Will Ferguson is one of Canada’s most beloved and versatile authors—winner of the Scotiabank Giller Prize, three-time Leacock Medal recipient, and a master of both laugh-out-loud satire and deeply moving historical fiction. Whether you fell in love with him through the backpacker bible Beauty Tips from Moose Jaw, roared your way through Happiness™, or were swept away by the sweeping prairie saga 419, there’s a Ferguson book (or ten) for every mood.
Here’s your ultimate, up-to-date guide to reading Will Ferguson books in order—publication order, series order, and my personal recommendations on where to start if you’re new.
List of Will Ferguson Books in Series Order
Will Ferguson has written a variety of stand-alone novels, non-fiction, humor, and travel books, with only one ongoing series: the Miranda Abbott Mystery (co-authored with his brother Ian Ferguson). Below is a comprehensive table organized by category. Within each category, books are listed in publication order. Stand-alone novels and non-fiction works do not need to be read in a specific sequence, but following publication order allows you to trace his stylistic evolution.
| Category | Series/Subcategory | Book Title | Publication Year | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fiction | Stand-Alone Novels | Happiness™ (aka Generica) | 2001 | Debut novel; satirical dystopia. |
| Fiction | Stand-Alone Novels | Spanish Fly (aka Hustle) | 2007 | Historical con-man tale. |
| Fiction | Stand-Alone Novels | 419 | 2012 | Giller Prize winner; literary thriller. |
| Fiction | Stand-Alone Novels | The Shoe on the Roof | 2017 | Philosophical novel on faith and science. |
| Fiction | Stand-Alone Novels | The Finder | 2020 | Globe-trotting mystery. |
| Fiction | Miranda Abbott Mystery (Book 1) | I Only Read Murder | 2023 | Co-authored with Ian Ferguson; cozy mystery. |
| Fiction | Miranda Abbott Mystery (Book 2) | Mystery in the Title | 2024 | Co-authored with Ian Ferguson. |
| Fiction | Miranda Abbott Mystery (Book 3) | Killer on the First Page | 2025 | Co-authored with Ian Ferguson; upcoming release. |
| Non-Fiction: Humor | Stand-Alone | Why I Hate Canadians | 1997 | Debut: essay collection on reverse culture shock. |
| Non-Fiction: Humor | Stand-Alone | I Was a Teenage Katima-Victim! | 1998 | Memoir on Canada’s youth program. |
| Non-Fiction: Humor | Stand-Alone | Bastards & Boneheads: Canada’s Glorious Leaders, Past and Present | 1999 | Satirical history of leaders. |
| Non-Fiction: Humor | Stand-Alone | The Girlfriend’s Guide to Hockey (aka Clueless About Hockey) | 1999 | Co-authored with Teena Spencer and Bruce Spencer. |
| Non-Fiction: Humor | Stand-Alone | Canadian History for Dummies | 2000 | Revised in 2005. |
| Non-Fiction: Humor | Stand-Alone | How to Be a Canadian | 2001 | Co-authored with Ian Ferguson. |
| Non-Fiction: Humor | Stand-Alone | Canadian Pie: A Collection of Columns and Other Humour Pieces | 2011 | Essay collection. |
| Non-Fiction: Humor | Stand-Alone | Meanwhile, Back in Nokomis | 2026 | Upcoming: humor memoir. |
| Non-Fiction: Travel | Stand-Alone | The Hitchhiker’s Guide to Japan | 1998 | Budget travel guide. |
| Non-Fiction: Travel | Stand-Alone | Hokkaido Highway Blues (republished as Hitching Rides with Buddha) | 1998 | Japan hitchhiking adventure. |
| Non-Fiction: Travel | Stand-Alone | Beauty Tips from Moose Jaw: Travels in Search of Canada | 2004 | Leacock Medal winner; Canadian travelogue. |
| Non-Fiction: Travel | Stand-Alone | Beyond Belfast: A 560-Mile Journey Across Northern Ireland on Sore Feet | 2009 | Walking memoir. |
| Non-Fiction: Travel | Stand-Alone | Road Trip Rwanda: A Journey into the New Heart of Africa | 2015 | African travel memoir. |
| Non-Fiction: Memoirs | Stand-Alone | Coal Dust Kisses: A Christmas Memoir | 2010 | Personal holiday reflections. |
| Non-Fiction: Edited | Stand-Alone | The Penguin Anthology of Canadian Humour | 2006 | As editor. |
Will Ferguson Books in Publication Order
- Why I Hate Canadians (1997) – His cheeky, irreverent debut memoir/essay collection.
- The Hitchhiker’s Guide to Japan (1998) – Real-life budget travel in the ’90s (pre-internet!).
- I Was a Teenage Katima-victim! (1998) – Limited-release humour about Canada’s Katimavik program.
- Bastards & Boneheads: Canada’s Glorious Leaders, Past and Present (1999)
- Canadian Pie (2000) – Early collection of columns and humour pieces.
- How to Be a Canadian (with Ian Ferguson) (2001) – Co-written with his brother; still a perennial bestseller.
- Beauty Tips from Moose Jaw: Travels in Search of Canada (2004) – Stephen Leacock Medal winner; part travelogue, part love letter to Canada.
- Spanish Fly (2007) – A Depression-era con-man novel full of dark humour.
- Happiness™ (2012) – Satirical dystopia about a self-help book that actually works. Leacock Medal #2.
- 419 (2012) – Giller Prize winner! A gripping literary thriller about a Nigerian email scam and its ripple effects.
- The Shoe on the Roof (2017) – Quirky, philosophical novel about faith, science, and three men who think they’re Jesus.
- Road Trip Rwanda: A Journey Into the New Heart of Africa (2018) – Non-fiction travel/memoir.
- The Finder (2020) – A globe-trotting literary mystery involving lost masterpieces and stolen identities.
- The Summer of ’79 (2024) – His newest release! A nostalgic, coming-of-age story set in small-town Alberta during the summer of 1979.
Stand-Alone Novels (Recommended Reading Order for Fiction Lovers)
If you want to see Ferguson evolve from satire to literary heavyweight, try this order:
- Spanish Fly (2007) – Darkly comic historical crime.
- Happiness™ (2012) – Peak satire; one of the funniest novels you’ll ever read.
- 419 (2012) – His masterpiece; proof he can break your heart in 400 pages.
- The Shoe on the Roof (2017) – Cerebral and tender.
- The Finder (2020) – Adventure + art heist vibes.
- The Summer of of’799 (2024) – Warm, nostalgic, and quintessentially Canadian.
Travel & Humour / Non-Fiction Highlights
- Start with How to Be a Canadian if you just want to laugh in short bursts.
- Beauty Tips from Moose Jaw is the perfect “I want to understand Canada” book.
- Road Trip Rwanda is for readers who love thoughtful, humane travel writing.
New to Will Ferguson? Here’s Where to Start in 2025
- Want belly laughs? → Happiness™
- Want to cry on public transit? → 419
- Want pure Canadian comfort food in book form? → The Summer o’7979 (his 2024 release is getting rave early reviews)
- Want to test the waters with short, hilarious essays? → How to Be a Canadian
Quick FAQ
Q: Do any Will Ferguson books need to be read in order? No true series, so you can jump in anywhere! That said, watching his style evolve from pure humour to literary fiction is half the fun.
Q: Which book won the Giller Prize? 419 (2012) – still his only Giller win, though many fans argue The Finder was robbed.
Q: Is The Summer ’79 79 worth reading in 2025? Early readers are calling it his most heartfelt work since 419. Perfect for fans of Richard Russo or Miriam Toews.
Whether you’ve been a fan since the Moose Jaw days or you just discovered him through BookTok raving about 419, Will Ferguson’s backlist is a treasure trove. Grab one, crack a Molson (or a Rwanda Mountain coffee), and settle in—there’s never been a better time to read (or re-read) Canada’s funniest, most thoughtful storyteller.
Which Will Ferguson book is your favourite? Drop it in the comments—I need to know if I’m the only one who quotes Happiness™ weekly!
Happy reading, eh? 🇨🇦📚
