The Painted BirdThe Painted Bird
Score Classic
What it's about
During the Second World War, a six-year-old boy in Eastern Europe is sent by his parents to the countryside for safety. When the woman caring for him dies, he wanders alone from village to village, where superstitious peasants, taking him for a Gypsy or a Jew, abuse him in horrifying ways. He loses his voice, and sees the worst of what people do.
Why it's worth reading
It's on TIME's list of the 100 best novels. It's one of the most disturbing books ever written about war and cruelty.
You'll love it if you liked
The Diary of a Young Girl
Blood Meridian
The Heart Is a Lonely HunterGood to know
It's relentlessly violent, with sexual violence, torture and cruelty to animals. Kosinski's claims that it was autobiographical were later disputed.
By the numbers
- Readers26 out of 100 · counts 42%
- Critics59 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
- Bestseller12 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
- #229 of the 309 literary novels we rank
- #552 of the 762 classics we rank
- #1922 of the 2,816 books we rank
Why it made the list
Reads as
Moving, Thought-provoking
If you like this, read next
Gone with the Wind
East of Eden
Schindler's List
War and Peace
Augustus
BelovedExplore the best-of lists
All 36 best-of lists →
Quick answers
Is The Painted Bird worth reading?
Yes. It's on TIME's list of the 100 best novels. It ranks #1,922 of the 2,816 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 64.6 (the best book we found scores 99).
What is The Painted Bird about?
During the Second World War, a six-year-old boy in Eastern Europe is sent by his parents to the countryside for safety. When the woman caring for him dies, he wanders alone from village to village, where superstitious peasants, taking him for a Gypsy or a Jew, abuse him in horrifying ways. He loses his voice, and sees the worst of what people do.
How long does it take to read The Painted Bird?
About 7 hours (272 pages), or about 2 weeks at 30 minutes a day.
What should I read after The Painted Bird?
If you liked it, try The Diary of a Young Girl by Anne Frank, Blood Meridian by Cormac McCarthy or The Heart Is a Lonely Hunter by Carson McCullers.