James by Percival Everett
Shortlisted for the Booker Prize 2024 From the author of The Trees, shortlisted for the Booker Prize, and Erasure, adapted into the Oscar-winning film American Fiction. 'Truly extraordinary books are rare, and this is one of them' – Roddy Doyle, Booker Prize-winning author of Paddy Clarke, Ha Ha Ha Enthralling and ferociously funny, James by Percival Everett is a profound meditation on identity, belonging and the sacrifices we make to protect the ones we love. It is also a bold reimagining of Mark Twain’s Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, as the enslaved Jim emerges to reclaim his voice and defy the conventions that have consigned him to the margins. The Mississippi River, 1861. When the enslaved Jim overhears that he is about to be sold to a new owner in New Orleans and separated from his wife and daughter forever, he decides to hide on nearby Jackson’s Island until he can formulate a plan. Meanwhile, Huck Finn has faked his own death to escape his violent father who recently returned to town. Thus begins a dangerous and transcendent journey by raft along the Mississippi River, towards the elusive promise of the free states and beyond. As James and Huck navigate the treacherous waters, each bend in the river holds the promise of both salvation and demise. With rumours of a brewing war, James must face the burden he carries: the family he is desperate to protect and the constant lie he must live. And together, the unlikely pair embark on the most dangerous, and life-changing, odyssey of them all . . . 'A towering achievement' – the 2024 Booker Prize judges ‘Who should read this book? Every single person in the country’ – Ann Patchett, bestselling author of Tom Lake 'Funny, wise, gracious; this may be Everett's best book yet' – Bonnie Garmus, bestselling author of Lessons in Chemistry 'Thrilling, bold and profound' – The Sunday Times 'This is the work of an American master at the peak of his powers' – Financial Times 'Magnificent . . . Everett’s most thrilling novel, but also his most soulful ' – The New York Times
James has the potential to become a classic. . thrilling, bold and profound * The Sunday Times *
Percival Everett is a giant of American letters, and James is a canon-shatteringly great book. Unforgiving and compassionate, beautiful and brutal, a tragedy and a farce, this brilliant novel rewrites literary history to let us hear the voices it has long suppressed -- Hernan Diaz, Pulitzer Prize-winning author of Trust
James is funny and horrifying, brilliant and riveting. In telling the story of Jim instead of Huckleberry Finn, Percival Everett delivers a powerful, necessary corrective to both literature and history. I found myself cheering both the writer and his hero. Who should read this book? Every single person in the country -- Ann Patchett, bestselling author of Tom Lake
Pure brilliance. Funny, wise, gracious; this may be Everett's best book yet -- Bonnie Garmus, bestselling author of Lessons in Chemistry
Gripping, painful, funny, horrifying . . . a consummate performance to the last * The Observer *
This is the work of an American master at the peak of his powers * Financial Times *
Both a page-turner and a profound meditation on the ramifications of slavery and self-hood . . . Luminous * TLS *
A classic novel overhauled by a modern master * The Daily Telegraph *
Percival Everett is an essential writer and James may be his greatest novel yet * i *
Fantastically entertaining . . . James’s solo adventures take on a life that doesn’t so much rival the original [The Adventures of Huckelberry Finn] as defiantly stand alone * Daily Mail *
Magnificent . . . [James] is Everett’s most thrilling novel, but also his most soulful * The New York Times *
American literature’s philosopher king — and its sharpest satirist * The New Yorker *
2024 . . . might be the year of Percival Everett . . . [James is a] systematic and forensic and laugh-out-loud-funny deconstruction of America and race * Scotsman *
If you liked Demon Copperhead, by Barbara Kingsolver, read James, by Percival Everett * Washington Post *
[An] ingenious retelling of The Adverntures of Huckleberry Finn . . . Everett has outdone himself -- Publishers Weekly (Starred Review)
The audacious and prolific Everett dives into the very heart of Twain's epochal odyssey -- Kirkus (Starred Review)
An absolutely essential read -- Booklist (Starred Review)
Percival Everett is a giant of American letters, and James is a canon-shatteringly great book. Unforgiving and compassionate, beautiful and brutal, a tragedy and a farce, this brilliant novel rewrites literary history to let us hear the voices it has long suppressed -- Hernan Diaz, Pulitzer Prize-winning author of Trust
James is funny and horrifying, brilliant and riveting. In telling the story of Jim instead of Huckleberry Finn, Percival Everett delivers a powerful, necessary corrective to both literature and history. I found myself cheering both the writer and his hero. Who should read this book? Every single person in the country -- Ann Patchett, bestselling author of Tom Lake
Pure brilliance. Funny, wise, gracious; this may be Everett's best book yet -- Bonnie Garmus, bestselling author of Lessons in Chemistry
Gripping, painful, funny, horrifying . . . a consummate performance to the last * The Observer *
This is the work of an American master at the peak of his powers * Financial Times *
Both a page-turner and a profound meditation on the ramifications of slavery and self-hood . . . Luminous * TLS *
A classic novel overhauled by a modern master * The Daily Telegraph *
Percival Everett is an essential writer and James may be his greatest novel yet * i *
Fantastically entertaining . . . James’s solo adventures take on a life that doesn’t so much rival the original [The Adventures of Huckelberry Finn] as defiantly stand alone * Daily Mail *
Magnificent . . . [James] is Everett’s most thrilling novel, but also his most soulful * The New York Times *
American literature’s philosopher king — and its sharpest satirist * The New Yorker *
2024 . . . might be the year of Percival Everett . . . [James is a] systematic and forensic and laugh-out-loud-funny deconstruction of America and race * Scotsman *
If you liked Demon Copperhead, by Barbara Kingsolver, read James, by Percival Everett * Washington Post *
[An] ingenious retelling of The Adverntures of Huckleberry Finn . . . Everett has outdone himself -- Publishers Weekly (Starred Review)
The audacious and prolific Everett dives into the very heart of Twain's epochal odyssey -- Kirkus (Starred Review)
An absolutely essential read -- Booklist (Starred Review)
Percival Everett is the author of over thirty books, including So Much Blue, Telephone, Dr No and The Trees, which was shortlisted for the 2022 Booker Prize and won the 2022 Bollinger Everyman Wodehouse Prize. He has received the Hurston/Wright Legacy Award and the PEN Center USA Award for Fiction, has been a Pulitzer Prize finalist, and is Distinguished Professor of English at the University of Southern California. His novel Erasure has been adapted into the major Oscar-winning film American Fiction. He lives in Los Angeles.
| SKU | GOR013636310 |
| ISBN 13 | 9781035031238 |
| ISBN 10 | 103503123X |
| Title | James |
| Author | Percival Everett |
| Condition | Very good |
| Binding Type | Hardback |
| Publisher | Pan Macmillan |
| Year published | 2024-04-11 |
| Number of pages | 320 |
| Cover note | Book picture is for illustrative purposes only, actual binding, cover or edition may vary. |
| Note | This is a used book - there is no escaping the fact it has been read by someone else and it will show signs of wear and previous use. Overall we expect it to be in very good condition, but if you are not entirely satisfied please get in touch with us |
