BOOK OF THE MONTH

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 • In development as a feature film to be produced by Steven Spielberg

KIRKUS PRIZE WINNER • NATIONAL BOOK CRITICS CIRCLE AWARD FINALIST • SHORTLISTED FOR THE BOOKER PRIZE • 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: 8.38

4,429 RATINGS

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Community Reviews

What Bookclubbers are saying about this book

✨ Summarized by Bookclubs AI

Readers say *James* by Percival Everett is a powerful retelling of *Huckleberry Finn* from Jim’s perspective, highlighting his voice and resilience. R...

Karla
Apr 10, 2026
10/10 stars
It was a slow start for me but I have a short attention span and three kids lol.
Once it got going, I couldn’t put it down.
Some parts were hard to read but that’s the harsh reality of the past.
Overall it was a great read.
w3ndora
Feb 11, 2026
Excellent
aspring_bookworm
Jan 21, 2026
10/10 stars
Brilliant book
TheBookishOne
Dec 27, 2025
10/10 stars
Wonderful book!
boyleschris
Dec 14, 2025
Barb's recommendation.

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