The Underground Railroad

Praised by Barack Obama and selected as an Oprah Book Club Pick, The Underground Railroad by Colson Whitehead is a riveting novel that has garnered critical acclaim and numerous accolades, including the National Book Award in 2016 and the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction in 2017. The Underground Railroad is an extraordinary, inventive reimagining of history, focusing on Cora, a young slave on a Georgia plantation who becomes determined to escape her life of torment and oppression. Her journey to freedom begins when Caesar, a fellow slave from Virginia, tells her about the Underground Railroad. In Whitehead's portrayal, this network isn't just a metaphor but a tangible subterranean train system. Together, Cora and Caesar embark on a perilous journey north, seeking freedom from the clutches of their brutal past. From her initial stop in South Carolina, where a seemingly idyllic haven hides sinister secrets, to the relentless pursuit by the vicious slave catcher Ridgeway, Cora's quest for liberty is fraught with danger. Each state she traverses presents a different, yet equally haunting, landscape reflective of the era's racial atrocities. Her movement through these spaces mirrors the harrowing experiences of countless others striving for freedom in pre-Civil War America. Colson Whitehead's narrative stands out not only for its inventive premise but for its gripping examination of the stark realities of black life and survival in America. His prose deftly captures the brutal legacy of slavery, as well as the unfulfilled promises that continue to reverberate in modern society. Through Cora's relentless pursuit of freedom, The Underground Railroad encapsulates both a personal struggle and a broader, powerful commentary on history. The novel has earned widespread praise: The Underground Railroad is a luminous, furious, and wildly inventive work. – Observer A dazzling novel that is hands down one of the best books of the year. – New York Review of Books Whitehead is on a roll: the reviews have been sublime. – Guardian Ethically engrossing and emotionally haunting, The Underground Railroad seamlessly interweaves the saga of America's brutal past and present. It is at once a story of an indomitable human spirit and a poignant, unflinching exploration of the legacy of slavery and its enduring impact.