Discover books similar to "A Lesson Before Dying"

Zora Neale Hurston

Their Eyes Were Watching God

Follow the life of Janie Crawford, an African American woman in the early 20th century South, as she seeks her own identity and independence. Like 'A Lesson Before Dying', this novel explores themes of race, identity, and the struggle for dignity in a society that dehumanizes minorities.

Harper Lee

To Kill a Mockingbird

Set in the racially charged atmosphere of the American South during the Great Depression, this classic novel follows the story of Scout Finch, her brother Jem, and their father Atticus, a lawyer who defends a black man unjustly accused of rape. The novel, like 'A Lesson Before Dying', delves into themes of racial injustice, morality, and the loss of innocence.

James Baldwin

Go Tell It on the Mountain

This semi-autobiographical novel by James Baldwin follows the story of John Grimes, an adolescent boy growing up in Harlem in the 1930s. Like 'A Lesson Before Dying', the novel explores themes of race, religion, and the struggle for identity in a society that seeks to limit the potential of African Americans.

Ralph Ellison

Invisible Man

This novel tells the story of an unnamed African American narrator who struggles to find his identity and place in a society that renders him invisible. Like 'A Lesson Before Dying', the novel explores themes of racial injustice, identity, and the struggle for dignity in a society that dehumanizes minorities.

Alice Walker

The Color Purple

Set in the early 20th century American South, this novel tells the story of Celie, a young African American woman who faces unimaginable hardships, including poverty, racism, and sexual abuse. Like 'A Lesson Before Dying', the novel explores themes of racial injustice, gender inequality, and the struggle for dignity and self-actualization.

Toni Morrison

Beloved

This novel tells the story of Sethe, a former slave who is haunted by the ghost of her daughter whom she killed to save from a life of slavery. Like 'A Lesson Before Dying', the novel explores themes of racial injustice, the legacy of slavery, and the struggle for identity and dignity in a society that dehumanizes African Americans.

Richard Wright

Native Son

This novel tells the story of Bigger Thomas, a young African American man who lives in poverty in the South Side of Chicago. Like 'A Lesson Before Dying', the novel explores themes of racial injustice, identity, and the struggle for dignity in a society that dehumanizes minorities.

Toni Morrison

Song of Solomon

This novel tells the story of Milkman Dead, a young African American man who embarks on a journey to discover his family's history and his own identity. Like 'A Lesson Before Dying', the novel explores themes of race, identity, and the struggle for self-actualization in a society that limits the potential of African Americans.

Toni Morrison

Jazz

Set in Harlem during the 1920s, this novel tells the story of a love triangle that ends in tragedy. Like 'A Lesson Before Dying', the novel explores themes of race, identity, and the struggle for dignity in a society that dehumanizes African Americans.

Edward P. Jones

The Known World

This novel tells the story of Henry Townsend, a freed slave who becomes a slave owner himself in antebellum Virginia. Like 'A Lesson Before Dying', the novel explores themes of race, identity, and the legacy of slavery in America.

Colson Whitehead

The Underground Railroad

This novel tells the story of Cora, a young slave who escapes from a Georgia plantation and embarks on a dangerous journey to freedom in the North. Like 'A Lesson Before Dying', the novel explores themes of race, identity, and the struggle for dignity in a society that dehumanizes African Americans.