James
A Novel
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James
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Narrated by:
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Dominic Hoffman
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Written by:
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Percival Everett
About this listen
#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
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.
©2024 Percival Everett (P)2024 Random House Audio
What the critics say
A NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER | WINNER OF THE NATIONAL BOOK AWARD AND THE KIRKUS PRIZE FOR FICTION | BARNES & NOBLE'S 2024 BOOK OF THE YEAR
NAMED A BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR BY THE WASHINGTON POST, THE NEW YORKER, NPR, THE NEW YORK TIMES BOOK REVIEW, THE ECONOMIST, THE CHICAGO TRIBUNE, AND VANITY FAIR, AMONG OTHERS...
“The cult favorite author’s electric new work. . . James completely reimagines one-half of Finn’s famous duo, elevating him from unwitting sidekick to reluctant hero. . . Everett brings that laser-sharp wit to James, creating a radical new American adventure.”—W Magazine
“James offers page-turning excitement but also off-kilter philosophical picaresque. . . Gripping, painful, funny, horrifying, this is multi-level entertainment, a consummate performance to the last."—The Guardian
“Blasted clean of Twain’s characterization, Jim emerges here as a man of great dignity, altruism, and intelligence. . . Clever, soulful, and full of righteous rage, [Jim’s] long-silenced voice resounds through this remarkable novel. Subversive and thrilling, James is destined to become a modern classic.”—Esquire
What listeners say about James
Average Customer RatingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Dianne Vosloo
- 2024-11-17
Narration is the best part: Flow of dialogue very satisfying
Thoughtful believable and endearing interpretation of “Jim”
Narration captures relationship between Huck and James in best possible way
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Mike T.
- 2024-12-27
amazing
such an incredible book, it's a must listen. highly recommend
the narrator does an incredible job as well.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance4 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- celia gjosund
- 2024-07-23
loved this story
huckleberry fin such a favourite story is continued with James trying to free himself from slavery. well thought out and beautifully written
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1 person found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Tammy
- 2024-05-03
Beautifully performed and written
Loved it! Hope there is a sequel.
History is very disturbing. I sincerely hope we all learn from the past
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2 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Gordon Fleming
- 2025-01-18
Mark Twain would be jumping for joy!
Beautifully written, often funny, sometimes sad, always hopeful. An important book that should be ready by all.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Semiloore Adeoye
- 2025-01-20
Absolutely amazing
Has someone who read the Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, this was a great way to see into James’s perspective. Loved it entirely.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Boscotti_M
- 2024-08-25
Intelligent and enjoyable
I listened to this book with my wife. She hadn't read either Tom Sawyer or Huckleberry Finn, so we first listened, often uncomfortably, to those books in order to provide context for James. I had previously read Twain's works as a schoolboy, but was really shocked at the language he used. He "literally" carpet-bombed the n-word and in the audiobook format it seems more visceral. That word also comes up frequently in "James", and it's no less uncomfortable to hear. The difference is that we couldn't tell if Twain considered the word to be acceptable.
"James" is a clever and moving retelling of the story of Huckleberry and Jim/James, with a reveal at the end about Huck that is hinted at throughout. I was drawn to listen to the book after seeing the great movie "American Fiction", which was based on Everett's 2001 novel "Erasure". I can't say enough about Dominic Hoffman's nuanced interpretation of the book. I'll be looking for more audiobooks featuring him.
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- Christy
- 2025-02-07
Must Read!
Powerful! I finished it in 2 days! This is a book I need to sit with and re-read again SOON! Giving a voice to James changes my perspective. I highly recommend this for everyone to read.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Margaret
- 2025-02-01
great book!
The writing and the narration are both excellent. The story is witty and thought-provoking. This is the best book that I have listened to in ages!
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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- Laura
- 2024-10-16
An amazing tour de force
Deserves to win the Pulitzer. A novel twist on an American classic retold for the ages.
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