Colson Whitehead attends the table in 2016 underground RailroadA work of fictional historical fiction in which enslaved people use a real railroad running beneath the South to escape to freedom.
- The novel is one of only eight books to win both the National Book Award and the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction.
- When Whitehead wins the Pulitzer again in 2020 nickel boysHe joined an even more exclusive club, becoming one of just four writers to take home two Pulitzers. (William Faulkner, John Updike, and Booth Tarkington are others.)
- Ranked #7 on The New York Times’ list of the 100 best books of the 21st century so far, underground Railroad Is the latest book in the top 10.
🎧 Join us as we revisit the powerful novel that cemented Whitehead as The greatest living American novelistAnd enjoy some bonus material about that and how the novel came to life.
It all started in fourth grade
When he learned about the Underground Railroad in fourth gradeColson Whitehead thought, as did many young people, that this was a Real railroad track. The idea of crafting a story around that premise lingered in his mind, but it felt too intimidating to tackle for a long time. After working on the idea with his wife, his agent, his therapist, and his editor, he sat down in 2014 to bring the idea to life.
past tense
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take it to the club
underground Railroad There is an excellent book club selection (just like that). Oprah), and we have provided this set of questions and a reading guide for you.
Recommended Reading
If you’re new to Colson Whitehead, welcome! Here’s a way to read through their fascinating list. And if you want more books that remix real events, here’s a list of alternative history books to scratch that itch.
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