If you loved
Books like James
A razor-sharp, darkly funny, and deeply moving reclamation of an American classic that gives fierce intellect to a character long denied it. These 12 books are the closest matches in mood, pace and themes, with what each one shares with James.
- tense
- darkly comedic
- harrowing
- transcendent
- 01
All Fours
Miranda July
A wildly original, fiercely funny fever dream about blowing up your domestic life just to see what the pieces look like.
- 02
Novels (Adventures of Huckleberry Finn / Adventures of Tom Sawyer)
Mark Twain
A sun-drenched, satirical journey down the Mississippi that captures both the golden haze of boyhood and the dark underbelly of American society.
- 03
The Heaven & Earth Grocery Store
James McBride
A big-hearted, polyphonic tapestry of marginalized lives intertwining to protect their own against the crushing weight of prejudice.
- 04
Just for the Summer
Abby Jimenez
A witty, sun-soaked summer romance that sneaks up on you with profound emotional depth and the healing power of found family.
- 05
Washington Black
Esi Edugyan
A sweeping, globe-trotting odyssey that balances the brutal realities of history with soaring moments of scientific wonder and the painful pursuit of true freedom.
- 06
Funny Story
Emily Henry
A sparkling, sun-soaked exploration of what happens when the worst day of your life accidentally becomes the beginning of your best chapter.
- 07
The Lincoln Highway
Amor Towles
A sprawling, sun-drenched American road trip that balances youthful optimism with the sobering realities of fate and consequence.
- 08
The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek
Kim Michele Richardson
A resilient journey through rugged Appalachian hollers, celebrating the quiet defiance of a marginalized woman armed with the power of books.
- 09
Martyr!
Kaveh Akbar
A darkly funny, fiercely poetic exploration of grief, addiction, and the desperate search for a life worth living.
- 10
Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow
Gabrielle Zevin
A sweeping, bittersweet love letter to the messy, beautiful sanctuary of creative partnership and lifelong friendship.
- 11
The Good Lord Bird
James McBride
A raucous, tragicomic romp through the blood-soaked absurdity of antebellum America, anchored by an unforgettable, fast-talking survivor.
- 12
The Vanishing Half
Brit Bennett
A sweeping, deeply empathetic family saga about the heavy, echoing cost of the secrets we choose to live inside.
