"Underground Railroad" First Impressions *No Spoilers*

[Allison, Fairy Mod-mother]

This book has won numerous awards and accolades. From what you can tell of the beginning, do you agree? Please, no plot or character related comments - spoiler thread will be here shortly!

[Udayan]

Just started on the audiobook. So far sounds like exactly what I would expected - gritty, real incidents recounted in an amused tone.

[Chris]

I am roughly 3/4 of the way in. I am glad to have a chance to read this one with a group.

[Oleksandr]

Is it a SSF book? From what I read on its page it is a 'white guilt' book that made the virtual railroad real. It is listed as a historical fiction here on GR. Can anyone without spoilering support or debunk this view?

[Allison, Fairy Mod-mother]

Eesh man. I don't know what you intended, but saying Colson Whitehead, a black author, wrote a "white guilt" book comes across a little demeaning. I imagine he cared very little for making anyone feel guilty.

However, alt history is often lumped under science fiction. It won the Arthur C. Clarke Award, which was sufficient for us to consider it science fiction.

[Oleksandr]

Allison wrote: "Eesh man."

Sorry if I offended anyone, it was not my intent. See, I'm not from the USA, and I may accidentally say something that isn't right (we all do, aren't we?)

[Chris]

I don't think a First Impressions thread is the place to go into details about the genre argument. If you are deciding whether to read the book, I would call it primarily literary fiction. The title refers to a plot device of an actual railroad that moves runaway slaves toward the North. The POV characters give us views of many different kinds of racism in the different places visited.

[Allison, Fairy Mod-mother]

No problem :) I figured you didn't mean to offend. But I hope that got the rest of your question? It seems there's a sort of split in perception, but the popular vote carried it! We do *sometimes* try to act like a democracy here ;-)

[Oleksandr]

Allison wrote: "But I hope that got the rest of your question?"

Yes, answers by you and Chris were the most helpful, thank you!

[Tomislav]

I'm at 75% of the kindle edition, but for purposes of this thread will try to comment only on the sections "Ajarry" and "Georgia". These opening parts of the book, at least, seem like historical fiction, and are not really speculative. For the past year, I've lived in the Sea Islands of South Carolina, having moved here from far away. The setting of "Georgia" is a plantation in the Sea Islands of Georgia - almost indistinguishable historically from here, and some aspects of the Gullah culture are still present today. Everything in these sections before the underground railroad shows up, feels completely authentic. It's probably obvious that the rest of the book does not stay that way, but that's a discussion for the spoilers thread.

[Trike]

I was about to jump into this discussion until I suddenly realized that I hadn’t read this book but rather I read Underground Airlines by Ben Winters, which covers the same topic and was released around the same time.

I wonder what was in the air that led to two different people writing similar Alt-History books at the same time?

[Chris]

Trike wrote: "I wonder what was in the air that led to two different people writing similar Alt-History books at the same time?"

Harriet Tubman will be on the twenty dollar bill, the Legacy Museum just opened in Alabama, crowds are fighting over statues of Confederate generals and Confederate battle flags, and Trump is President. As Faulkner wrote, "The past is never dead. It's not even past."

[Valerie]

I am loving the book so far. By no means an easy read, rather heart breaking from the start.

IMO, definitely not SF or F. Definitely worth the read. I am unsure about the context within this group. I do not participate for alt history. But, I do not regret that I am reading it.

[Trike]

Chris wrote: "Trike wrote: "I wonder what was in the air that led to two different people writing similar Alt-History books at the same time?"

Harriet Tubman will be on the twenty dollar bill, the Legacy Museum just opened in Alabama, crowds are fighting over statues of Confederate generals and Confederate battle flags, and Trump is President. As Faulkner wrote, "The past is never dead. It's not even past."."

Except these books came out mid-2016 before all that. I agree that their release is timely having a dyed-in-the-cotton racist in the White House, but Whitehead and Winters would have written these books around 2014-2015. Maybe the movie 12 Years A Slave winning Oscars in early 2014 was part of it.

[aPriL does feral sometimes]

A great novel, but heartbreaking, too.

[Pinar]

maybe great historical novel, but that much malice, or harsh reality was very heavy for me. fantasy part of the book, I mean usage of underground railroad in the story was very weak.

[Shomeret]

Chris wrote: "I don't think a First Impressions thread is the place to go into details about the genre argument. If you are deciding whether to read the book, I would call it primarily literary fiction. The titl..."

The premise sounds whimsical without adding any insight for me. I started to read it, but I really don't understand why the author made this choice and abandoned it.

[aPriL does feral sometimes]

The railroad and the whistle of railroads has always meant escape to us older folks who were born up to the 1970's. I do not doubt almost every plot element in this book is placed there for a symbolic representation.

[Shomeret]

aPriL does feral sometimes wrote: "The railroad and the whistle of railroads has always meant escape to us older folks who were born up to the 1970's. I do not doubt almost every plot element in this book is placed there for a symbo..."

I was born in the 1950's in NYC. "Escape" from the fast paced urban life was something we did on summer vacations by car. Trains were for work commutes not escape. This is not symbolism that relates to me, I guess. I found it pointless.

[Jen]

aPriL does feral sometimes wrote: "The railroad and the whistle of railroads has always meant escape."

To me, the railroad has always meant freedom. Hop on here and hop off somewhere else, into a whole new life.

[aPriL does feral sometimes]

Yeah, freedom, escape, out of here, away, somewhere else....

*Whoooooooo whoooooooo* (that haunting wail of the steam whistle)

[Janice (JG)]

aPriL does feral sometimes wrote: "Yeah, freedom, escape, out of here, away, somewhere else....

*Whoooooooo whoooooooo* (that haunting wail of the steam whistle)"

What is the point of this story
What information pertains
The thought that life could be better
Is woven indelibly
Into our hearts and our brains

Train in the Distance - Paul Simon
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gCFTH...

[QueenAmidala28]

Hi. I'm just joining this read. I've had it for months as it was given to me by family members, but have yet to read it. I have been reading the previous posts and I was wondering how many from the group are African-Americans? I liked that an International reader asked the "white-guilt" question - he was honest and I do not think he intended to offend. I think groups like this NEED to have people ask questions like this if we are to grow as a people no matter the genre. I say bring on the questions! And yes, I am an African-American female but I don't think that matters. Happy reading!!!!

[Allison, Fairy Mod-mother]

QueenAmidala28 wrote: "Hi. I'm just joining this read. I've had it for months as it was given to me by family members, but have yet to read it. I have been reading the previous posts and I was wondering how many from the..."

Welcome, Queen Amidala! I agree, questions and respectful discussion are critical! I don't have statistics on our members (going by photos, we are mostly populated by dogs, vampires, flowers, and a few vehicles?) but I have always been impressed with the intelligence, insight, and empathy of this group. I hope we see some great discussion about this book!

[aPriL does feral sometimes]

Omg, Allison, I can't stop laughing! I noticed too about the dogs, vampires, flowers, etc. The dogs especially concern, though. Grrrr.

: D

[Allison, Fairy Mod-mother]

aPriL does feral sometimes wrote: "Omg, Allison, I can't stop laughing! I noticed too about the dogs, vampires, flowers, etc. The dogs especially concern, though. Grrrr.

: D"

Haha! More reason not to let the cat out, right? ;-)

[Ninna]

I read this last year and felt it mostly read like literary fiction except for the railroad part towards the end. It was a very difficult and powerful read so I am looking forward to the spoiler thread opening.

[Tomislav]

I thought I would mention that URR is not Colson Whitehead's only book to see genre recognition. His Zone One was also listed for Locus Award in 2012.

After finishing URR, I went to my local library and looked at his other books. Zombies are not my thing, so Zone One went back on the shelf. However, I took home and really enjoyed The Intuitionist. It is literary fiction, not SF. My review is posted.

[Gary]

Finally picked it up and got through about a quarter of the book. The impersonal/detached style of the narration seems to have some shades of Vonnegut when it describes violence or the realities of day-to-day slave life. The sci-fi aspect appears to be picking up so looking forward to that and hopefully having the book finished when the spoiler thread goes up.

[Gary]

Ok, just finished and can't wait for the spoiler thread as well. I think this will spawn a good debate on what really is SciFi today in 2018.

[Sarah]

Gary wrote: "Ok, just finished and can't wait for the spoiler thread as well. I think this will spawn a good debate on what really is SciFi today in 2018."

There is already a thread to discuss this here. Please feel free to join in.

[Gary]

Thank you for steering me in the right direction!

[QueenAmidala28]

Allison wrote: "QueenAmidala28 wrote: "Hi. I'm just joining this read. I've had it for months as it was given to me by family members, but have yet to read it. I have been reading the previous posts and I was wond..."
LOL. If only vampires, lycans and trolls really ruled the world! Happy reading!

[Allison, Fairy Mod-mother]

QueenAmidala28 wrote: "Allison wrote: "QueenAmidala28 wrote: "Hi. I'm just joining this read. I've had it for months as it was given to me by family members, but have yet to read it. I have been reading the previous post..."

^^ you too!

[Gary]

Is it ok to discuss the book now or will that be a new thread?

[Allison, Fairy Mod-mother]

Gary wrote: "Is it ok to discuss the book now or will that be a new thread?"

Great minds! Spoiler threads now up!

[Julia]

Trike Wrote: I read Underground Airlines by Ben Winters, which covers the same topic and was released around the same time.

Nope. As you know now, I imagine Underground Airlines takes place in a alternative present.

I read Underground Airlines and The Underground Railroad pretty much back to back. I found a discussion between Colson Whitehead and Ben H. Winters on the interwebs somewhere.

[Shomeret]

Julia wrote: "Trike Wrote: I read Underground Airlines by Ben Winters, which covers the same topic and was released around the same time.

Nope. As you know now, I imagine Underground Airlines t..."

The discussion between Colson Whitehead and Ben Winters was at a library in New Hampshire but it apparently wasn't recorded. The article about it is brief but includes some of the sources each author used. Here's the link at http://www.meredithlibrary.org/blog/a...

[Tomislav]

You can listen to the interview here:

http://nhpr.org/post/conversation-col...

[Julia]

Thanks Tomislav!

[Sabrina]

My first impression: brutal content coupled with an impersonal and distanced narrative. I’m not yet sure if I like it. I also have a hard time of keeping track of the slave population which might have been intentional as slaves are only cattle...

[Bonnie]

I just finished The Nickel Boys by Colson Whitehead and thought it was very good. This one won the Pulitzer Prize, National Book Award and Arthur C. Clarke award, in addition to being chosen by this fine group....so I am expecting to like it even better.