Song of SolomonSong of Solomon
Score Classic
What it's about
Milkman Dead is born the day after a neighborhood eccentric leaps from a rooftop trying to fly, and for the rest of his life he, too, will be trying to fly. Morrison follows him from his rust-belt Michigan city to the South, where his family came from, through a world of strivers and seers, liars and assassins, as he uncovers who his people really were.
Why it's worth reading
It won the National Book Critics Circle Award and is on the Guardian's list of the 100 best novels in English. It's Toni Morrison at her most expansive and accessible, and many readers' favorite of her books.
You'll love it if you liked
Beloved
The Color Purple
Invisible ManGood to know
It takes a few chapters to find its rhythm, and then it becomes a quest story. The ending is famous.
By the numbers
- Readers79 out of 100 · counts 42%
- Critics79 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
- Bestseller35 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
- #26 of the 309 literary novels we rank
- #62 of the 762 classics we rank
- #191 of the 2,816 books we rank
Why it made the list
Reads as
Moving, Thought-provoking
More by Toni Morrison
If you like this, read next
The Caine Mutiny
East of Eden
I, Claudius
A Room of One's Own
Angle of Repose
The Winds of WarExplore the best-of lists
All 36 best-of lists →
Quick answers
Is Song of Solomon worth reading?
Yes. It won the National Book Critics Circle Award and is on the Guardian's list of the 100 best novels in English. It ranks #191 of the 2,816 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 83.7 (the best book we found scores 99).
What is Song of Solomon about?
Milkman Dead is born the day after a neighborhood eccentric leaps from a rooftop trying to fly, and for the rest of his life he, too, will be trying to fly. Morrison follows him from his rust-belt Michigan city to the South, where his family came from, through a world of strivers and seers, liars and assassins, as he uncovers who his people really were.
How long does it take to read Song of Solomon?
About 9 hours (369 pages), or about 3 weeks at 30 minutes a day.
What awards has Song of Solomon won?
NBCC Award (Fiction) winner (1977).
What should I read after Song of Solomon?
If you liked it, try Beloved by Toni Morrison, The Color Purple by Alice Walker or Invisible Man by Ralph Ellison.