01
Why it matters
Beatty’s relentless satire exposes the absurdities and durable structures of American racism.
A celebrated work
The Sellout
Paul Beatty2016 selection · Literary fiction
The Sellout
A Black farmer in the erased California town of Dickens attempts to restore its identity through segregation and an outrageous relationship. His case eventually reaches the Supreme Court.
02
Read this if…
You want provocative satire that refuses easy moral comfort.
03
Ideas inside
racesatireAmerican identityinequality
Get or borrow
Continue with this book.
Affiliate disclosure: We may earn a commission when you purchase through these links, at no extra cost to you. Editorial selections are independent.
Further reading
Read the critics
Independent reviews and criticism from established publications. Links open at the original outlet.
Primary record
Verify the selection
Every inclusion traces back to the organization that made the selection.
Booker Prize — official winner recordOfficial record↗ (opens in a new tab)Continue reading
From the same conversation
James
On 3 lists: National Book Award for Fiction, NPR Books We Love, The New York Times — 10 Best Books
James
Pulitzer Prize for Fiction
The Underground Railroad
On 3 lists: National Book Award for Fiction, The New York Times — 10 Best Books, NPR Books We Love