219:
whites ("the Low"). Hiram has an extraordinary photographic memory but is unable to remember his mother. However, in one instance when Hiram is driving across a bridge he suddenly has a vision of his mother dancing. When the vision ends, his carriage has fallen into the water. His white half brother drowns, but Hiram is transported out of the water. He learns that his miracle survival was a result of a superhuman ability he calls "conduction", with which he can transport himself and others across impossible distances. Conduction is triggered by powerful memories: those of his mother. He becomes involved with the
277:. He was also influenced by his childhood love of comic books and, in general, the concept of heroes. While researching the Civil War, he was frustrated with how "a lot of the people who were held up as heroic were in fact straight-up white supremacists." Coates worked on the novel for a decade in "various degrees".
339:
gave the novel a rave review, saying it exceeded expectations for a debut novel and writing, "What's most powerful is the way Coates enlists his notions of the fantastic, as well as his fluid prose, to probe a wound that never seems to heal. There's an urgency to his remembrance of things past that
332:
gave the novel a rave review, writing, "In prose that sings and imagination that soars, Coates further cements himself as one of this generation's most important writers, tackling one of
America's oldest and darkest periods with grace and inventiveness. This is bold, dazzling, and not to be missed."
218:
on a declining tobacco plantation in
Virginia named Lockless. He is the mixed-race son of a white plantation owner and a black mother who was sold away by his father when Hiram was young. The local community consists of the enslaved ("the Tasked"); the landowners ("the Quality"); and the low-class
27:
191:
under its One World imprint. It is a surrealist story set in the pre-Civil War South, concerning a superhuman protagonist named Hiram Walker who possesses a photographic memory, but who cannot remember his mother. He learns he has a special ability known as "conduction", with which he is able to
388:
praised the "clarity of Coates's ideas and the poetry of his language" but largely panned the novel as a "mess" with monotonous characters and lacking a strong plot development to make up for it. She criticized the movement between the plot-driven and allegorical storytelling modes as
354:
gave the novel a positive review, calling it "a jeroboam of a book, a crowd-pleasing exercise in breakneck and often occult storytelling that tonally resembles the work of
Stephen King as much as it does the work of
251:, and was encouraged by his agent to write fiction. At the time, Coates was extensively researching slavery and the Civil War. At the end of The Water Dancer, Coates adds an author's note, listing Peter and
192:
transport people—including himself—over long distances. Conduction is powered by his memories and storytelling, and can fold the Earth like fabric, allowing travel across large areas via waterways.
302:, a magazine that aggregates critic reviews of books, the book received a rating of 4.00 out of 5 based on critic reviews with a critical summary saying, "Despite these flaws, an important book".
682:
296:, a site that aggregates critic reviews of books, the book received a rating of 3.36 out of 5 from the site which was based on nine critic reviews. In the November/December 2019 issue of
893:
970:
395:, while complimenting its "lyrical prose", felt that the novel "left craving more action and high-geared moments of grief, suspense, climax, and character development."
292:, the book received "positive" reviews based on 42 critic reviews, with 13 being "rave" and 24 being "positive" and three being "mixed" and two being "pan". In
654:
935:
940:
235:. He eventually comes to meet a famous member of the Underground named Moses, who also has the power of Conduction. Moses is later revealed to be
553:
955:
766:
142:
975:
930:
883:
965:
945:
306:
196:
950:
446:
980:
710:
375:
960:
475:
633:
920:
150:
888:
855:
391:
798:
259:
and "how he almost reinvented history; he made history his in a certain kind of way". Coates cited
Doctorow's novels
925:
826:
413:
793:
345:
324:. She called it "one of the best books I have ever read in my entire life. Right up there in the Top 5."
232:
561:
422:
317:
298:
220:
203:
92:
26:
501:
804:
715:
638:
452:
350:
78:
247:
Coates began writing the novel around 2008 and 2009. He had recently finished his first memoir,
583:
742:
683:"Oprah Winfrey Selects 'The Water Dancer' by Ta-Nehisi Coates As First Pick For New Book Club"
360:
328:
137:
797:
445:
370:
215:
184:
161:
40:
255:
as the inspiration for the characters in the White family. Coates was influenced by author
261:
228:
82:
856:"Ta-Nehisi Coates is a great writer. His new book The Water Dancer is not a great novel"
831:
365:
293:
273:
267:
256:
236:
528:
914:
860:
771:
737:
384:
356:
335:
313:
252:
60:
608:
224:
188:
369:
gave the novel a favorable review, but felt it was "less intensely realized" than
180:
655:"Oprah's new book club pick: Ta-Nehisi Coates' debut novel "The Water Dancer""
359:, Colson Whitehead and the touchstone African-American science-fiction writer
321:
289:
50:
340:
brims with authenticity, testifying to centuries of bone-deep pain. It makes
506:
121:
476:"In 'The Water Dancer,' Ta-Nehisi Coates Creates Magical Alternate History"
711:"Apple Shows Off Original Series For First Time With Sizzle Reel – Watch"
659:
502:"Ta-Nehisi Coates Wades Into Literary Fiction with 'The Water Dancer'"
687:
799:"With 'The Water Dancer,' Ta-Nehisi Coates Makes His Fiction Debut"
447:"A First Look at the Cover of Ta-Nehisi Coates's Forthcoming Novel"
312:
for the week ending
September 28, 2019. The novel was selected by
884:"To drown is to be free in Ta-Nehisi Coates's 'The Water Dancer'"
479:
738:"Fiction Book Review: The Water Dancer by Ta-Nehisi Coates"
162:
767:"'The Water Dancer': Ta-Nehisi Coates' American Odyssey"
271:(1989) as early influences and recalled later reading
634:"Combined Print & E-Book Fiction - Best Sellers"
160:
148:
136:
128:
116:
108:
98:
88:
74:
66:
56:
46:
36:
414:"Listen to Joe Morton read Oprah's Book Club pick
681:Rahmanan, Anna Ben Yehuda (September 23, 2019).
214:Hiram Walker was born into slavery during the
389:"whiplash-inducing". Shah Tazrian Ashrafi of
8:
19:
344:feel timeless and instantly canon-worthy."
971:Novels set in the historical United States
25:
18:
444:de LeĂłn, ConcepciĂłn (February 12, 2019).
316:as the first book for the revival of her
288:received favorable reviews. According to
882:Ashrafi, Shah Tazrian (April 16, 2021).
854:Grady, Constance (September 24, 2019).
404:
827:"The Water Dancer by Ta-Nehisi Coates"
474:Quinn, Annalisa (September 26, 2019).
412:Canfield, David (September 24, 2019).
187:, published on September 24, 2019, by
7:
653:Morgan, David (September 23, 2019).
202:and was selected for the revival of
305:The novel debuted at number one on
195:The novel debuted at number one on
896:from the original on June 24, 2021
765:Fear, David (September 24, 2019).
14:
936:American alternate history novels
709:Hipes, Patrick (March 25, 2019).
941:American science fiction novels
16:2019 novel by Ta-Nehisi Coates
1:
956:Novels about American slavery
976:Fiction about teleportation
931:2019 science fiction novels
500:Cybil (September 1, 2019).
997:
966:Novels set in Philadelphia
946:Novels by Ta-Nehisi Coates
554:"The Water Dancer Reviews"
951:One World (imprint) books
24:
376:The Underground Railroad
310:fiction best-seller list
200:fiction best-seller list
981:African-American novels
615:(in French). 2023-10-04
47:Audio read by
961:Novels set in Virginia
796:(September 20, 2019).
249:The Beautiful Struggle
227:, where he encounters
921:2019 American novels
423:Entertainment Weekly
221:Underground Railroad
61:Calida Garcia Rawles
642:. October 13, 2019.
382:Constance Grady of
223:. Hiram escapes to
168:PS3603.O17 W38 2019
31:First edition cover
21:
805:The New York Times
716:Deadline Hollywood
639:The New York Times
609:"The Water Dancer"
584:"The Water Dancer"
558:Books in the Media
529:"The Water Dancer"
453:The New York Times
351:The New York Times
308:The New York Times
294:Books in the Media
198:The New York Times
104:September 24, 2019
79:Historical fiction
926:2019 debut novels
743:Publishers Weekly
329:Publishers Weekly
318:Oprah's Book Club
204:Oprah's Book Club
172:
171:
143:978-0-399-59059-7
109:Publication place
57:Cover artist
20:The Water Dancer
988:
905:
904:
902:
901:
879:
873:
872:
870:
868:
851:
845:
844:
842:
840:
823:
817:
816:
814:
812:
801:
790:
784:
783:
781:
779:
762:
756:
755:
753:
751:
734:
728:
727:
725:
723:
706:
700:
699:
697:
695:
678:
672:
671:
669:
667:
650:
644:
643:
630:
624:
623:
621:
620:
605:
599:
598:
596:
594:
580:
574:
573:
571:
569:
560:. Archived from
550:
544:
543:
541:
539:
525:
519:
518:
516:
514:
497:
491:
490:
488:
486:
471:
465:
464:
462:
460:
449:
441:
435:
434:
432:
430:
416:The Water Dancer
409:
371:Colson Whitehead
342:The Water Dancer
286:The Water Dancer
216:Antebellum South
185:Ta-Nehisi Coates
176:The Water Dancer
164:
100:Publication date
41:Ta-Nehisi Coates
29:
22:
996:
995:
991:
990:
989:
987:
986:
985:
911:
910:
909:
908:
899:
897:
881:
880:
876:
866:
864:
853:
852:
848:
838:
836:
825:
824:
820:
810:
808:
792:
791:
787:
777:
775:
764:
763:
759:
749:
747:
746:. June 11, 2019
736:
735:
731:
721:
719:
708:
707:
703:
693:
691:
680:
679:
675:
665:
663:
652:
651:
647:
632:
631:
627:
618:
616:
607:
606:
602:
592:
590:
582:
581:
577:
567:
565:
552:
551:
547:
537:
535:
527:
526:
522:
512:
510:
499:
498:
494:
484:
482:
473:
472:
468:
458:
456:
443:
442:
438:
428:
426:
411:
410:
406:
401:
283:
245:
212:
153:
117:Media type
101:
83:science fiction
32:
17:
12:
11:
5:
994:
992:
984:
983:
978:
973:
968:
963:
958:
953:
948:
943:
938:
933:
928:
923:
913:
912:
907:
906:
889:The Daily Star
874:
846:
835:. July 1, 2019
832:Kirkus Reviews
818:
794:Garner, Dwight
785:
757:
729:
701:
673:
645:
625:
600:
575:
564:on 21 Jan 2022
545:
520:
492:
466:
436:
403:
402:
400:
397:
392:The Daily Star
366:Kirkus Reviews
361:Octavia Butler
333:David Fear of
282:
279:
274:The Waterworks
268:Billy Bathgate
257:E. L. Doctorow
244:
241:
237:Harriet Tubman
211:
208:
170:
169:
166:
158:
157:
154:
149:
146:
145:
140:
134:
133:
130:
126:
125:
118:
114:
113:
110:
106:
105:
102:
99:
96:
95:
90:
86:
85:
76:
72:
71:
68:
64:
63:
58:
54:
53:
48:
44:
43:
38:
34:
33:
30:
15:
13:
10:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
993:
982:
979:
977:
974:
972:
969:
967:
964:
962:
959:
957:
954:
952:
949:
947:
944:
942:
939:
937:
934:
932:
929:
927:
924:
922:
919:
918:
916:
895:
891:
890:
885:
878:
875:
863:
862:
857:
850:
847:
834:
833:
828:
822:
819:
807:
806:
800:
795:
789:
786:
774:
773:
772:Rolling Stone
768:
761:
758:
745:
744:
739:
733:
730:
718:
717:
712:
705:
702:
690:
689:
684:
677:
674:
662:
661:
656:
649:
646:
641:
640:
635:
629:
626:
614:
610:
604:
601:
589:
585:
579:
576:
563:
559:
555:
549:
546:
538:September 23,
534:
530:
524:
521:
509:
508:
503:
496:
493:
481:
477:
470:
467:
455:
454:
448:
440:
437:
425:
424:
419:
417:
408:
405:
398:
396:
394:
393:
387:
386:
380:
378:
377:
372:
368:
367:
362:
358:
357:Toni Morrison
353:
352:
347:
346:Dwight Garner
343:
338:
337:
336:Rolling Stone
331:
330:
325:
323:
319:
315:
314:Oprah Winfrey
311:
309:
303:
301:
300:
295:
291:
287:
280:
278:
276:
275:
270:
269:
264:
263:
258:
254:
253:William Still
250:
242:
240:
238:
234:
230:
226:
222:
217:
209:
207:
205:
201:
199:
193:
190:
186:
182:
178:
177:
167:
165:
163:LC Class
159:
155:
152:
151:Dewey Decimal
147:
144:
141:
139:
135:
131:
127:
123:
119:
115:
112:United States
111:
107:
103:
97:
94:
91:
87:
84:
80:
77:
73:
69:
65:
62:
59:
55:
52:
49:
45:
42:
39:
35:
28:
23:
898:. Retrieved
887:
877:
865:. Retrieved
859:
849:
837:. Retrieved
830:
821:
809:. Retrieved
803:
788:
776:. Retrieved
770:
760:
748:. Retrieved
741:
732:
720:. Retrieved
714:
704:
692:. Retrieved
686:
676:
664:. Retrieved
658:
648:
637:
628:
617:. Retrieved
612:
603:
591:. Retrieved
587:
578:
566:. Retrieved
562:the original
557:
548:
536:. Retrieved
532:
523:
511:. Retrieved
505:
495:
483:. Retrieved
469:
457:. Retrieved
451:
439:
427:. Retrieved
421:
415:
407:
390:
383:
381:
374:
364:
349:
341:
334:
327:
326:
307:
304:
297:
285:
284:
272:
266:
260:
248:
246:
225:Philadelphia
213:
197:
194:
189:Random House
175:
174:
173:
265:(1975) and
181:debut novel
915:Categories
900:2021-06-20
867:October 2,
839:October 2,
811:October 1,
778:October 1,
750:October 2,
694:October 2,
666:October 1,
619:2023-10-04
613:Bibliosurf
593:14 January
533:Book Marks
513:October 2,
485:October 2,
459:October 1,
429:October 2,
399:References
290:Book Marks
243:Background
233:Jarm Logue
51:Joe Morton
722:March 27,
588:Bookmarks
507:Goodreads
322:Apple TV+
299:Bookmarks
281:Reception
229:Box Brown
122:hardcover
93:One World
89:Publisher
894:Archived
660:CBS News
379:(2015).
67:Language
568:11 July
262:Ragtime
179:is the
120:Print (
70:English
688:Forbes
156:813/.6
37:Author
129:Pages
75:Genre
869:2019
841:2019
813:2019
780:2019
752:2019
724:2019
696:2019
668:2019
595:2023
570:2024
540:2021
515:2019
487:2019
461:2019
431:2019
231:and
210:Plot
138:ISBN
861:Vox
480:NPR
385:Vox
373:'s
363:."
348:of
320:on
183:by
132:407
917::
892:.
886:.
858:.
829:.
802:.
769:.
740:.
713:.
685:.
657:.
636:.
611:.
586:.
556:.
531:.
504:.
478:.
450:.
420:.
239:.
206:.
81:,
903:.
871:.
843:.
815:.
782:.
754:.
726:.
698:.
670:.
622:.
597:.
572:.
542:.
517:.
489:.
463:.
433:.
418:"
124:)
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
