Sing, Unburied, Sing by Jesmyn Ward
The novel explores the journey of a 13-year-old boy, his drug-addicted mother, and his baby sister as they travel through Mississippi to pick up their white father from the state penitentiary. The story is steeped in the harsh realities of poverty, racism, and struggle, and is further complicated by the presence of a ghost from the family's past. It's a haunting tale about the legacy of trauma and the power of family ties.
The 1650th greatest book of all time
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Total Points: 247
This book was first published in 2017
18 Lists
- score: 58 -- 100 Best Books of the 21st Century - 2024 (Weight: 173)
- score: 56 -- 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: 27 -- Readers Pick Their 100 Best Books of the 21st Century - 2024 (Weight: 89)
- score: 27 -- 200 Books That Shaped 200 Years of Literature - 2021 (Weight: 105)
- score: 22 -- The 40 Best Novels of the 2010s - 2020 (Weight: 82)
- score: 22 -- The 20 Best Novels of the Decade (2010s) - 2020 (Weight: 90)
- score: 16 -- The 10 Best Books Through Time - Yearly Book Award (Weight: 79)
- 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 -- Boston Public Library: Top Fiction and Non-Fiction Books of the 2010s - 2020 (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 -- 52 Award-Winning Titles Every Book Lover Should Read - 2021 (Weight: 1)
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- score: 1 -- The Best Fiction Books of the 2010s - 2020 (Weight: 1)
- score: 1 -- The ZORA Canon: The 100 greatest books ever written by African American women - 2020 (Weight: 1)
- score: 1 -- 25 Essential High School Reads From the Last Decade - 2022 (Weight: 1)
- score: 1 -- Top 10 Fiction Books of the Decade(2010) - 2020 (Weight: 1)