James (Pulitzer Prize Winner)
By Percival Everett
- Release Date: 2024-03-19
- Genre: Historical Fiction
Description
PULITZER PRIZE WINNER • #1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • NATIONAL BOOK AWARD WINNER • A brilliant, action-packed reimagining of Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, both harrowing and darkly humorous, told from the enslaved Jim's point of view
NATIONAL BOOK CRITICS CIRCLE AWARD FINALIST • ONE OF THE NEW YORK TIMES BOOK REVIEW'S 10 BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR • SHORTLISTED FOR THE BOOKER PRIZE • KIRKUS PRIZE WINNER • A LOS ANGELES TIMES BEST FICTION BOOK OF THE LAST 30 YEARS
In development as a feature film to be produced by Steven Spielberg • A Best Book of the Year: The New York Times Book Review, LA Times, The New Yorker, The Atlantic, The Economist, TIME, and more.
"Genius"—The Atlantic • "A masterpiece that will help redefine one of the classics of American literature, while also being a major achievement on its own."—Chicago Tribune • "A provocative, enlightening literary work of art."—The Boston Globe • "Everett’s most thrilling novel, but also his most soulful."—The New York Times
When Jim overhears that he is about to be sold to a man in New Orleans, separated from his wife and daughter forever, he runs away until he can formulate a plan. Meanwhile, Huck has faked his own death to escape his violent father. As all readers of American literature know, thus begins the dangerous and transcendent journey by raft down the Mississippi River toward the elusive and unreliable promise of the Free States and beyond.
Brimming with the electrifying humor and lacerating observations that have made Everett a literary icon, this brilliant and tender novel radically illuminates Jim’s agency, intelligence, and compassion as never before. James is destined to be a major publishing event and a cornerstone of twenty-first century American literature.
Reviews
Outstanding
5By FangsoutBest book i’ve read in years. Highly recommended.Brilliant
5By KHCondeOne of the most creative and revealing books I have ever read. The idea of flipping a classic such as Huck Finn on its spine and exposing the racism of American history through a misunderstood character that is compassionate, heroic and courageous through a heartbreaking journey. Brilliant and a must read for all Americans.Outstanding
5By HandakinaWhat a reading adventure to the other side of the legendary Jim. Brilliant writing and story telling.A Disturbing Twist on Huckleberry Finn
4By Scott's take on thingsWhat was hard for me about this book was how much James learned on his own. I couldn’t imagines anyone getting to that erudition without any help, in secret, and not getting caught. It helped Everett make manifest the horrors of slavery but he’s is a good enough writer to have done that without creating an almost God like protagonist. James’ erudition, and his imagined conversations with progressive thinkers and philosophers, enables Everett to expose the hypocrisy of “enlightened” thinking at that time. I am not sure how Everett would have been able to do this otherwise, but it seemed a somewhat forced novelistic device. I thought Everett’s depictions of the physical violence of slavery, especially its psychological dehumanization and brutality, was superb. The horror is conveyed but never gratuitously. This book, experienced in conjunction with Twain’s Huckleberry Finn, should be a requirement for any US citizen.Brilliant.
5By Title misfitCompelling, enthralling, magnificent.Loved!
5By Lolipop22222222220LOVED!!! It was Amazing! I will definitely tell others to read it.Creative and eye opening
5By amwgmail2019Captivating, unexpected, and such an easy read.Read it.
5By TGFOWTerribly Excellent.Great book
5By RenbratWhat strange ending . Very interestingDon’t Hesitate - Read It
5By ajgoldbugOne of he best books I’ve read in the last five years. Extraordinary! Highly recommended.Novel manipulation
3By Novice JRIt’s obvious why James is a best-seller; the iconic Huck Finn story told through the eyes of the slave Jim. In a time of increased recognition of racism in the history of the US, and during a flood of books accusing whites of racism today, comes James, which cleverly but blatantly manipulates the reader into feeling guilty about past (& present?) racism. All blacks talk “white” English to blacks (with a Southern accent?), but stereotype “slave” English to whites. Among themselves, they are indistinguishable from whites, reminding me of Disney’s Donald Duck stories - they’re just like people, only ducks. But unlike Disney stories, all the whites are uniformly rotten. Even Huck, because it turns out he’s really black. Creative, clever, & entertaining, thoughtfully illustrating how awful slavery was, but too clever by half & too one-sided & manipulative. I felt used after finishing it.A must read for many reasons
5By Sue CDuganWe need to study the past so we understand how it’s affected our society. The story of James is well written and poignant in the telling.Just ok
3By A-Train35I know I’m supposed to like it because of very important subject matter. And, I appreciate from that perspective. I just don’t get the hype.Wonderful
5By nkatz1A true classicJames
5By musiclover29488Loved this book!Best Read of 2025
5By Dr. VerkerkeThis is not only an awesome story but a fabulous ending. This author turns history upside down shaking all the booty from the pockets of those who have stolen the life of others and gives it a name. James.Eye opening page turner
5By literarynoviceExcellent read. Every page hooks you and makes it hard to put down. This book is an eye opening adaptation to an American classic. Highly recommend.SO SAD AND SO STRONG
5By hcclcVery hard to read the torture of a whole race of people because they were born with black skin. Still i had to read it and keep learning why we need to know our history and never forget. This story is fiction but i know in my heart everything written in this story happened not once but many many times. Americas holocaust our shame. My empathy has me in tears yet my skin is Irish white. Sometimes i feel more black than white. Idk why? This story is heart rendering and uplifting. My name is James.Anxious People
1By GroovyMKLEvery character was snarky.
