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James: A Novel

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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 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. Read more

Publisher ‏ : ‎ Doubleday; First Edition (March 19, 2024)


Language ‏ : ‎ English


Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 320 pages


ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0385550367


ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 69


Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 1.2 pounds


Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.86 x 1.22 x 8.63 inches


Best Sellers Rank: #152 in Books (See Top 100 in Books) #3 in Fiction Satire #15 in Literary Fiction (Books) #26 in Historical Fiction (Books)


#3 in Fiction Satire:


#15 in Literary Fiction (Books):


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Top Amazon Reviews


  • The book that Percival Everett was born to write
Percival Everett reimagines—no, inverts-- the classic saga of The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn that resides in every American’s consciousness. Huck Finn and enslaved Jim’s adventures have been in print for 140 years. If you didn’t read it in American schools, you’ve likely still been affected by its content. Everett reappropriates that story, turns it upside down and inside out, and leans formidably forward by making this a story and POV of Jim, with Huck at his side. I am in awe and in thorough admiration of Percival Everett’s skills and fierce talent. My personal favorites, The Trees (shortlisted for Booker in 2022), and Telephone (a finalist for the Pulitzer in 2021) combine laconic protagonists, subversive wit, and tragic events. In James, he has made Twain’s classic his own historical fiction, and I applaud it as the contemporary bookend of Twain’s classic. He improves upon it by giving Jim agency. I predict that they will be teaching both books side by side in the coming years. “White folks expect us to sound a certain way and it can only help if we don’t disappoint them…The only ones who suffer when they are made to feel inferior is us.” This is Jim, teaching his daughter and other enslaved children a lesson in coded speech. Although they speak eloquently amongst themselves, they communicate submissively to the white folks, which enhances their survival in a world where they are nothing but chattel. It also illuminates their intelligence as they hide (linguistically) in broad daylight from their ignorant “massas.” Additionally, the enslaved people pretend that God and Jesus are primary in their lives, when in actuality, as Jim states, regarding white folks, “religion is just a controlling tool they employ and adhere to when convenient.” If there really was a God and a Jesus, why would they allow white people to enslave Black people? Is this the kind of world that any God intended? As in Twain’s original, Jim and Huck run off together from Hannibal, Missouri and ride the Mississippi River, beginning in a raft. The main plotline of the original text is captured, but comically and dramatically turned on its head. Jim leads a double life—one that he owns, and one that meets white people’s expectations. In fact, there are those that are more threatened by a Black man with eloquence than they are by a Black man with a pistol. Intelligence is Jim’s stunning subterfuge. He has a rich interior life, and in dreams, he debates slavery and philosophy with the likes of Voltaire, Rousseau, and John Locke. As an autodidact who enriched himself in Judge Thatcher’s library, Jim spends stealth nights in there poring over the judge’s books. His quick wit, thoughtful compassion, and deep humanity also become his ammunition in a hostile world. As the plot progresses, Jim and Huck grow closer, and more revelations are gradually disclosed. The major twist is foreshadowed early on, so it doesn’t come out of nowhere, and it changes the complexion of the story. As others have already noted, this is the novel that Everett was born to write. In his hands, his heart. ... show more
Reviewed in the United States on March 27, 2024 by switterbug/Betsey Van Horn

  • A Picture of Slavery from a Slave’s Point of View
A slave’s story and a picture of what slavery was like from his point of view. A man that was resilient and clever enough to survive in his world. His relationship with Huck highlights Huck’s confusion between living in a white or slave world. Huck learns a lot from his time with Jim and Jim shows his compassionate nature with him. There are encounters with others along the way that offer instructive insights and humor. Well written and informative while also engaging. ... show more
Reviewed in the United States on April 17, 2025 by April Bayne

  • An enjoyable story from an interesting perspective
Although a work of fiction, this story’s perspective highlights the brutality of being a slave. I enjoyed every minute I spent reading this story and recommend it to anyone that wants to understand one of the most troubling aspects of our history.
Reviewed in the United States on April 14, 2025 by Arthur N

  • Brilliant and Thought Provoking
I have always been drawn to any twist on a classic tale. I think it’s fun to explore things from different perspectives. Growing up in the South with the adventures of Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn as a staple, it was enlightening to step into that timeframe from Jim’s perspective. When Jim overhears the plan to sell him off to another owner far away from his wife and daughter, he runs away. The penalty for a runaway slave is unthinkable, but when Huck fakes his own death and decides to follow him, Jim realizes he is very likely also a suspect for murder. While Jim and Huck struggle to live off the land and stay out of sight, they find themselves caught up in some harrowing situations. James is a visceral portrait of the daily life of southern slaves. Everett’s descriptions made me laugh out loud, then choke on my sorrow. It is beautifully written and one of those rare books I know I will read again and again. ... show more
Reviewed in the United States on April 16, 2025 by AJ

  • The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn as retold by the Slave, Jim
This is an interesting retelling of Huckleberry Finn from the perspective of the slave, Jim. It has been many years since I read Mark Twain’s classic novel, so I can’t say how well the adventures are retold. I can say that this is a quick and very engaging book that offers an interesting, thought provoking and believable perspective on life as a slave. As an aside, the least credible aspect of the book is that Jim and Huck spend a lot of time wet and cold. Mere survival would have been extremely difficult under those conditions. ... show more
Reviewed in the United States on April 11, 2025 by charles peterson

  • Wow, What A Read!
It's been decades since I've read The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. Reading this POV from James (Jim) brought most of it back to me. This is no adventure, it's survival. I was bouncing between anger and hopefulness the whole time I was reading. Truly, I gave myself a headache after reading certain scenes. This story stays true to the original, but gives you Jim's full story. He wasn't just a slave, he was a smart and canny slave. I admired his feats throughout and even felt his sadness when things went south. Over the years I have begun to not like reading slave narratives. The cruelty was just too much to retain, but I'm slowly coming back to reading these stories because WHY NOT. I highly recommend this gem of a book. ... show more
Reviewed in the United States on March 2, 2025 by L-Booknerd

  • To Be Read
I read James with interest being interested in history and human nature. It's a fictionalized story, yet truthfully describes the terrors and injustice experienced by a black slave prior to the Civil War. A fairly accurate description of any situation where slavery exist no matter the color of ones skin or the time period in history. The reader is drawn into the raw reality of what injustices & the suppression that where imposed throughout history, not only here in the United States but world wide with slavery and the belief that these individuals were property rather than a person's equal, as a human being. It is a story of survival and determination of one man's life as a slave and the cruelty of those believing they were rightfully entitled to own/control/discard another human being. It's a good read! ... show more
Reviewed in the United States on February 9, 2025 by G. A. Taylor

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