A Lesson Before DyingA Lesson Before Dying
Score Modern
What it's about
In a small Louisiana town in the late 1940s, Jefferson, a young Black man, is caught at a store robbery where three men were killed. Though he did nothing, he is sentenced to death, and his own lawyer told the jury he was no more than a hog. His godmother asks Grant Wiggins, the town's reluctant schoolteacher, to visit him in jail and help him die a man.
Why it's worth reading
It won the National Book Critics Circle Award. It's a quiet, powerful novel about dignity, injustice and what we owe each other.
You'll love it if you liked
To Kill a Mockingbird
The Green Mile
The Known WorldGood to know
Grant narrates and is often bitter. Jefferson's own diary chapter is unforgettable.
By the numbers
- Readers41 out of 100 · counts 42%
- Critics56 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
- Bestseller20 out of 100 · counts 14%
- Buzz0 out of 100 · counts 10%
Critics and Bestseller are two ways to earn a place: a book's stronger one counts more. Buzz rewards recent bestseller weeks and prizes, so older books start at zero. The parts combine into the Must-Read Score, shown on a scale where the best book we found scores 99 and the last book to make the ranking scores 50.
Where it ranks
- #178 of the 309 literary novels we rank
- #783 of the 1,573 modern books we rank
- #1469 of the 2,816 books we rank
Why it made the list
Reads as
Moving, Thought-provoking
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Quick answers
Is A Lesson Before Dying worth reading?
Yes. It won the National Book Critics Circle Award. It ranks #1,469 of the 2,816 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 68.5 (the best book we found scores 99).
What is A Lesson Before Dying about?
In a small Louisiana town in the late 1940s, Jefferson, a young Black man, is caught at a store robbery where three men were killed. Though he did nothing, he is sentenced to death, and his own lawyer told the jury he was no more than a hog. His godmother asks Grant Wiggins, the town's reluctant schoolteacher, to visit him in jail and help him die a man.
How long does it take to read A Lesson Before Dying?
About 7 hours (272 pages), or about 2 weeks at 30 minutes a day.
What awards has A Lesson Before Dying won?
NBCC Award (Fiction) winner (1993).
What should I read after A Lesson Before Dying?
If you liked it, try To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee, The Green Mile by Stephen King or The Known World by Edward P. Jones.