Literary · Historical
The Underground Railroad
Cora, enslaved on a Georgia plantation, escapes north on a literal underground railroad. Colson Whitehead reimagines each state she reaches as a different version of American racism, while a slave catcher pursues her.
Facts last checked 2026-10-17
- First published
- 2016
- Pace
- Medium
- Length
- Medium
- Pages
- 306
- Format
- Standalone
Read this if you want inventive historical fiction that confronts slavery directly.
Skip this if you cannot read graphic depictions of brutality.
The feel
Content warnings
Also reported by Hardcover readers:
Quick answers about The Underground Railroad
- What is The Underground Railroad about?
- Cora, enslaved on a Georgia plantation, escapes north on a literal underground railroad. Colson Whitehead reimagines each state she reaches as a different version of American racism, while a slave catcher pursues her.
- Who should read The Underground Railroad?
- Read it if you want inventive historical fiction that confronts slavery directly. Skip it if you cannot read graphic depictions of brutality.
- How long and how fast is The Underground Railroad?
- It is a medium-paced, medium read of about 306 pages, first published in 2016.
- Does The Underground Railroad have content warnings?
- Content we flag: Slavery, Racism, Violence, Death, Torture.
- Can I borrow The Underground Railroad for free?
- Often, yes. Check Libby (OverDrive) to see whether your library lends The Underground Railroad; the borrow button above searches it for you.
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Where to get it
| Store | Price | Link |
|---|---|---|
| Borrow free | ||
| Libby / OverDrive | Free with a library card | Borrow free with Libby from Libby / OverDrive |
| Print, new | ||
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| Ebook | ||
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| Audiobook | ||
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