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Why it matters
Whitehead transforms historical institutions into a speculative geography of recurring racial violence.
A celebrated work
The Underground Railroad
Colson Whitehead2017 selection · Literary fiction
The Underground Railroad
Cora escapes a Georgia plantation through a literal underground railway and crosses states embodying different racial terrors. A slave catcher follows as each refuge reveals another system of control.
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Read this if…
You want propulsive historical fiction with an audacious premise.
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Ideas inside
slaveryfreedomraceAmerican history
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The Underground Railroad
On 3 lists: National Book Award for Fiction, The New York Times — 10 Best Books, NPR Books We Love
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Pulitzer Prize for Fiction
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On 3 lists: National Book Award for Fiction, NPR Books We Love, The New York Times — 10 Best Books