James (Pulitzer Prize Winner): A Novel

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.

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Published Mar 19, 2024

320 pages

Average rating: 8.44

2,512 RATINGS

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Community Reviews

sjcb
May 30, 2025
10/10 stars
Absolutely amazing writing.
sarcasticgrl
May 25, 2025
8/10 stars
An innovative approach to the point-of-view change of the classics. I can't think of another author who has taken something like that on and gave an entire new storyline to a supporting character. Only one I can think of is 'Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead', Play by Tom Stoppard. It almost leaves it as the background story for an entire series of James' adventures past where he is at the end of the book! Loved it!
Jdalton2691
May 25, 2025
7/10 stars
This book presented a different view of Mark Twain’s character Jim from Huckleberry Finn. While I enjoyed the book, I didn’t feel it was Pulitzer caliber. Just my opinion.
Erinlester
May 24, 2025
8/10 stars
The writing was superb! I was disgusted by the history I know is true in this book
Brittneyney
May 19, 2025
9/10 stars
I should have reread The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. Guarantee James was better.

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