It presents the horrors of slavery in a wholly original way, wrapping a hero you root for -- due to his youthful optimism, his hard-won acceptance of his lot in life, and his embracing of his ability to move though space using the power of memory and storytelling -- in a cloak of magical realism. By the time Harriet Tubman enters the picture, you’ll be wishing fervently that the ability to magically transport slaves to freedom had really existed. The story never devolves into fairy tale, rather the fantastic element puts the heroic acts represented by the Underground Railroad into very appropriate superhuman terms.
'One of the best books I have ever read in my entire life. I haven't felt this way since I first read Beloved . . .' Oprah Winfrey
Lose yourself in the stunning debut novel everyone is talking about - the unmissable historical story of injustice and redemption that resonates powerfully today
Hiram Walker is a man with a secret, and a war to win. A war for the right to life, to family, to freedom.
Born into bondage on a Virginia plantation, he is also born gifted with a…
Backman makes you care about his characters from the start, and he is the King of Poignancy. Insightful comments into the human condition practically drip from the pages of this novel as a series of increasingly delightful, damaged characters cross boundaries into each other’s lives, ultimately improving them. And ample intrigue keeps you reading, far too late into the night.
A Most Anticipated Book of 2025: Goodreads •USA TODAY • Marie Claire • BookPage • Literary Lifestyle •Book Riot •Sunset Magazine • Totally Booked with Zibby Owens * A Fallon Book Club Pick
The #1 New York Times bestselling author of Anxious People returns with an unforgettably funny, deeply moving tale of four teenagers whose friendship creates a bond so powerful that it changes a complete stranger's life twenty-five years later.
Most people don't even notice them—three tiny figures sitting at the end of a long pier in the corner of one of the most…
It was my introduction to heralded American author James Baldwin. As an English major and author, I really should have read him years ago! The book’s premise alone is impressive: A white bisexual man in 1950s Paris struggles with his sexuality, in a story written by a Black American. Baldwin being Baldwin, I continued to be impressed as I read, by his beautifully rendered portrayal of love, lust, friendship, identity and guilt (plus murder!) in the seedy bars and dreary streets of Paris.
When David meets the sensual Giovanni in a bohemian bar, he is swept into a passionate love affair. But his girlfriend's return to Paris destroys everything. Unable to admit to the truth, David pretends the liaison never happened - while Giovanni's life descends into tragedy.
United by the theme of love, the writings in the Great Loves series span over two thousand years and vastly different worlds. Readers will be introduced to love's endlessly fascinating possibilities and extremities: romantic love, platonic love, erotic love, gay love, virginal love, adulterous love, parental love, filial love, nostalgic love, unrequited love, illicit love,…
Like The Water Dancer, Beautiful and Terrible Things: A Novel delves into racism. Like Giovanni’s Room, it explores sexuality. And most of all, like My Friends, it steeps the reader in a group of friends that reviewers have compared to the cast of "Friends" or "The Big Chill."
Winner of Best Literary Book of 2024 from Indies Today, the book has also won awards for General Fiction, LGBTQIA+ Fiction, and Social Issues Fiction.
“Much like finding love when you’re least expecting it, sometimes a book comes along and literally takes your breath away. “ — Reader Views
“Brilliantly relatable…a compelling exploration of friendship, individuality, and the shared struggles that make us who we are.” — Booklife Editor’s Pick
