Wilmington's LieWilmington's Lie
Score Modern
What it's about
In 1898, Wilmington was North Carolina's largest city, with a thriving Black middle class and an elected government that included Black officials. White supremacists, after a campaign of propaganda, staged an armed coup, killed dozens of Black residents, drove others from the city and overthrew the government. David Zucchino tells the story of the only successful coup on American soil.
Why it's worth reading
It won the Pulitzer Prize for general nonfiction. It brings a buried chapter of history to light.
You'll love it if you liked
Slavery by Another Name
The Warmth of Other Suns: The Epic Story of America's Great Migration
Killers of the Flower Moon: The Osage Murders and the Birth of the FBIGood to know
It quotes racist speeches and describes massacres.
By the numbers
- Readers97 out of 100 · counts 42%
- Critics67 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
- Bestseller0 out of 100 · counts 14%
- Buzz19 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.
On our reserve shelf: it doesn't have enough readers yet for us to rank it alongside the Must-Read 50 pool. We check again every month, and it can still turn up in your 50 once you've read most of our ranked books.
Why it made the list
Reads as
True story
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Quick answers
Is Wilmington's Lie worth reading?
It won the Pulitzer Prize for general nonfiction. Its Must-Read Score is 84.0 (the best book we found scores 99).
What is Wilmington's Lie about?
In 1898, Wilmington was North Carolina's largest city, with a thriving Black middle class and an elected government that included Black officials. White supremacists, after a campaign of propaganda, staged an armed coup, killed dozens of Black residents, drove others from the city and overthrew the government. David Zucchino tells the story of the only successful coup on American soil.
How long does it take to read Wilmington's Lie?
About 11 hours (426 pages), or about 3 weeks at 30 minutes a day.
What awards has Wilmington's Lie won?
Pulitzer Prize (General Nonfiction) winner (2021).
What should I read after Wilmington's Lie?
If you liked it, try Slavery by Another Name by Douglas A. Blackmon, The Warmth of Other Suns: The Epic Story of America's Great Migration by Isabel Wilkerson or Killers of the Flower Moon: The Osage Murders and the Birth of the FBI by David Grann.