Lahr, John. Prick up Your Ears: The Biography of Joe Orton, Knopf, 1978.

This is the most complete biography of Orton, featuring information on his life as well as his work. Lahr's work on the relationship between Orton and Halliwell was adapted to make the 1987 film on Orton's life, Prick up Your Ears.

Levin, Bernard. The Pendulum Years: Britain and the Sixties, Jonathan Cape, 1970.

This thorough book covers many aspects of life in Great Britain during the time in which Orton was writing.

Rusinko, Susan. Joe Orton, Twayne, 1995.

Rusinko provides a brief biography as well as extensive analysis of Orton's plays.

Shepherd, Simon. Because We're Queers: The Life and Crimes of Kenneth Halliwell and Joe Orton, GMP, 1989.

In this study of Orton's work, Shepherd maintains that "the Orton industry," as he calls it, reflects society's prejudice against gays. Shepherd seeks to present a "radical gay viewpoint" on...