BOOK CLUB | SEPTEMBER
September 9, 2025: James by Percival Everett. Janet Robinson will lead the discussion for the September meeting.
James is a novel that reimagines the “Adventures of Huckleberry Finn” by Mark Twain. It is a story told from the perspective of Jim, an enslaved man who prefers to be called James . Although the many plot points from Twain's novel are present, the story in James is now seen through the eyes of James, and reveals his intelligence, literacy, and the personal struggles which are either overlooked or not accurately represented in Huckleberry Finn . Some examples include the concept that in the story James , the enslaved characters skillfully navigate the racist society by “code-switching,” that is, using different language registers depending on whether they are with white people or among themselves. This highlights some of the issues of the language expectations at that time. This also reflects how one's survival in that society depended on how one communicates. Additionally, the author highlights a key theme of the story, which is that James's escape isn’t just about his physical freedom, but also about his ability to own hisidentity and to be able to tell his own story. Throughout the novel, events highlight the “ambiguity of freedom” in a society still deeply affected by slavery. The novel reflects a rewriting of a classic American literature, offering a more nuanced portrayal of the experiences of enslaved people and poses a challenge to the interpretation of the original novel. Although the story is rooted in the narrative of Huckleberry Finn , "James" introduces new characters, twists, and revelations, creating a compelling and original work that stands on its own. The novel explores the emotional and psychological toll of slavery, offering a powerful and often heartbreaking look at the characters' inner lives. Everett depicts “James” as shrewd, skeptical, and highly literate – differing highly from Twain’s version in Huckleberry Finn, where “Jim” is naïve, subservient, and illiterate. Although Huck and Jim’s story are intertwined, James is the key focus of this novel. Percival Leonard Everett II (born December 22, 1956) is an American Pulitzer Prize- winning writer and Distinguished Professor of English at the University of Southern California. He has explored numerous genres such as western fiction, mysteries, thrillers, satire and philosophical fiction, and race and identity issues in the U.S. Everett is best known for his novels Erasure, I Am Not Sidney Poitier, and The Trees . Erasure was adapted as the film American Fiction. His novel James , also a finalist for the Booker Prize, won the Kirkus Prize, the National Book Award for Fiction, and the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction.
SEPTEMBER 9, 2025
OCTOBER 7, 2025 Shoe Dog by Phil Knight. Nike creator and his long journey to success. Phyllis Aerenson will lead the discussion for the October meeting.
James by Percival Everett. The adventures of Huck Finn, reimagined – but told through the voice of “Jim”. Janet Robinson will lead the discussion for the September meeting.
Please join us on September 9, 2025 , at 4:00 pm in the Women’s Lounge.
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