Escape from slavery online activity presents an accurate and personal view of the brutal practice of slavery, a concept that may be difficult for young students. Whitehead ismorethis is a work of fiction, not historical fiction. Why do you think cora changed her mind and decided to leave with caesar right after that. This book helped me better understand the use of fact and fiction in the underground railroad by colson whitehead. The questions, discussion topics, and suggestions for further reading that follow are designed to enhance your groups discussion of the underground railroad, a triumph of a novel by colson whitehead. Colson whiteheads the underground railroad has been a runaway success. Why do you think the author chose to portray a literal railroad. Why colson whitehead made the underground railroad. Life is hell for all the slaves, but especially bad for cora. New novel takes the underground railroad beyond the metaphor nprs scott simon speaks with colson whitehead about his new book, the underground railroad, in which slaves ride a.
The washington post selects underground railroad for its book. Congratulations, oprah says, because this book took my breath away. William still october 7, 1821july 14, 1902 was a prominent abolitionist who coined the term underground railroad and, as one of the chief conductors in. Please put your comments for the underground railroad book club discussion questions in the comment area below discussion questions. Join the discussion of the underground railroad by colson whitehead. Does the underground railroad change the way you look at the history of america, especially in the time of slavery and abolitionism. What did you think about the use of a real underground railroad. Looking for the underground railroad book club questions and a reading guide for your next meeting. North and south carolina didnt have the political structure described in the book. The underground railroad pulitzer prize winner by colson. Do you feel that you now have a better understanding of what slavery was like. How did this aspect of magical realism impact your concept of how the real underground railroad worked. Colson whitehead knopf doubledayerin patrice obrien why colson whitehead made the underground railroad real. Discuss the underground railroad by colson whitehead.
Book clubs grand forks public library, nd official website. Coras grandmother, ajarry, is stolen from africa and passes on her desire to survive to coras mother, mabel. Anthony i found the focus not so much on the grave robbers themselves, but on how the medical profession was in dire straights to continue their study of themore i found the focus not so much on the grave robbers themselves, but on how the medical profession was in dire straights to continue their study of the human body after death for future remedies in the name of science, and due to. In colson whiteheads latest, the underground railroad is. Watch the clip above to see colson whitehead, author of oprahs book club selection the underground railroad explain where the novels premise came from, and how the story evolved over the last 16 years. On the one hand, his depictions of slave life are thoroughly grounded in heartbreaking and hardtotake reality.
The underground railroad was a critical and commercial success, hitting the best seller lists and winning several notable prizes. The central conceit of the novel is as simple as it is bold. We see that freedom is a perspective that changes with the person and the time. Before we get to the book club questions, lets talk about some prominent themes in the underground railroad. Cara this is a work of fiction, not historical fiction. Colson whiteheads the underground railroad in his ambitious new novel, now an oprah book club pick, the author takes on the topic of slaveryand its tangled legacy. In a surprise announcement tuesday morning, winfrey chose the underground railroad as the next title for oprahs book club. The author talks about racism, writing and barry jenkins directing the television series based on his novel. Or, answer a question, and get a shoutout on on the next episode. Underground railroad the new oprahs book club book. The underground railroad by colson whitehead about this guide the questions, discussion topics, and suggestions for further reading that follow are designed to enhance your. Download an excerpt of the book, and print a copy of oprahs the underground railroad reading guide and book club questions.
Colson whitehead on the underground railroad, the book. I think he could have made an excellent book without changing the underground railroad to be a real tangible railroad, and also without creating. I had two older sisters, and every book brought into the house i. The perilous lure of the underground railroad the new yorker. The underground railroad, by contrast, was personal. In whiteheads ingenious conception, the underground railroad is no mere metaphor engineers and conductors operate a secret network of tracks and tunnels beneath the southern soil. About this guide the questions, discussion topics, and suggestions for further reading that follow are designed to enhance your groups discussion of the underground railroad, a triumph of a novel by colson whitehead. It is an excellent book though once you get passed the fictionalized ways whitehead changes history. One of the most obvious themes is that of survival. My current book club group is much more casual, but perhaps too much so. Oprah selects underground railroad for her book club.
My latest book, the underground railroad, is an oprahs book club pick. Grand forks public offers a variety of book clubs, something for everyone who loves great book discussions. I ordered this book in hope i would learn about it as part of the story. The book emphasizes how slaves were treated as property and reduced to objects. If youre ready to start a book club, heres 40 of the best book club questions, for fiction and nonfiction alike. Colson whitehead on slavery, success and writing the novel. The underground railroad teaching guide scholastic. However, the author has chosen to make the railroad a kind of allegory and it is mistakenly.
My sister, the serial killer by oyinkan braithwaite december 2 gap creek by robert morgan discussions are held the last wednesday of the month at 5. Underground railroad the new oprahs book club book is an important american novel. Students will travel back to the year 1860 and follow a young. A thrilling debut novel about how far well go to protect. Colson whiteheads riveting runaway slave story is an eyeopening, brutal, and remarkable study of tensions that pull in opposite directions. Does his relationship with the boy homer change your view of him. About this author colson whitehead is the new york times bestselling author of the noble hustle, zone one, sag harbor, the intuitionist, john henry days, apex hides the hurt, and one collection of essays, the colossus of new york. Colson whitehead on slavery, success and writing the. I had been looking for a book on the underground railroad, but i could find no such history. Youll also find printable book club questions at the end of this post to bring to. Colson whiteheads the underground railroad is the newest oprahs book club selection. It would be a great book club read to pair with nonfiction titles about the.
The author of the underground railroad on slavery, privilege and why he. Our book club page for the underground railroad by colson whitehead includes book club discussion questions, author website, book. Dive into the latest pick for oprahs book club with these questions about colson whiteheads breathtaking novel. Clarke award and the 2017 andrew carnegie medal for excellence. Most all of our book club books are available through library2go through overdrivelibby at no cost. The underground railroad pulitzer prize winner national. Oprah winfrey chose the underground railroad for her book group in september 2016. Cora and caesars first stop is south carolina, in a city that initially seems like a haven. Some book guides disappoint, but this one was better than i expected. It delves into literary aspects and is well written. In one of my past book clubs, we literally only read books that included discussion questions at the end of the book because we wanted to be certain wed have a meaningful discussion. It goes beyond a mere summary in 65 pages i found what i wanted and more. Today is the day for our second book club discussion. Looking for our book club books in audiobook or ebook format.
It won the 2017 pulitzer prize for fiction, the 2016 national book award for fiction, the arthur c. When the underground railroad was published in the united states in august 2016, it was selected for oprahs book club. Whiteheads sixth novel, the story of a teenage slaves bid. The underground railroad book chicago public library.
The undergroud railroad discussion guide libguides ramapo. We see that freedom is a perspective that changes with the person and. I think theres no better book for a time such as this, oprah said on cbs this morning the novels of. The underground railroad pulitzer prize winner national book award winner oprahs book club by colson whitehead. The underground railroad is not, in whiteheads novel, the secret network of passageways and safe houses used by runaway slaves to. What role do you think stories play for cora and other travelers using the underground railroad.
The book picked for this month was the underground railroad by colson whitehead. How does the depiction of slavery in the underground railroad compare to other depictions in literature and film. Ive found that the best book club discussion questions are ones that are openended and that get people to share their personal opinions. New novel takes the underground railroad beyond the. The underground railroad by colson whitehead book club. About this guide the questions, discussion topics, and suggestions for further reading that follow are designed to enhance your groups. Oprahs book club has tapped colson whiteheads the underground railroad as its newest selection. This teaching guide supports the underground railroad. The underground railroad book club discussion gbcn. The underground railroad book club discussion questions.