Percival Everett’s James is a spectacular new novel, combining satire and brutal realism, rewriting key aspects of The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. It features the experiences of James, an enslaved Black man in Missouri, as he seeks freedom for himself and his family. Racism and slavery’s violence are central to James, as is humor. Decisive and brilliant, James is a far cry from Twain’s enslaved, deferential Jim. As we discuss James we’ll consider the effects of Everett’s revisions of Twain, so please re-read or familiarize yourself with Huck Finn.
Read: James, Percival Everett; The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, Mark Twain (read or review)
Note: In November 2024, Percival Everett was awarded the National Book Award for Fiction for James.