The SelloutThe Sellout
Score Modern
What it's about
The narrator, a Black farmer and pot grower in a Los Angeles neighborhood so neglected it's been removed from the map, sets out to put it back. His methods are outrageous: he reinstates segregation at the local school and ends up with a slave, an elderly former child actor who insists on it. His case ends up before the Supreme Court.
Why it's worth reading
It won the Booker Prize, the first American book to do so, and the National Book Critics Circle Award. It's one of the funniest and most savage satires about race in America.
You'll love it if you liked
Erasure
James
A Confederacy of DuncesGood to know
It's deliberately offensive, full of racial slurs and taboo jokes. The plot is loose; the jokes come fast.
By the numbers
- Readers4 out of 100 · counts 42%
- Critics94 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
- Bestseller50 out of 100 · counts 14%
- Buzz4 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
- #18 of the 35 humor books we rank
- #162 of the 309 literary novels we rank
- #726 of the 1,573 modern books we rank
- #1364 of the 2,816 books we rank
Why it made the list
Reads as
Funny, Thought-provoking, Moving
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Quick answers
Is The Sellout worth reading?
Yes. It won the Booker Prize, the first American book to do so, and the National Book Critics Circle Award. It ranks #1,364 of the 2,816 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 69.4 (the best book we found scores 99).
What is The Sellout about?
The narrator, a Black farmer and pot grower in a Los Angeles neighborhood so neglected it's been removed from the map, sets out to put it back. His methods are outrageous: he reinstates segregation at the local school and ends up with a slave, an elderly former child actor who insists on it. His case ends up before the Supreme Court.
How long does it take to read The Sellout?
About 7 hours (289 pages), or about 2 weeks at 30 minutes a day.
What awards has The Sellout won?
Booker Prize winner (2016); NBCC Award (Fiction) winner (2015).
What should I read after The Sellout?
If you liked it, try Erasure by Percival Everett, James by Percival Everett or A Confederacy of Dunces by John Kennedy Toole.