Everett, the celebrated author of more than 20 novels, several short story collections, a half dozen poetry collections and even a children’s book, reached his largest readership yet with “James,” a retelling of “Adventures of Huckleberry Finn” from the perspective of the enslaved Jim. Charles wrote in his review: “Everett isn’t exactly hitching a ride on Twain’s raft, but he’s moving down the same river, docking at some of the same points while letting others pass by.” Everett was previously shortlisted for the Booker Prize in 2022, for “The Trees,” a dark satire about racial violence.
