DeliveranceDeliverance
Score Classic
What it's about
Four men from suburban Atlanta set out on a weekend canoe trip down a wild river in north Georgia, before a new dam floods its valley forever. Lewis, a fitness-obsessed outdoorsman, wants to prove something; the narrator, Ed, an advertising man, goes along. On the second day, they run into two armed mountain men, and the trip becomes a fight to survive.
Why it's worth reading
It's on both the TIME and Modern Library lists of the best novels. Dickey was a poet, and his descriptions of the river are beautiful; the story is terrifying.
You'll love it if you liked
Blood Meridian
The Road
Into Thin Air: A Personal Account of the Mount Everest DisasterGood to know
It includes a brutal male rape and killings. The 1972 film is famous, but the book goes deeper into Ed's mind.
By the numbers
- Readers25 out of 100 · counts 42%
- Critics83 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
- Bestseller14 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
Why it made the list
Reads as
Adventurous, Gripping, Moving
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Quick answers
Is Deliverance worth reading?
Yes. It's on both the TIME and Modern Library lists of the best novels. It ranks #1,409 of the 2,816 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 69.1 (the best book we found scores 99).
What is Deliverance about?
Four men from suburban Atlanta set out on a weekend canoe trip down a wild river in north Georgia, before a new dam floods its valley forever. Lewis, a fitness-obsessed outdoorsman, wants to prove something; the narrator, Ed, an advertising man, goes along. On the second day, they run into two armed mountain men, and the trip becomes a fight to survive.
How long does it take to read Deliverance?
About 7 hours (288 pages), or about 2 weeks at 30 minutes a day.
What should I read after Deliverance?
If you liked it, try Blood Meridian by Cormac McCarthy, The Road by Cormac McCarthy or Into Thin Air: A Personal Account of the Mount Everest Disaster by Jon Krakauer.