The Underground RailroadThe Underground Railroad
Score Modern
What it's about
Cora is an enslaved young woman on a cotton plantation in Georgia, an outcast even among the other enslaved people. When Caesar, a newcomer from Virginia, tells her about the Underground Railroad, they flee together. In this novel, the railroad is real: a network of tracks and tunnels beneath the ground. Each state Cora reaches is a different version of America and a different kind of danger, and a relentless slave catcher named Ridgeway is always behind her.
Why it's worth reading
It won both the Pulitzer Prize and the National Book Award, was longlisted for the Booker, and is on the New York Times list of the century's best books. It's a thriller and a moral history at once.
You'll love it if you liked
The Nickel Boys
Beloved
The Love Songs of W.E.B. Du BoisGood to know
The violence of slavery is depicted unflinchingly. The fantastical element is small, and the rest is grimly realistic.
By the numbers
- Readers55 out of 100 · counts 42%
- Critics98 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
- Bestseller68 out of 100 · counts 14%
- Buzz5 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
- #19 of the 116 historical novels we rank
- #20 of the 309 literary novels we rank
- #85 of the 1,573 modern books we rank
- #157 of the 2,816 books we rank
Why it made the list
Reads as
Moving
More by Colson Whitehead
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Quick answers
Is The Underground Railroad worth reading?
Yes. It won both the Pulitzer Prize and the National Book Award, was longlisted for the Booker, and is on the New York Times list of the century's best books. It ranks #157 of the 2,816 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 84.6 (the best book we found scores 99).
What is The Underground Railroad about?
Cora is an enslaved young woman on a cotton plantation in Georgia, an outcast even among the other enslaved people. When Caesar, a newcomer from Virginia, tells her about the Underground Railroad, they flee together. In this novel, the railroad is real: a network of tracks and tunnels beneath the ground. Each state Cora reaches is a different version of America and a different kind of danger, and a relentless slave catcher named Ridgeway is always behind her.
How long does it take to read The Underground Railroad?
About 8 hours (306 pages), or about 2 weeks at 30 minutes a day.
What awards has The Underground Railroad won?
Pulitzer Prize for Fiction winner (2017); National Book Award (Fiction) winner (2016).
What should I read after The Underground Railroad?
If you liked it, try The Nickel Boys by Colson Whitehead, Beloved by Toni Morrison or The Love Songs of W.E.B. Du Bois by Honorée Fanonne Jeffers.