The Known WorldThe Known World
Score Modern
What it's about
In Virginia in the 1850s, Henry Townsend, a Black man who was born enslaved, has become the owner of a plantation and of enslaved people himself, taught by his own former master. When Henry dies young, the order he built begins to come apart. Edward P. Jones tells the story of the whole county, Black and white, free and enslaved, moving back and forth through time.
Why it's worth reading
It won the Pulitzer Prize and the National Book Critics Circle Award. It's a profound, unsettling novel about a little-known part of slavery's history.
You'll love it if you liked
Beloved
The Underground Railroad
Twelve Years a SlaveGood to know
It jumps forward and back across decades, revealing characters' futures in passing. There's brutal violence.
By the numbers
- Readers15 out of 100 · counts 42%
- Critics96 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
- Bestseller16 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
- #160 of the 309 literary novels we rank
- #724 of the 1,573 modern books we rank
- #1361 of the 2,816 books we rank
Why it made the list
Reads as
Moving, Thought-provoking
If you like this, read next
Americanah
The Help
Pachinko
Shuggie Bain
Half of a Yellow Sun
Infinite JestExplore the best-of lists
All 36 best-of lists →
Quick answers
Is The Known World worth reading?
Yes. It won the Pulitzer Prize and the National Book Critics Circle Award. It ranks #1,361 of the 2,816 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 69.5 (the best book we found scores 99).
What is The Known World about?
In Virginia in the 1850s, Henry Townsend, a Black man who was born enslaved, has become the owner of a plantation and of enslaved people himself, taught by his own former master. When Henry dies young, the order he built begins to come apart. Edward P. Jones tells the story of the whole county, Black and white, free and enslaved, moving back and forth through time.
How long does it take to read The Known World?
About 10 hours (388 pages), or about 3 weeks at 30 minutes a day.
What awards has The Known World won?
Pulitzer Prize for Fiction winner (2004); NBCC Award (Fiction) winner (2003).
What should I read after The Known World?
If you liked it, try Beloved by Toni Morrison, The Underground Railroad by Colson Whitehead or Twelve Years a Slave by Solomon Northup.