James (pulitzer Prize Winner) by Percival Everett

James (pulitzer Prize Winner)

A Novel

Percival Everett

Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group · Print & ebook · April 21, 2026

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.

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Who it’s for
Readers interested in reimagined American classics from new perspectives
Themes
slavery, freedom journey, racial identity
Pacing
Mixed

About this book

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.

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"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.

Who it’s for

  • Readers interested in reimagined American classics from new perspectives
  • Fans of historical fiction focusing on slavery and the Civil War era

Where it sits

Black Historical Fiction93%
Historical Fiction51%
Literary Fiction50%

Percentages are BookFrontier’s reading of the book.

Publisher categories

  • Historical Fiction
  • Literary Fiction
  • Satire
Authors
Percival Everett
Publisher
Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group
Published
April 21, 2026
Format
Print & ebook
Theme
slavery · freedom journey · racial identity
Reading lane
Historical Fiction