The Sellout

A Sharp and Hilarious Satire Exploring Race, Class, and Inequality in Modern America, Crafted by a Master Storyteller Winner of the 2016 Man Booker Prize In "The Sellout," Paul Beatty employs his distinctive absurdist humor to explore the raw realities of contemporary society, presenting a scathing yet entertaining critique of modern American life. The protagonist, raised in the small town of Dickens on the outskirts of Los Angeles, becomes the focal point of his father's intense, racially motivated psychological experiments during his formative years. His father promises that their struggles will culminate in a tell-all memoir to secure their financial future. However, this hope shatters when his father falls victim to a drive-by shooting, leaving nothing but a staggering bill for a drive-thru funeral and the revelation that the memoir never existed. To compound matters, Dickens has vanished from California maps, erased to spare the state further humiliation. Driven by frustration and determined to rectify these injustices, the protagonist embarks on an audacious mission to reinstate slavery and reintroduce segregation in the local high school. This bold and controversial course of action propels him from the quiet streets of Dickens to a groundbreaking case at the Supreme Court. Described as 'outrageous, hilarious, and profound' by Simon Schama of the Financial Times, and recognized for its sharp wit by the Guardian, "The Sellout" presents a powerful narrative that challenges readers to think deeply about the American social landscape. The New York Times celebrates it as featuring 'the most badass first 100 pages of an American novel they've read,' marking it as an unforgettable read.