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 770th greatest book of all time
Ranking Details:
Our ranking system awards points to books based on their appearance and position on curated lists. Here's how it works:
Unranked Lists: For lists without specific rankings, each book receives points equivalent to the list's weight. This approach recognizes the book's inclusion on prestigious lists.
Ranked Lists: Books on ranked lists receive points in two ways:
- Base Points: Initially, every book is awarded points equal to the list's weight, acknowledging its significance.
- Bonus Points: Additionally, books earn bonus points based on their ranking. The total bonus pool, equal to 100% of the list's weight, is distributed among the books, with higher-ranked books receiving more points.
Exponential Distribution: The distribution of bonus points follows an exponential model. This means the top-ranked book (#1) receives significantly more bonus points than those further down the list (e.g., #100). Our algorithm ensures that higher placements are rewarded more generously, reflecting the achievement of a top rank on any given list.
This scoring system ensures that each book's ranking reflects both its presence on multiple lists and its positions within those lists, providing a comprehensive measure of its acclaim and popularity.
List Date Penalty Feature
In our continuous effort to provide the most accurate and fair rankings, we have introduced a new feature: the List Date Penalty. This feature aims to reduce recency bias in our rankings by applying a penalty to books based on their publication dates relative to the list's publication date.
How It Works
- Publication Date Comparison: For each book on a list, we compare its publication date to the publication date of the list.
-
Penalty Application:
- Maximum Penalty: If a book was published in the same year as the list, it receives the maximum penalty, as we believe it hasn't had enough time to stand the test of time.
- Proportional Penalty: Books that were published in the years leading up to the list's publication date receive a proportional penalty based on the number of years they have been available.
- No Penalty: Books that were published more than a specified number of years (max age for penalty) before the list's publication date do not receive any penalty, acknowledging their enduring relevance and influence.
Why This Matters
By mitigating recency bias, the List Date Penalty feature helps to ensure that books that have had more time to be evaluated by readers and critics are given their due weight. This results in a more equitable and historically balanced ranking that truly reflects the greatest books of all time.
Total Points: 506
This book was first published in 2016
31 Lists
- score: 67 -- 100 Best Books of the 21st Century - 2024 (Weight: 173)
- score: 59 -- 222 Best Books of All Time That Deserve a Spot on Your Bookshelf, With Picks from Bestselling Authors and Indie Booksellers - 2024 (Weight: 170)
- score: 55 -- The 25 Masterpieces of World Literature That Will Define the 21st Century - 2025 (Weight: 160)
- score: 48 -- The 30 best fiction books of the last 30 years - 2025 (Weight: 130)
- score: 39 -- 100 Books You Must Read Before You Die - 2020 (Weight: 142)
- score: 33 -- Readers Pick Their 100 Best Books of the 21st Century - 2024 (Weight: 89)
- score: 29 -- 200 Books That Shaped 200 Years of Literature - 2021 (Weight: 105)
- score: 27 -- Fifty French Writers Choose Their Favorite 10 Books - Honourable Mention - 2022 (Weight: 89)
- score: 26 -- The 40 Best Novels of the 2010s - 2020 (Weight: 82)
- score: 25 -- The 20 Best Novels of the Decade (2010s) - 2020 (Weight: 90)
- score: 18 -- Pulitzer Prize for Fiction - Yearly Book Award (Weight: 86)
- score: 16 -- The 10 Best Books Through Time - Yearly Book Award (Weight: 79)
- score: 13 -- Truelit's 100 Best Books of the Quarter Century - 2024 (Weight: 40)
- score: 12 -- The Ultimate Book Bucket List: The 75 Best Books Of All Time - 2023 (Weight: 38)
- score: 6 -- The 100 Novels You Must Read in Your Lifetime - 2023 (Weight: 20)
- score: 6 -- 100 Best Books of the 21st Century - 2024 (Weight: 20)
- score: 5 -- National Book Award - Fiction - Yearly Book Award (Weight: 27)
- score: 1 -- Best Fiction Books of the 21st Century (So Far) - 2025 (Weight: 1)
- score: 1 -- 125 Books We Love for Adults - 2020 (Weight: 1)
- score: 1 -- Boston Public Library: Top Fiction and Non-Fiction Books of the 2010s - 2020 (Weight: 1)
- score: 1 -- Andrew Carnegie Medals for Excellence in Fiction and Nonfiction - Yearly Book Award (Weight: 1)
- score: 1 -- Best Books of the Decade(2010-2020) - 2019 (Weight: 1)
- score: 1 -- Barack Obama's Reading Lists - 2025 (Weight: 1)
- score: 1 -- 1,000 Books to Read Before You Die: A Life-Changing List - 2018 (Weight: 1)
- score: 1 -- 70 Classic Booker Prize-Nominated Novels, Recommended by our Readers - 2024 (Weight: 1)
- score: 1 -- 52 Award-Winning Titles Every Book Lover Should Read - 2021 (Weight: 1)
- score: 1 -- Our Users' Honorable Mention Favorite Books of All Time - 2024 (Weight: 1)
- score: 1 -- Top Books Recommended on Cambridge Reading Lists - 2025 (Weight: 1)
- score: 1 -- Arthur C. Clarke Award - Yearly Book Award (Weight: 1)
- score: 1 -- The 100 best books of the 21st century - 2019 (Weight: 1)
- score: 1 -- A Century of Reading - 2018 (Weight: 1)