Invisible Man by Ralph Ellison
The novel is a poignant exploration of a young African-American man's journey through life, where he grapples with issues of race, identity, and individuality in mid-20th-century America. The protagonist, who remains unnamed throughout the story, considers himself socially invisible due to his race. The narrative follows his experiences from the South to the North, from being a student to a worker, and his involvement in the Brotherhood, a political organization. The book is a profound critique of societal norms and racial prejudice, highlighting the protagonist's struggle to assert his identity in a world that refuses to see him.
The 25th greatest book of all time
Ranking Details:
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Total Points: 4281
This book was first published in 1952
47 Lists
- score: 154 -- The Top 10: The Greatest Books of All Time - 2007 (Weight: 150)
- score: 150 -- Top 100 Works in World Literature - 2002 (Weight: 150)
- score: 150 -- 1001 Books You Must Read Before You Die - 2006 (Weight: 150)
- score: 150 -- For The Love of Books - 1999 (Weight: 150)
- score: 134 -- The Ideal Library - 2024 (Weight: 129)
- score: 126 -- Best Books (Fiction, Prose) : Experts Choose Their Favourites - 1996 (Weight: 126)
- score: 126 -- The 75 Best Books of the Past 75 Years - 2016 (Weight: 126)
- score: 108 -- The New York Public Library's Books of the Century - 1996 (Weight: 108)
- score: 108 -- The Booklist Century: 100 Books, 100 Years - 2005 (Weight: 108)
- score: 105 -- The Best Southern Novels of All Time - 2009 (Weight: 96)
- score: 99 -- Koen Book Distributors Top 100 Books of the Past Century - 1999 (Weight: 96)
- score: 99 -- The Great American Read - 2018 (Weight: 99)
- score: 98 -- The Greatest Books of All Time - 2022 (Weight: 96)
- score: 96 -- 20th Century's Greatest Hits: 100 English-Language Books of Fiction - 1999 (Weight: 93)
- score: 96 -- 222 Best Books of All Time That Deserve a Spot on Your Bookshelf, With Picks from Bestselling Authors and Indie Booksellers - 2024 (Weight: 96)
- score: 96 -- 1000 Novels Everyone Must Read - 2009 (Weight: 96)
- score: 95 -- In Which These Are the 100 Greatest Novels - 2011 (Weight: 93)
- score: 93 -- Harvard Book Store Staff's Favorite 100 Books - 2011 (Weight: 90)
- score: 93 -- The Modern Library | 100 Best Novels - 1999 (Weight: 90)
- score: 93 -- Radcliffe's 100 Best Novels - 1998 (Weight: 90)
- score: 93 -- 12 Novels Considered the Greatest Book Ever Written - 2016 (Weight: 93)
- score: 93 -- Donald Barthelme’s Reading List - 1985 (Weight: 93)
- score: 90 -- 100 Books to Read in a Lifetime - 2014 (Weight: 90)
- score: 90 -- Select 100 - 2015 (Weight: 90)
- score: 87 -- A Century of Reading - 2018 (Weight: 87)
- score: 86 -- 100 Best Books - 2010 (Weight: 84)
- score: 84 -- The Great American Novels - 2024 (Weight: 84)
- score: 83 -- The 100 Greatest Novels - 2007 (Weight: 81)
- score: 83 -- Entertainment Weekly's Top 100 Novels - 2013 (Weight: 81)
- score: 83 -- The Novel 100: A Ranking of the Greatest Novels of All Time - 2004 (Weight: 81)
- score: 81 -- How to Read and Why - 2000 (Weight: 81)
- score: 81 -- From Zero to Well-Read in 100 Books - 2013 (Weight: 81)
- score: 81 -- The Book of Great Books: A Guide to 100 World Classics - 2001 (Weight: 81)
- score: 81 -- TIME Magazine All Time 100 Novels - 2005 (Weight: 81)
- score: 75 -- Harold Bloom's The Western Canon - 1994 (Weight: 75)
- score: 74 -- As if You Don't Have Enough to Read, Fiction Edition - 2011 (Weight: 72)
- score: 72 -- D. G. Myers’ 50 Greatest English Language Novels - 2009 (Weight: 69)
- score: 72 -- 100 Best Novels in English Since 1900 - 2014 (Weight: 69)
- score: 69 -- The Modern Library: The Two Hundred Best Novels in English Since 1950 - 2011 (Weight: 69)
- score: 69 -- The College Board: 101 Great Books Recommended for College-Bound Readers - 2002 (Weight: 69)
- score: 69 -- 25 Books by Black Authors You Should Read This February - 2024 (Weight: 69)
- score: 66 -- The Complete 500: OCLC - 2024 (Weight: 66)
- score: 66 -- Books That Shaped America - 2012 (Weight: 66)
- score: 57 -- The Dream of the Great American Novel - 2014 (Weight: 57)
- score: 51 -- The 100 Greatest American Novels, 1893 – 1993 - 2013 (Weight: 51)
- score: 51 -- The 80 Books Every Man Should Read - 2015 (Weight: 51)
- score: 18 -- National Book Award - Fiction - Yearly Book Award (Weight: 18)