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Native Son

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Native Son

By: Richard Wright
Narrated by: Peter Francis James
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About this listen

Brought to you by Penguin.

With a new afterword by Gary Younge.

Reckless, angry and adrift, Bigger Thomas has grown up trapped in a life of poverty in the slums of Chicago. But a job with the affluent Dalton family provides the setting for a catastrophic collision between his world and theirs. Hunted by citizen and police alike, and baited by prejudiced officials, Bigger finds himself the cause célèbre in an ever-narrowing endgame.

First published in 1940, Native Son shocked readers with its candid depiction of violence and confrontation of racial stereotypes. It went on to make Richard Wright the first best-selling Black writer in America.

©1940 Richard Wright (P)1940 Penguin Audio African American Classics Genre Fiction Literary Fiction Fiction

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Critic reviews

"[Native Son] possesses an artistry, penetration of thought, and sheer emotional power that places it into the front rank of American fiction." (Ralph Ellison)

"The most important and celebrated novel of Negro life to have appeared in America." (James Baldwin)
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This is a thought provoking story, and one that highlights the prejudice and racism that exists to this day, in the US, the UK and elsewhere. It was written in 1940 and through its examination of a double killing and the workings of the justice system, the book explores the alienation and disconnection experienced by a young black man, Bigger Thomas. In the early stages of the novel, Bigger is essentially ‘dead’, empty and drifting. He speaks few words and believes in nothing and no one. Killing therefore comes easy to him. The first killing is that of a young white woman, the daughter of Bigger’s rich and benign employer. The second is of a young black woman, Bessie, Bigger’s girlfriend, whom he does not love, because Bigger can love no one, not even himself.

The novel resembles that of Albert Camus’ “The Stranger”, though Camus’ novel was written two years later. Both explore the existential themes of freedom, responsibility and isolation. Through the trial of Bigger Thomas, “Native Son” sets out to demonstrate that, while Bigger may have committed the crimes he is accused of, it is the racist society within which he lives, that created the killer in him; the racist society that found him guilty (of murder and rape) even before he committed the crimes. His only advocates are to be found among members of the local Communist Party - Jan, a man of principle, on whom Bigger initially tries to pin the crime, and Mr. Max, an elderly, white Jewish lawyer. It is the latter who defends Bigger in court and by the end of the novel, Bigger has not only confessed his crimes, but has also come to life, confessing his soul and forming a bond of trust and connection with Mr. Max, giving Bigger the one and only meaningful relationship he has ever had.

Bigotry and Alienation

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Compelling and relateable. An intensely emotional account, written by a great mind of our time.

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I can't say I liked it but is a good book and I can appreciate that. It is an important work of literature and shoukd be read The narration is superb but there are a few places where lines are repeated and they forgot to edit out end if disc notifications

Famous and I understand why

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Amazingly insightful look into the mind of someone who really understands prejudice of all and any sort. Mirrors my own feelings so I guess that's why I really connected with the story.
I would make it compulsory reading at all schools for the next generation or two and hopefully we can wipe out the parental perceptions which are instilled into the minds of their children to perpetuate generations old latent prejudices that I see all around me still today.

One of ths best books I have ever read.

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When I picked up this book it was only because a college teacher had recommended it to us as a class. We were given introductions and endings of various books, and all of us had to guess which book that intro/ending had come from. These had all been favourites of his. Of these books, Native Son was one of them, and I decided to give the book a go to see why he had decided on this one.

As a fan of Shakespeare's tragedies there is something very Shakespearian in how Wright executes this masterpiece. I'm not saying that in a dreary 'great this is two hours long and I don't know what's going on' way, but in a way where you know the author has thought of every plot detail. At the same time, the narrative doesn't try to complicate things, but instead keeps the pace building and draws you in deeper and deeper.

Bigger Thomas is a brilliant character. You want him to do well, but as the plot develops you begin to realise that there really is no hope for him to overcome the racist/communist fearing society he lives in. Even when he is given an opportunity to make something of himself he inevitably has to go on the run, and Wright follows him up until his death which hits us with such a bitter feeling of defeat at the end.

I also loved Peter Francis James' performance for narrating. He does best when he's voicing Bigger, with a masculine tone that suits him. Yet he isn't afraid to put a tone on for other characters, whilst also not becoming too camp it ruins the plot.

I can't recommend this book enough. It's neither intimidating or thoughtless, but rather fierce and beautifully structured. It's not just a book that has lasted these past decades. Actually, I think it's a book that even now will last for a very long time.

A Beautiful Tragedy

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Don’t listen to anything else until you’ve listened to this. Everyone should know this book.

Incredible book brilliantly read

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I enjoyed this novel immensely even though at times it made me sad and angry. Well written with believable characters. Articulates the race problem in a way that relates to the present day.

Brilliant

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Up until recently, and to my shame, I hadn’t read anything by Richard Wright. Wright, in his novel, The Native Son, paints a picture of racial and social divide coupled with a blissful ignorance of the people who simply did not understand Bigger Thomas or his indeed situation, I think here the Daltons and Jan. Bigger lacked a belief in himself or the system in which he lived, I think here of Bigger looking up to the sky and seeing a plane flying high above and saying “this is what I would like to do” but knowing that he had not a chance in hell of accumulating this dream. This is a very powerful novel which I read and listened to. The audible version was first rate.

A thought provoking book!

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