James

"From Percival Everett-a recipient of the NBCC Lifetime Achievement Award and finalist for the Pulitzer Prize, Booker Prize, and numerous PEN awards-comes James, a retelling of The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, both harrowing and ferociously funny, told from the enslaved Jim's point of view. 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 The 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 "cult literary icon" (Oprah Daily), and one of the most decorated writers of our lifetime, James is destined to be a major publishing event and a cornerstone of twenty-first century American literature"-- Provided by publisher.
Contents: Adventures of Huckleberry Finn.

REVIEWS & SUMMARIES

COMMUNITY REVIEWS

This is a great book! submitted by alechart on May 22, 2024, 4:13pm The story of Huckleberry Finn as related by the slave, Jim. Well told, believable, and exciting.

Compelling submitted by mowjac on June 14, 2024, 7:55pm I wasn’t sure about reading this—I don’t remember Huckleberry Finn, and I wasn’t up for a dense read, but I found myself drawn in by James’ self awareness and Everett’s insightful prose. Aside from James’ view of his world, I also enjoyed the nuances of language, and the insight into the games humans play.

The Other Viewpoint submitted by ekjensen on July 6, 2024, 11:47am The Huckleberry Finn novel retold from the perspective and narration of Jim/James, the slave and his dramatic, difficult and violent challenges along the Mississippi River as a runaway and his attempts to find and free his family at the start of the Civil War

Facinating, fast-paced, righteous read! submitted by trender on August 25, 2024, 7:05pm I love this book! It moves like a river, fast-paced and adventuresome. James starts the story as Jim, an enslaved man living with his family in Hannibal, Missouri. He offers “language lessons” to his family, essentially teaching them the art of code switching as a form of protection. When Jim is sold, he flees, figuring he’ll find a way back to rescue his wife and daughter. The escape saga that unfolds alongside his companion Huck Finn is incredible—James rises to the most high-stakes scenarios imaginable and with each new impossible challenge, his outward actions become more true to his internal self. Friends and enemies are made along the way; truths are obscured and revealed; and justice is deliciously delivered. An entirely satisfying book in every way imaginable. You do not have to have read The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn to enjoy this book. Aside from some dialect that takes some getting used to, it’s absolutely an accessible and cinematic read, rich with clearly described action. The only risk of reading this book is that you’ll likely want to dive into every other Percivall Everett book ever written: clear space on your TBR! :)