The Nickel Boys (Winner 2020 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction)

A Novel

By: Colson Whitehead

Narrated by: JD Jackson, Colson Whitehead

Length: 6 hrs and 46 mins

Publisher's summary

PULITZER PRIZE WINNER • NATIONAL BESTSELLER • This follow-up to The Underground Railroad brilliantly dramatizes another strand of American history through the story of two boys unjustly sentenced to a hellish reform school in Jim Crow-era Florida. • "One of the most gifted novelists in America today." —NPR

When Elwood Curtis, a black boy growing up in 1960s Tallahassee, is unfairly sentenced to a juvenile reformatory called the Nickel Academy, he finds himself trapped in a grotesque chamber of horrors. Elwood’s only salvation is his friendship with fellow “delinquent” Turner, which deepens despite Turner’s conviction that Elwood is hopelessly naive, that the world is crooked, and that the only way to survive is to scheme and avoid trouble. As life at the Academy becomes ever more perilous, the tension between Elwood’s ideals and Turner’s skepticism leads to a decision whose repercussions will echo down the decades.

Based on the real story of a reform school that operated for 111 years and warped the lives of thousands of children, The Nickel Boys is a devastating, driven narrative that showcases a great American novelist writing at the height of his powers and “should further cement Whitehead as one of his generation's best" (Entertainment Weekly).

Look for Colson Whitehead’s new novel, Crook Manifesto, coming soon!

©2019 Colson Whitehead (P)2019 Random House Audio

Critic reviews

WINNER OF THE PULITZER PRIZE FOR FICTION • New York Times Bestseller • Longlisted for The National Book Award • Winner of The Kirkus Prize • Winner of the Orwell Prize for Political Fiction • One of Publishers Weekly's 10 Best Books of the Year

"A necessary read." —President Barack Obama

"This is a powerful book by one of America's great writers. . . . Without sentimentality, in as intense and finely crafted a book as you'll ever read, Whitehead tells a story of American history that won’t allow you to see the country in the same way again." —Toronto Star

"Colson Whitehead continues to make a classic American genre his own. . . . The narration is disciplined and the sentences plain and sturdy, oars cutting into water. Every chapter hits its marks. . . . Whitehead comports himself with gravity and care, the steward of painful, suppressed histories; his choices on the page can feel as much ethical as aesthetic. The ordinary language, the clear pane of his prose, lets the stories speak for themselves. . . . Whitehead has written novels of horror and apocalypse; nothing touches the grimness of the real stories he conveys here" —The New York Times

A life of pain in a time of change

The narrative of this novel was excellent. It was quite educational to tell a story based on a factual and interesting time. The struggle of people during this period of time is highlighted by the excellent development of the characters. Will I listen to it again? Yes! I really enjoyed this novel.

Compelling Heartbreak

While I didn't like the narrators voice the story is heartbreaking and very important in history of the cruelty of systemic racism in the unjust justice system. I did like the jumps from the future and the past and wish the story had better detailed descriptions of the brutality suffered by the boys but perhaps there aren't many left to tell of it or it is too traumatic to share. Nothing stays hidden forever no matter how hard some will try to hide the truth it has a way of revealing itself even after so many years have passed.

Incredible

Starts off slow. I’ll admit, I almost quit. I’m glad I didn’t. Such an incredible and necessary story.

Nickel Boys is Eye Opener

The horrific treatment of black boys is shared in cringing details that exemplify the attempt by white men to extinguish the light from the eyes of these precious children. Colson Whitehead's account of the thoughtless cruelties inflicted on innocents took a bite out of my soul that as a generational bystander, I deserved. Hauntingly familiar and timely in the age of BLM.

Whitehead does it again!

This is the 3rd novel I have read by this author. It's brilliant and moving

A story about a story, about truth ...

A brilliant story the folds in truth with fiction. Mr. Whitehead peeks under the fabric of the social racial disparities of society, while telling of an deeper tragedy...

Tremendous book

Colson Whitehead is a master storyteller, and JD Jackson brings his words to life. Well done to both. The Nickel Boys is well deserving of its Pulitzer Prize. Can’t wait for Mr. Whitehead’s next book, and I hope Mr. Jackson is the narrator.

Ending bigotry

Great story about the prejudice and bigotry that was prevalent in the South states and still exists to a lesser degree

Exquisite Writing

Once again Colson Whitehead’s style and story writing is captivating. Highly recommend this book to anyone.

Great book

After hearing about this story on the news I really wanted to listen to this book. It was so good. An unexpected ending which I always love. So sad what happen to these young boys.