The MLK Association of Westfield in partnership with the Westfield Memorial Library invites us to read important books together as a community. For our inaugural book club meeting, we will read James by Percival Everett.

Books will be available to borrow from the library or you can purchase your book from the Town Bookstore at a 10% discount.

Read on your own schedule and at your own pace between July and September. We'll have a meet and greet in person meeting on Tuesday, July 30th (7 - 8:30 PM) to welcome all participants. The book discussion group will be on Thursday, Sept 30th (7 - 8:30 PM).

Refreshments will be served. Please register early as capacity is limited to 20 people.    

Description

When the enslaved Jim overhears that he is about to be sold to a man in New Orleans, separated from his wife and daughter forever, he decides to hide on nearby Jackson Island until he can formulate a plan. Meanwhile, Huck Finn has faked his own death to escape his violent father, recently returned to town. As all readers of American literature know, thus begins the dangerous and transcendent journey by raft down the Mississippi River toward the elusive and too-often-unreliable promise of the Free States and beyond.

While many narrative set pieces of Adventures of Huckleberry Finn remain in place (floods and storms, stumbling across both unexpected death and unexpected treasure in the myriad stopping points along the river’s banks, encountering the scam artists posing as the Duke and Dauphin…), Jim’s agency, intelligence and compassion are shown in a radically new light.

Brimming with the electrifying humor and lacerating observations that have made Everett a “literary icon” (Oprah Daily), and one of the most decorated writers of our lifetime, James is destined to be a major publishing event and a cornerstone of twenty-first century American literature.

Praise

AN INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER

A brilliant, action-packed reimagining of Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, both harrowing and darkly humorous, told from the enslaved Jim's point of view

In development as a feature film to be produced by Steven Spielberg

A Best Book of the Year of the Year so Far for 2024: The New York Times Book Review, Esquire, W Magazine, Bustle, LitHub

"Genius"—The Atlantic

"A masterpiece that will help redefine one of the classics of American literature, while also being a major achievement on its own."—Chicago Tribune

"A provocative, enlightening literary work of art."—The Boston Globe

"Everett’s most thrilling novel, but also his most soulful."—The New York Times