Order of Rita Mae Brown Books

Born on November 28, 1944, in the small, sun-drenched town of Hanover, Pennsylvania, Rita Mae Brown entered the world with a spark that was never meant to be dimmed. From the very beginning, it seemed fate had no intention of giving her an easy, ordinary path—and Brown, true to her nature, never wanted one.

Raised in Florida under the care of her cousin and aunt after being abandoned by her biological mother, Brown’s early life was a patchwork of survival, sharp observation, and fierce independence. These seeds of resilience would later grow into the fiery voice that captivated—and sometimes scandalized—readers across the world.

Her academic journey was as rebellious as her spirit. Brown first attended the University of Florida on a scholarship, but was expelled in 1964 for her civil rights activism. Not one to be easily defeated (or quieted), she went on to earn her Bachelor of Arts in Classics and English from Broward Community College and later New York University, graduating with honors. Never one to stop halfway, she pursued graduate work at New York’s School of Visual Arts and New York University in screenwriting and cinematic arts.

Throughout her life, Brown became a relentless advocate—not just for civil rights, but for women's liberation, LGBTQ+ rights, and animal welfare. She wasn’t merely part of history’s great cultural shifts; she was a sledgehammer battering down the walls. Her political passions bled into her writing, producing novels that weren't just entertaining—they were acts of defiance.

When "Rubyfruit Jungle" exploded onto the literary scene in 1973, Brown didn’t just write a novel—she detonated a bomb under the polite, restrictive world of American literature. Her unapologetic portrayal of lesbian life, couched in brilliant humor and raw honesty, turned her into an icon overnight. And she wasn’t done. Far from it.

She would go on to pen a dazzling array of works: historical fiction, mysteries, screenplays, poetry, and even beloved animal-centered mysteries co-authored (at least in name) by her cat, Sneaky Pie Brown. Titles like the Mrs. Murphy series and Sister Jane foxhunting mysteries showed a lighter, playful side of Brown’s genius—without ever abandoning her fierce commitment to truth and justice.

Rita Mae Brown’s writing style is unmistakable—witty, sharp, laced with irony, and always willing to dig into the heart of uncomfortable truths. Her works ripple with the message that life, at its core, is a beautiful, messy, chaotic struggle—and that survival often requires humor as much as it requires courage.

And no, Rita Mae Brown is not dead.
(As of 2025, she’s very much alive, stubbornly thriving, and no doubt penning her next brilliant takedown of societal hypocrisy somewhere on a sun-dappled Virginia farm.)

Today, Brown lives in Virginia, where she tends to her beloved horses, dogs, and cats—a life that seems peaceful on the surface but still roils with the same passion that electrified her youth. She’s a foxhunter, an animal rights advocate, a political activist, and above all, a storyteller who refuses to color inside anyone else's lines.

If you think Rita Mae Brown’s story ends with a neat bow, think again. Hers is a life of constant reinvention and rebellion. And if you dare to dive into her books, prepare yourself: her characters will charm you, infuriate you, and ultimately, wake you up.

Because Rita Mae Brown didn’t come here just to write books.
She came to light a fire—and she’s still feeding the flames.