A Lesson Before Dying by Ernest J. Gaines
Set in the pre-Civil Rights South, the novel explores the story of a young black man wrongfully accused and sentenced to death for a crime he didn't commit. A local schoolteacher, at the request of the man's godmother, attempts to help the condemned man gain a sense of dignity and self-worth in the final days of his life. The story grapples with issues of racial inequality, justice, humanity, and moral obligation.
The 2491st greatest book of all time
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- Published
- 1993
- Nationality
- American
- Length
- Medium
- Pages
- 256
- Original Language
- English
- Avg User Rating
-
(4.0)
- Alternate Titles
- None
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This book is on the following 7 lists:
- 24th on The Best Southern Novels of All Time (Oxford American)
- 462nd 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))
- 200 Books That Shaped 200 Years of Literature (The Center for Fiction)
- Cart's Top 200 Adult Books for Young Adults (Book)
- National Book Critics Circle Award - Fiction (National Book Critics Circle)
- The Booklist Century: 100 Books, 100 Years (BookList)