Author Guide · Nonfiction
Books Written by
Rose George writes about the things most people prefer not to think about. She has written a whole book about toilets and sanitation, travelled for five weeks on a container ship from Britain to Singapore to see how ninety percent of the world's goods move, and written about blood: what it is, how it is given and sold, and who it kills. This guide covers all four of her books in order, and where to start.
By Lisanne Swart · 4 books · Nonfiction · 2004–2018 · Updated October 2026
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Quick answer
Rose George has published four books: A Life Removed (2004), about refugees; The Big Necessity (2008), about sanitation; Ninety Percent of Everything (2013), about shipping; and Nine Pints (2018), about blood.
Where to Start with Rose George
If you want the famous one
→ Ninety Percent of Everything (2013).
If you want the strangest
→ The Big Necessity (2008).
All 4 Rose George Books, in Order
A Life Removed
Refugees and the search for safety, through the lives of displaced people.
The Big Necessity
Toilets, sewers and sanitation around the world, and the billions of people who lack them.
Ninety Percent of Everything
Five weeks aboard a container ship from Europe to Asia, and the hidden world of global shipping: its crews, pirates, flags of convenience and environmental cost.
Nine Pints
Blood in all its aspects: transfusion, the global trade in plasma, menstruation taboos, leeches and blood-borne disease.
How Many Books Did Rose George Write?
Four books between 2004 and 2018.
- Nonfiction — all four books. Read the entries →
In What Order to Read Rose George
Her books are not a series and can be read in any order.
A reading path
1. Ninety Percent of Everything (2013)
2. The Big Necessity (2008)
3. Nine Pints (2018)
Quick facts about Rose George
- Nationality
- British
- Writes for
- The Guardian, The New York Times and other publications
- Books
- 4, from 2004 to 2018
How Rose George Works: Taboo Subjects, Close Up
George takes subjects that are ignored or taboo and investigates them with curiosity and humour, travelling to see them for herself.
She combines immersion, such as weeks aboard a ship, with history, science and the stories of people whose lives depend on these hidden systems.
Frequently asked questions about Rose George's books
How many books has Rose George written?
Rose George has published four books: A Life Removed (2004), The Big Necessity (2008), Ninety Percent of Everything (2013) and Nine Pints (2018).
What is Ninety Percent of Everything about?
It describes the global shipping industry, based on George's weeks aboard a container ship.
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 hers.
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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