The Underground Railroad by Colson Whitehead
This novel follows the journey of Cora, a young slave on a cotton plantation in Georgia, who escapes and embarks on a journey towards freedom via the Underground Railroad. The book presents a literal version of the historical Underground Railroad, portraying it as a physical network of tunnels and tracks beneath the Southern soil. As Cora travels from state to state, she encounters different worlds and harsh realities, each one illuminating the various forms of oppression Black people faced in America. The narrative is a brutal exploration of America's history of slavery and racism, and a testament to the unyielding spirit of those who fought against it.
The 769th greatest book of all time
- Published
- 2016
- Nationality
- American
- Length
- Medium
- Pages
- 300-400
- Original Language
- English
- Avg User Rating
-
(4.0)
- Alternate Titles
-
- De ondergrondse spoorweg
- Den underjordiska järnvägen
- Den underjordiske jernbane
- Den underjordiske jernbanen
- Der Untergrundbahn
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This book is on the following 31 lists:
- 1st on The 40 Best Novels of the 2010s (Paste Magazine)
- 7th on 100 Best Books of the 21st Century (NY Times)
- 10th on The 30 best fiction books of the last 30 years (Los Angeles Times)
- 13th on Readers Pick Their 100 Best Books of the 21st Century (NY Times)
- 15th on The 20 Best Novels of the Decade (2010s) (Literary Hub)
- 20th on The 25 Masterpieces of World Literature That Will Define the 21st Century (Télérama)
- 30th on The 100 best books of the 21st century (The Guardian)
- 67th on Truelit's 100 Best Books of the Quarter Century (/r/truelit)
- 73rd on 100 Best Books of the 21st Century (Book Enthusiast Substack)
- 347th on Our Users' Honorable Mention Favorite Books of All Time (The Greatest Books Users)
- 1,000 Books to Read Before You Die: A Life-Changing List (1,000 Books to Read Before You Die(Book))
- 100 Books You Must Read Before You Die (BBC Radio Oxford)
- 125 Books We Love for Adults (NY Public Library)
- 200 Books That Shaped 200 Years of Literature (The Center for Fiction)
- 222 Best Books of All Time That Deserve a Spot on Your Bookshelf, With Picks from Bestselling Authors and Indie Booksellers (Parade)
- 52 Award-Winning Titles Every Book Lover Should Read (Book)
- 70 Classic Booker Prize-Nominated Novels, Recommended by our Readers (Booker Prize Library Readers)
- A Century of Reading (Lithub)
- Andrew Carnegie Medals for Excellence in Fiction and Nonfiction (Andrew Carnegie Medals for Excellence)
- Arthur C. Clarke Award (Arthur C. Clarke Award)
- Barack Obama's Reading Lists (Barack Obama)
- Best Books of the Decade(2010-2020) (Chicago Tribune)
- Best Fiction Books of the 21st Century (So Far) (Kirkus Reviews)
- Boston Public Library: Top Fiction and Non-Fiction Books of the 2010s (Boston Public Library)
- Fifty French Writers Choose Their Favorite 10 Books - Honourable Mention (On en garde 10 ! Pour la littérature)
- National Book Award - Fiction (National Book Foundation)
- Pulitzer Prize for Fiction (Pulitzer Prize)
- The 100 Novels You Must Read in Your Lifetime (Esquire)
- The 10 Best Books Through Time (New York Times)
- The Ultimate Book Bucket List: The 75 Best Books Of All Time (Refinery29)
- Top Books Recommended on Cambridge Reading Lists (Oxbridge)