Percival Everett, Author of ‘James,’ Talks Groundbreaking Novel

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0 April 23, 2026 11:22

Critically acclaimed author Percival Everett shares the inspiration behind his most recent Pulitzer Prize-winning book, “James,” which is a retelling of Mark Twain’s “Adventures of Huckleberry Finn” through the eyes of Huck’s enslaved companion, Jim. Everett opens up to TODAY’s Craig Melvin about the important themes addressed in the retelling like code switching and tells Craig that the idea was born out of a bad backhand he hit while playing tennis. He also reveals that “James” is set to be made into a movie produced by Steven Spielberg and comments on the importance of art in today’s society.

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