James Wins The National Book Award for Fiction
A historical literary character tells his own story
Congratulations to Percival Everett
I’m excited to announce that on November 20, 2024, the talented author Percival Everett was awarded the 2024 National Book Award for Fiction at the 75th National Book Awards Ceremony in New York City.
James, published in 2024, is a reimagined story of Jim — the enslaved man who accompanied Huck during his travels in Mark Twain’s classic The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. Everett’s tale is told from the perspective of James, presenting him as a fully realized individual: intelligent, articulate, and compassionate, with a rich life beyond Finn’s limited worldview. The character of “Jim” that he puts on is a survival mechanism in a hostile world where any perceived misstep can prove fatal for him.
The book delves into heavy themes such as racism, physical abuse, rape, and murder. James will be a challenging read because of the subject matter but I look forward to reading it with my book club in early 2025.
Many readers have suggested that The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn and James should be taught together in schools. I don’t know what the future of classic American or African American literature will look like in the…
