James (Pulitzer Prize Winner)

by Percival L. Everett

First published 2026

When Jim overhears he's about to be sold and separated from his family, he flees into the wilderness. Meanwhile, Huck has faked his own death to escape his abusive father. As their dangerous river voyage unfolds, Jim's intelligence, compassion, and agency are illuminated in this brilliant reimagining of a classic American tale. Woven with nuanced humor and lacerating observations, this tender novel radically recasts the story from Jim's perspective.

Genres: literary-fiction, american-fiction, historical-fiction, 20th-century, 21st-century, 19th-century

Vibes: intimate, suspenseful, thought-provoking

Tropes: enemies-to-lovers, found-family

Setting: Missouri

320 pages · Paperback · Vintage

Content warnings: racism, slavery

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