairs. The marriage between Ross and Demelza is still the focal point, but there are other storylines, such as the dwindling copper prices, the tough times facing the people, and the increasing conflict between Cornwall and Warleggan. Demelza’s activities are starting to strain things and you can see some storm clouds starting to brew. If these first two by books by Winston Graham are anything to go by, readers can look forward to a gripping tale as told by the Poldark series.