榮獲2024美國國家書卷獎
即將由史蒂芬・史匹柏翻拍至大螢幕
由各大媒體評選為2024最佳書籍
以黑奴視角,重新詮釋馬克吐溫的《頑童流浪記》
奴隸吉姆聽到自己即將被迫與妻女分離,被賣到新紐奧良的一個男人手下,他決定躲到附近的傑克遜島來擬定計畫。而另一邊,哈克為了逃避父親的暴力而演了一齣假死戲碼,最近剛回到鎮上。故事的起頭,都跟大家熟知的經典名作一樣,一艘乘著密西西比河而下的木筏,展開了兩人危險又刺激的旅程。《頑童流浪記》中的大場面依然存在,例如洪水、風暴、靠岸後的意外寶藏、冒充尊貴身份的片子等等,然而不同於原著男孩純真的視角,作者以吉姆的角度切入,看這位充滿智慧、又機靈的英雄,如何出面化解一次次危機。結局更帶來了令原著讀者震驚的啟示。
全書充斥著犀利的幽默,和尖銳的觀察,《歐普拉日報》更譽作者為文學界之星。相信本書會帶給當代美國文學界,一股不可小覷的風波,並進一步立足為美國二十一世紀文學的新基石。(文/博客來外文館)
AN INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • LONGLISTED FOR THE BOOKER PRIZE • 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
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.