Author Guide · Narrative Nonfiction
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Evan Osnos lived in Beijing from 2005 to 2013, first for the Chicago Tribune and then for The New Yorker, as China became richer and more ambitious than at any time in its history. His book about the people swept up in that change, from entrepreneurs to dissidents, won the National Book Award. Back in the United States he turned the same eye on his own country: three American places that shaped him, a future president, and the very rich. This guide covers all four of his books in order, and where to start.
By Lisanne Swart · 4 books · Narrative nonfiction · 2014–2025 · Updated October 2026
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Quick answer
Evan Osnos has published four books: Age of Ambition (2014), about China, which won the National Book Award; Joe Biden: The Life, the Run, and What Matters Now (2020); Wildland: The Making of America's Fury (2021); and The Haves and Have-Yachts: Dispatches on the Ultrarich (2025).
Where to Start with Evan Osnos
If you want the famous one
→ Age of Ambition (2014).
If you want America
→ Wildland (2021).
If you want the most recent
→ The Haves and Have-Yachts (2025).
All 4 Evan Osnos Books, in Order
Age of Ambition
China's transformation in the 2000s, told through individuals chasing wealth, information and belief, and the Communist Party's struggle to keep control. It was also a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize.
Joe Biden
A short portrait of Joe Biden and his long pursuit of the presidency, drawn from Osnos's reporting for The New Yorker.
Wildland
America between September 11, 2001, and the storming of the Capitol in January 2021, told through three places Osnos has lived: Greenwich, Connecticut; Clarksburg, West Virginia; and Chicago.
The Haves and Have-Yachts
Essays on the very rich and their influence, from superyachts and private bunkers to political donors. It was a finalist for the PEN America Literary Awards.
How Many Books Did Evan Osnos Write?
Four books between 2014 and 2025.
- China — Age of Ambition (2014). Read the entries →
- America — Joe Biden, Wildland and The Haves and Have-Yachts. Read the entries →
In What Order to Read Evan Osnos
His books are not a series. Age of Ambition and Wildland are the two big narratives, one about China and one about America.
A reading path
1. Age of Ambition (2014)
2. Wildland (2021)
3. The Haves and Have-Yachts (2025)
Quick facts about Evan Osnos
- Born
- 1976, London
- Career
- Chicago Tribune Beijing bureau chief; The New Yorker staff writer since 2008
- Prizes
- National Book Award (2014); shared two Pulitzer Prizes at the Chicago Tribune
- Books
- 4, from 2014 to 2025
How Evan Osnos Writes: Big Change, Small Lives
Osnos explains large shifts, China's boom or America's anger, through a handful of individuals he follows over years.
He mixes long-form reporting with history, and keeps his own voice in the background except where his own experience helps explain the subject.
Frequently asked questions about Evan Osnos's books
How many books has Evan Osnos written?
Evan Osnos has published four books: Age of Ambition (2014), Joe Biden (2020), Wildland (2021) and The Haves and Have-Yachts (2025).
What is Age of Ambition about?
Age of Ambition (2014) describes China's transformation through individuals pursuing wealth, truth and faith. It won the National Book Award.
Footnotes
Bibliography last verified 1 October 2026.
This list was not put together by a machine.
The notes are all mine,
and the books are all his.
Lisanne x
Written by Lisanne Swart, who has curated reading lists and author guides at lisanneswart.com since 2021.
See more on her personal bookshelf.
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