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James

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James

By: Percival Everett
Narrated by: Dominic Hoffman
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About this listen

The instant Sunday Times bestseller
Winner of the 2024 National Book Award for Fiction
Shortlisted for the Booker Prize 2024
Shortlisted for Waterstones Book of the Year 2024
Selected as a 'Book of the Year' in The Telegraph, Financial Times, New Statesman, TLS and The Spectator


'Truly extraordinary books are rare, and this is one of them' – Roddy Doyle, Booker Prize-winning author of Paddy Clarke, Ha Ha Ha

James is a profound and ferociously funny reimagining of The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, told from the perspective of the enslaved Jim. From Percival Everett, award-winning author of The Trees and Erasure, adapted into the Oscar-winning film American Fiction.

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 flees to 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.

So begins a dangerous and transcendent journey 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. And together, the unlikely pair embark on the most life-changing odyssey of them all . . .

‘Who should read this book? Every single person in the country’ – Ann Patchett, bestselling author of Tom Lake

'James has the potential to become a classic . . . Thrilling, bold and profound' – The Sunday Times

'Funny, wise, gracious; this may be Everett's best book yet' – Bonnie Garmus, bestselling author of Lessons in Chemistry

'Magnificent . . . This is Everett's most thrilling novel, but also his most soulful' – The New York Times

'Unforgiving and compassionate, beautiful and brutal, a tragedy and a farce' – Hernan Diaz, Pulitzer Prize-winning author of Trust

©2024 Percival Everett (P)2024 Penguin Random House LLC
African American Historical Fiction Literary Fiction Literature & Fiction United States Funny

What listeners say about James

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Characters were amazing,as was the narrator!!!

Loved all of it FANTASTIC BOOK!!!! Everyone in the world should read it but especially people from USA!!! Read it to your children!

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What is freedom

It did more than re imagine Tom and Huck it told the story of slavery with humor compassion and truth.

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Great Story and perspective

So good yo hear Jim's side of the story after reading Mark Twain's Huckleberry Finn years ago.A good gripping yarn well told and read.

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Powerful

Powerful story , everyone would benefit from reading this book as a reminder of the past and what humans are capable of - both good and bad

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Powerful Story

What a read (listen)! This story parallels the original Adventures of Huckleberry Finn but through the eyes of James (Jim) the runaway slave.

It then departs into his own story against the backdrop of the imminent civil war.

This is an incredibly story I couldn’t stop listening to. The narration was beautifully done and does great justice to Percival Everett’s novel.

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Outstanding

Tough and heartbreaking story. But beautifully written and a slither of hope always. Loved the narration also.

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Brilliant

I continue to be astounded and delighted by the intelligent, amusing and insightful writings of this author. Indeed, will the “war” only be over when the winning side says it is? Keep writing and learning me up some, Master Everett.

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the river has many moods

I struggled at the start as slave stories are so brutal, I know that sounds weak and privileged but the reality is so awful, it is dreadful to absorb. But just as the river tides rose and fell, I went with the current, and rode the story to the end. it was an ending that left me elated,

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Extraordinary reflection on who tells the story

Brilliant performance! And excellent parallel story to Huckleberry Finn, re-imagined from the perspective of Jim, the runaway slave. If I summed this story up in a few words I would say this reinforces the notion that we see what we want to see, and that's limited by our life experience. Timely and brilliant novel.

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Outstanding

Having never read Huckleberry Finn I only had a loose understanding of the story. I’m so glad I listened to this version first. Beautifully told, Gorgeously read. Heartbreaking and uplifting and warm and terrifying. James as a character will live with me for a very long time. His story needed to be told and it needed to be told by him. Percival Everett I will endeavour to read all you’ve written.

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