James
Books | Fiction / Historical / General
4.6
Percival Everett
#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 viewNATIONAL 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 WINNERIn 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 TimesWhen the enslaved Jim overhears that he is about to be sold to a man in New Orleans, separated from his wife and daughter forever, he decides to hide on nearby Jackson Island until he can formulate a plan. Meanwhile, Huck Finn has faked his own death to escape his violent father, recently returned to town. As all readers of American literature know, thus begins the dangerous and transcendent journey by raft down the Mississippi River toward the elusive and too-often-unreliable promise of the Free States and beyond.While many narrative set pieces of Adventures of Huckleberry Finn remain in place (floods and storms, stumbling across both unexpected death and unexpected treasure in the myriad stopping points along the river’s banks, encountering the scam artists posing as the Duke and Dauphin…), Jim’s agency, intelligence and compassion are shown in a radically new light.Brimming with the electrifying humor and lacerating observations that have made Everett a “literary icon” (Oprah Daily), and one of the most decorated writers of our lifetime, James is destined to be a cornerstone of twenty-first century American literature.
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More Details:
Author
Percival Everett
Pages
320
Publisher
Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group
Published Date
2024-03-19
ISBN
0385550375 9780385550376
Community ReviewsSee all
"An imaginative and heart-felt take on Mark Twain’s Huck Finn, this time a story focusing on Jim, the runaway slave. Jim — or James, as he prefers — is a smart man who hides his deep intelligence behind the slave dialect white folks need to hear in order to understand slaves. He escapes Missouri and meets good and bad people, the bad people invariably white men who treat him like dirt and want to whip him, enslave him, sell him or lynch him. We get a new look at the relationship between Jim and Huck and on the “breeding farm” to which Jim’s wife and daughter were sold. Seeing big black men in chains, Jim asks, “Why do they have you chained up?” “They’re afraid of us,” the first man said, and then they all laughed. “We don’t know. I think they think it makes us feel more like animals. So we can mate like animals.” I felt for James and all the enslaved men and women in US history and the racism that allowed people both then and now to treat fellow humans so awfully. Town-wide book read in Greenwich, CT."
"This had me tearing up on a plane. Historical fiction isn’t my go-to favorite genre, but this book is an exception. I will be recommending this. I absolutely loved Jim and his friendship with Huck. Everett makes it easy to understand what it was like living during this time (Pre-Civil War) as an African American. Incredibly moving. This is incredible work."
"This book moved me by opening up my heart further to the inhumane treatment received by slaves as well as to their adaptations necessary for mere survival. The unjustified cruelties and challenges were more deeply felt because the author brought you to a place of deeply caring for the characters. A real page turner for me. Thank you Mr. Everett. Well done. "
E
Eileen
"This was a fast-paced, engaging read, with moments of humor while also exploring more serious topics. I also enjoyed getting this retelling of Huck Finn from Jim/James perspective, developing his character's beginnings more and although I feel the reveal at the end changes things in a way I'm not sure I cared for, I can understand the choice.<br/><br/>But honestly, for as much as I was hearing about this book, on end of year lists and winning awards, I expected something more. For it to say more or say something profound, and I didn't feel it did."