The Perks Of Being A Book Addict discussion

2025 October Book of the Month James by Percival Everett

A brilliant reimagining of Adventures of Huckleberry Finn—both harrowing and satirical—told from the enslaved Jim's point of view

When Jim overhears that he is about to be sold to a man in New Orleans, separated from his wife and daughter forever, he runs away until he can formulate a plan. Meanwhile, Huck has faked his own death to escape his violent father. As all readers of American literature know, thus begins the dangerous and transcendent journey by raft down the Mississippi River toward the elusive and unreliable promise of the Free States and beyond.

Brimming with nuanced humor and lacerating observations that have made Everett a literary icon, this brilliant and tender novel radically illuminates Jim's agency, intelligence, and compassion as never before. James is destined to be a major publishing event and a cornerstone of twenty-first-century American literature.

I read this a few months ago. Wonderful book - anyone who reads it is in for a treat!

I also read this recently and also thought it was wonderful! It's definitely thought-provoking.

Now I’m so disappointed I didn’t get this one on sale earlier this year. Back than I still had a (small) book budget and it was only a third of the current price. Now I’m out of luck until I find a cheaper flat - whenever that may happen :-(

When I see something interesting come up in one of the community challenges, I often put a hold on it at the library (whether print, large print, or ebook) if I can't find (or afford) it digitally. Sometimes it takes many months, so this came in the end of August and I finished it mid-September.
What a different story it becomes when someone else tells the same tale!

I’ve read this book as well and enjoyed it. It was a five star read for me, straight to my favorites shelf!

I loved this book. I will admit that I wasn’t interested in it at all when it first came out. Slowly it got my attention and after I started it, I could not put it down. It really made me think about how people were treated in that time era. I read historical fiction all the time but this one really hit you in the feels. I haven’t read a book that literally made me cry in a long time. The perceptive thru James’s eyes was so well done. Impactful and memorable. I am definitely recommending for everyone to read it.

Percival Everett is a creative genius! The way he illustrated the power of language was done beautifully. It was such a creative retelling.

I am definitely in the minority on this one. I enjoyed it, but I didn't love it. I thought it was good, but not great. I can see why people like it. I just don't really get the incredible amount of hype around it.

This book was remarkable in how Everett 'showed' rather than 'told' the story of slavery and racism. The dialogue was brilliant in keeping the language of survival alive and dignified. 5 stars.