🎯 Where Should I Start?
ⓘ About Ben Okri
He spent his childhood growing up in London, attending primary school in Peckham, before he returned to Nigeria in the year 1968 with his family. Ben’s exposure to the Nigerian civil war and the culture that his peers of the time claimed to have seen visions of spirits gave him some inspiration while writing fiction. He went back to London in the year 1978, and studied comparative Literature at Essex University. Okri wound up homeless after financial problems in Nigeria caused his grant to get withdrawn; he slept on park benches and friends’ floors, and eating from restaurant trash cans. Ben grew up with stories and finds that they are embedded deeply in him. His mom would tell him stories all the time and was rather good at it.
All Book Series by Ben Okri
Madame Sosostris and the Festival for the Brokenhearted
Latest in the series · book 16 of 16 · published 2025
? Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Ben Okri?
He spent his childhood growing up in London, attending primary school in Peckham, before he returned to Nigeria in the year 1968 with his family. Ben's exposure to the Nigerian civil war and the culture that his peers of the time claimed to have seen visions of spirits gave him some inspiration while writing fiction. He went back to London in the year 1978, and studied comparative Literature at Essex University.
Which Ben Okri series should I start with?
The best place to start is The Famished Road Trilogy series, the earliest of Ben Okri's multi-book series: it opens with The Famished Road (1991) and runs to 3 books across 1991–1998, ending with Infinite Riches (1998).
How many books has Ben Okri written?
Ben Okri has 37 books catalogued in this guide, published between 1981 and 2025. 3 of them belong to 1 named series — the largest being The Famished Road Trilogy series with 3 books — and 34 are standalone titles, collections or anthologies.
In what order should Ben Okri's series be read?
Read each series in publication order — the numbered entries in each series follow the year each book first appeared. Ben Okri's series do not depend on one another, so they can be started in any order; by start date they are The Famished Road Trilogy (1991–1998, 3 books).
How are Ben Okri's books organised into series?
This guide splits Ben Okri's 37 books into 1 named series and 34 titles that stand alone or appear only in collections: The Famished Road Trilogy (3 books, 1991–1998).