Disgrace by J. M. Coetzee
"Disgrace" is a novel that explores the life of a middle-aged professor in South Africa who is dismissed from his position after having an affair with a student. After losing his job, he moves to the countryside to live with his daughter, where they experience a violent attack that significantly alters their lives. The story delves into themes of post-apartheid South Africa, racial tension, sexual exploitation, and the struggle for personal redemption.
The 255th greatest book of all time
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- Published
- 1999
- Nationality
- South African
- Length
- Short
- Pages
- 220
- Original Language
- English
- Avg User Rating
-
(3.8)
- Alternate Titles
-
- Desgraça
- Schande
- Sramota
- Безчестя
If you're interested in seeing the ranking details on this book go here
This book is on the following 39 lists:
- 1st on Top 10 British, Irish or Commonwealth Novels from 1980 to 2005 (The Observer)
- 5th on As if You Don't Have Enough to Read, Fiction Edition (New York Times)
- 8th on The Telegraph’s 100 Novels Everyone Should Read (Telegraph)
- 19th on The 50 best books of the past 100 years (The Times)
- 21st on In Which These Are the 100 Greatest Novels (ThisRecording.com)
- 39th on The 100 Best Books from 1900 to the Present (Yedioth Ahronoth)
- 58th on The 100 Best Novels Of All Time In English (The Guardian)
- 61st on 100 Best Novels in English Since 1900 (Counterpunch)
- 70th on Our Users' Honorable Mention Favorite Books of All Time (The Greatest Books Users)
- 76th on 100 Books of Classical and Modern Foreign Literature (The Union of Russian Writers)
- 82nd on Entertainment Weekly's Top 100 Novels (Entertainment Weekly)
- 93rd on TrueLit's Top 100 Favorite Books (2023) (/r/TrueLit)
- 98th on 100 Essential Books (Bravo! Magazine)
- 282nd on The 500 best books of all time from Culture Café users (Culture Café)
- 1000 Novels Everyone Must Read (The Guardian)
- 1001 Books You Must Read Before You Die (The Book)
- 100 Best Novels Written in English (The Guardian)
- 100 Novels That Shaped Our World (BBC)
- 222 Best Books of All Time That Deserve a Spot on Your Bookshelf, With Picks from Bestselling Authors and Indie Booksellers (Parade)
- 25 acclaimed international writers choose 25 of the best books from the last 25 years (Wasafiri Magazine)
- 25 Books to Read Before You Die (Powell's Books)
- 31 Books Every South African Should Read (Brand South Africa)
- 500 Must Read Books (The Daily Telegraph)
- 501 Must-Read Books (LibraryThing)
- 50 Essential Reads by Contemporary Authors (Orange Prize for Fiction)
- 70 Classic Booker Prize-Nominated Novels, Recommended by our Readers (Booker Prize Library Readers)
- A Century of World Literature 1925 - 2025 (Der Spiegel)
- A Hundred Novels to Change Your Life (The Daily Mail)
- Best Foreign Work of Fiction Chosen by Francophone Writers (French literary magazine Transfuge)
- Booker Prize (Booker Prize)
- Harenberg Buch der 1000 Bücher (Harenberg Buch der 1000 Bücher)
- NY Times Editors Choice 1990-1999 (NY Times)
- The 50 Books Everyone Needs to Read, 1963-2013 (Flavor Wire)
- The Best of the Booker (Booker Prize)
- The Big Jubilee Read (BBC)
- The Librarians' Choice - Top 20 South African Books, 1994-2014 (LISA (Library and Information Association of South Africa))
- 'The perfect library': the 196 books selected by 133 personalities (XLSemanal and Zenda)
- Vendela Vida's Book Choices from "The Writer's Library" (The Writer's Library: The Authors You Love on the Books That Changed Their Lives (Book))
- What are the Goncourt Winners’ Favorite Books? (Télérama)