The Green MileThe Green Mile
Score Modern
What it's about
In 1932, Paul Edgecombe is the head guard on death row at Cold Mountain Penitentiary in Louisiana, where the walk to the electric chair is a stretch of faded green linoleum. One day a new prisoner arrives: John Coffey, a huge, gentle Black man convicted of murdering two little girls. Coffey is afraid of the dark and cries constantly, and Paul begins to see that he's capable of things no one could explain.
Why it's worth reading
It was a pick on the BBC's Big Read and became an Oscar-nominated film with Tom Hanks. It's one of King's most moving books.
You'll love it if you liked
Good to know
It was first published in six short parts, and is now a single book. It includes executions and the murder of children.
By the numbers
- Readers99 out of 100 · counts 42%
- Critics0 out of 100 · counts 14%
- Bestseller48 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
- 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
- #8 of the 86 horror books we rank
- #51 of the 459 fantasy books we rank
- #214 of the 1,573 modern books we rank
- #417 of the 2,816 books we rank
Why it made the list
Reads as
Gripping, Dark
More by Stephen King
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The Stand
11/22/63
ItIf you like this, read next
House of Leaves
The Shadow of the Wind
Ninth House
Storm Front
The Library at Mount Char
A Discovery of WitchesExplore the best-of lists
All 36 best-of lists →
Quick answers
Is The Green Mile worth reading?
Yes. It was a pick on the BBC's Big Read and became an Oscar-nominated film with Tom Hanks. It ranks #417 of the 2,816 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 79.5 (the best book we found scores 99).
What is The Green Mile about?
In 1932, Paul Edgecombe is the head guard on death row at Cold Mountain Penitentiary in Louisiana, where the walk to the electric chair is a stretch of faded green linoleum. One day a new prisoner arrives: John Coffey, a huge, gentle Black man convicted of murdering two little girls. Coffey is afraid of the dark and cries constantly, and Paul begins to see that he's capable of things no one could explain.
How long does it take to read The Green Mile?
About 13 hours (512 pages), or about 4 weeks at 30 minutes a day.
What should I read after The Green Mile?
If you liked it, try Different Seasons by Stephen King, 11/22/63 by Stephen King or It by Stephen King.