The Water Dancer by Ta-Nehisi Coates

The Water Dancer by Ta-Nehisi Coates Book Summary

BOOK SCORE
4
TOTAL RATINGS
3,236
BOOK PRICE
$14.99

#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • OPRAH’S BOOK CLUB PICK • From the National Book Award–winning author of Between the World and Me, a boldly conjured debut novel about a magical gift, a devastating loss, and an underground war for freedom.

“This potent book about America’s most disgraceful sin establishes [Ta-Nehisi Coates] as a first-rate novelist.”—San Francisco Chronicle

IN DEVELOPMENT AS A MAJOR MOTION PICTURE • Adapted by Ta-Nehisi Coates and Kamilah Forbes, directed by Nia DaCosta, and produced by MGM, Plan B, and Oprah Winfrey’s Harpo Films

NOMINATED FOR THE NAACP IMAGE AWARD • NAMED ONE OF PASTE’S BEST NOVELS OF THE DECADE • NAMED ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR BY Time • NPR • The Washington PostChicago TribuneVanity FairEsquire Good Housekeeping PasteTown & Country • The New York Public Library • Kirkus Reviews Library Journal


Young Hiram Walker was born into bondage. When his mother was sold away, Hiram was robbed of all memory of her—but was gifted with a mysterious power. Years later, when Hiram almost drowns in a river, that same power saves his life. This brush with death births an urgency in Hiram and a daring scheme: to escape from the only home he’s ever known.

So begins an unexpected journey that takes Hiram from the corrupt grandeur of Virginia’s proud plantations to desperate guerrilla cells in the wilderness, from the coffin of the Deep South to dangerously idealistic movements in the North. Even as he’s enlisted in the underground war between slavers and the enslaved, Hiram’s resolve to rescue the family he left behind endures.

This is the dramatic story of an atrocity inflicted on generations of women, men, and children—the violent and capricious separation of families—and the war they waged to simply make lives with the people they loved. Written by one of today’s most exciting thinkers and writers, The Water Dancer is a propulsive, transcendent work that restores the humanity of those from whom everything was stolen.

Praise for The Water Dancer

“Ta-Nehisi Coates is the most important essayist in a generation and a writer who changed the national political conversation about race with his 2015 memoir, Between the World and Me. So naturally his debut novel comes with slightly unrealistic expectations—and then proceeds to exceed them. The Water Dancer . . . is a work of both staggering imagination and rich historical significance. . . . 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. . . . Timeless and instantly canon-worthy.”Rolling Stone

The Water Dancer Book Details

Book Name The Water Dancer
Genre Black Literature
Author Ta-Nehisi Coates
Published 24 September 2019, Tuesday
Price $14.99
E-Book Size 2.62 MB

The Water Dancer by Ta-Nehisi Coates Book Reviews

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DebTrump

Perfect Title.. Excellent book. The writer was amazing in the words he used to write this book. I’m so glad I had a chance to read it. It helped me to see what the tasked people went through.

Patranoco

The Water Dancer. A beautifully written and poignant story.

ShinePresident__

Enjoyed this story. Took my time to read and process. Brilliant writing and story telling!

Stanislav F

Conduction. I really liked the book, especially the mystic aspect of it.

Driver 8-

Not a fan. I liked the book until Harriet Tubman. I am really bothered by how the author distorted her history. Harriet Tubman was a hero to be celebrated but the magic got in the way for me. Harriet Tubman was larger than life because of what she accomplished but there was no magic involved in her heroic deeds. Adding this element of magic detracts from the humanity of her plight and puts her on a level that is unattainable for those hearing her story. Through this retelling, she no longer is a real-life hero but instead becomes a fictional character. It is the humanity of her struggles that makes her a hero. She did not rescue a slave and “poof” end up in the north through magic. She endured miles and miles of torture and fear. And she did it over and over again to rescue slaves. It’s SO important that be honored because her courage and fortitude is accessible within all of us. And, to bring about change in the world we Must access that courage.

MissElectra

Outstanding. A must read! I enjoyed every word, I actually switched between reading the actual book & listening to the audiobook, which, btw, Joe Morton is absolutely the best!

Johntrell

Memory is Fond. Wow. Written wonderfully by the author and exemplifying the power of memory to various avenues of freedom.

LoreVivian

Lovely. Easy read. Beautiful story.

YayaNetski

Water Dancer.. Interesting cast of characters. Kind of an epic type book of Southern life of days gone by. The lives of slaves and masters. Those who tried to change the system , those who fought to maintain it and what it did to them.

Kimbarelync

Challenging read. Hard read on many levels. However, it seems like a thin veil of awareness is being lifted to allow me to see and understand things from a different perspective. For that I am glad.

Cheef.

Rubbish.. Put this book down and don’t pick it up again. Waste of money.

Diva_material

Tasked and the Quality…Good read!. Ta-Nehisi Coates is a brilliant writer and he takes you a historical journey in the antebellum south. Hiram Walker tells the story of a being a slave in a different narrative than most historical fiction. Hiram discovers special talents that unlock his memory hidden deep in his mind. Because of this talent, Hiram's life is forever changed and unleashes hatred for someone he revered. The book is fictional; it does extract some worthy history as well. Great read and Joe Morton does a fabulous job on the audiobook.

(>^_^)>$<(^_^<)

Excellent read. Incredible story telling. The style of writing literally makes you feel as if you are transformed to the time and place.

Timdoodles

New age color purple. Not a big fan of the genre, but this book was captivating nonetheless. Recommended!

喜欢巧慧

A great novel. Heard about this novel over Oprah’s Book Club and it doesn’t disappoint me.

Dtest666

!. !!

Keithwhite_

Incredibly descriptive narrative. I loved the attention to detail. I did not want to read another slave narrative but this was transcendent.

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Kaylahannah

Cultural ties to Africa. Fantastic book that had me thinking of Toni Morrison’s ‘Beloved’ from the beginning. I was most impressed with the cultural ties to Africa, the motherland, that he wove into the story.

Taivon27

Simply Amazing!!!!. The word WOW! Does not even come close, I was completely transported to a world before my time and taking on a journey through the eyes of a person I now see very clearly... they say you don’t know unless you’ve walk a mile in someone shoes well this is it. Great job!! Mr. Ta-nehisi Coates.

Alexxb133

Overall a Great book. The author brings to life, through his words, what it was like in that time period, to be enslaved, to be a part of the Underground, and to fight for freedom.

WORC2000

Awesome. Great insight into the world as it was.

Cooperboii1234567890

Falls flat. Cut out 40 percent of the fluff and this novel could have been a great read. The author repeats much of the book over and over again. Its as if the creative well dried and he ran out of ideas. I found myself struggling to finish reading. Additionally, the novel is riddled with excessive dialogue tags(he said/she said). This is distracting and prevents the reader from immersing themselves into the story. I was contemplating giving two stars but his poetic prose is beautiful! At times, I felt as if I were swaying side to side to the rhythm of his words. This alone kept me coming back for more. This novel has so much potential. It should have been revised, several times, before being released or advertised as the next big thing. I would not recommend this novel. Its great ideas fall flat to poor story structure and repetition.

NeusaMonteiro

Loved it. It was a great reading experience and captivating.

Suse40

Fascinating. This is a fictional account of the works of the Underground Railroad, and adds fascinating elements of mystery and conjuring to the lives of slaves and those who run to freedom. This book also lays out some of the true cost of chattel slavery—the separation of families and the utter destruction of community.

@DapsandPounds

Inspiring. The author does a fine job of conducting a story that sticks. I’ve read my fair share of ‘negro spirituals’ and this one for me, stands alone.

SisterSha

The Water Dancer. The best written book of the year. Although it is nonfiction, it depicts real events that keep your attention throughout all chapters. A true history of past events to foster memories for meeting future challenges in life.

Honsuesho

Mom was a water dancer. I was not able to finish.

Joanne3044

One of the best I’ve read in a long time.. The book was so beautifully written.Without apology, the book enters the realm of human coexistence and the struggle for true freedom. The author explores relationships, the evolution of awareness of the hypocracy in the social mores of the times as well as the struggle to deal with said situations. It explores the nature of love, social justice, honesty, duty.

Sandy1525

Slow moving ... few memorable passages. It is not the new great American classic novel. As oprah selection it got great media attention. The author is a very good non-fiction writer. He should stick to that. The novel starts well but then goes no where. The middle is highly confusing and rather meaningless. Very uninteresting reading. For me personally, thank god it was over!

IAYogi

Poignant and moving. Eloquently written and moving, taking me to the experiences and history of Black slaves in America. Should be required reading.

Oddities1991

Tackles tough subjects from the civil war era and lets them read like a fantasy novel.. I felt like the truth of Slavery in America was presented well in this novel and it gave a voice to those often over looked. It is an important novel and inspired me to keep up with Oprah’s new book club for as long as it’s run.

Rob B L Clark

Loved it on so many levels!. Great Book to say the least!!!

Jasonjdhshsh

Hi. I loved it

Collleen777

Enlightening. Very well written. Takes all readers to the other side. A side that everyone needs to see & understand so that equality can be had for ALL.

Dslider54

Dancing. Good story teller who builds the characters in great detail based on their life experiences

Hpelh

A good book. Highly recommend!

Lootyluv

Great Read!. I enjoyed the story and though some aspects were slow moving, it was still a great story.

DemocratCat

Riverting. The Water Dancer is a pretty good read. Some of the lines throughout are astoundingly beautiful — poetic. If you download a sample, do not be turned off by the first chapter.

Tianac1699

Stunning narrative. Eloquently written, captivating, and truly riveting

Nicklutsch

Check it out. Haven’t been in a book club in a while, so when I saw Oprah was starting hers up again, I was excited to join along! The book was very interesting, a good interesting. I loved how the book pulled you in a brought raw emotion up in each chapter. Definitely something to check out, if you are in need of a good read!

Kfalcon280

Excellent Read. I really enjoyed The Water Dancer. There were moments I had to re-read sections as I would not call this book an “easy read”. The “Conduction” portion was confusing at first; it was written like a dream more than reality. In the end, it all seem to come together.

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K. Waww SW lM

HeatherJubbs

I wish it would never end. Starting the book describing slaves as the Tasked and the white land owners as Quality enabled a space for people of all backgrounds to open their minds to hearing from a slave’s point of view. The story flows beautifully. I cried, I felt anger, loss and wanted nothing more than for Hiram’s freedom. Race relations in the US are a difficult conversation; reading this book is a great starting point and I only hope it becomes required reading in school. I had never realized how many main characters looked like me until this book. Oprah’s Book Club also does an amazing job of fostering a collaborative, introspective dialogue on Instagram. I can’t wait to read more from this author and from Oprah’s reading lists.

Janny sanny

I couldn’t put it down. I finished all 909 pages in 2 days.. Hi is such a believable character as are all of the others. To those who justify slavery by saying “they were sold by their own “ the worst of slavery was committed by the owners who divided families bred the slaves much as they would farm animals and continued it until it took a war to end such atrocities. It shed a new and better understanding of the 200 years of life in the south during that time period.

KLDee75

The Water Dancer. An absolutely beautiful book. What a story! I was truly moved.

SandSandCee

The Water Dancer. The author did an amazing job. It evoked such emotion and imagination. The story was powerful and descriptive. I wanted to keep reading but then it ended.

Lexus6504

Literary excellence!. This is perhaps the most intellectually stimulating books I have ever read. It sends you into a world seldom explored, the feelings of the slave. The heartbreak, despair, helplessness and hope are felt throughout this book. It gives feeling to the plight of the slaves instead of the master.

Cebedr

Beautiful read. I loved the author’s writing —poetic or more like a melody. The historical stories and events were written with a fresh observation of the trials of slavery.

Books4everyone

Water not ice. Dancing with water. Not dancing with wolves.

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Alexander Huyck

Good overall, ending a bit abrupt. Overall, a good read. The author’s prose is beautiful, and does an excellent job of transporting you to an unimaginable place and time. That’s not surprising, given the poetic style he’s used writing columns for the Atlantic. The ending felt a bit abrupt, and as if something more could have been achieved with it, but the work overall was truly impressive for a first novel.

76 e

Don’t get it. The book got canceled for no reason don’t get

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Juliusa

Just OK. I had high hopes for this book given the reviews. But after re-reading the reviews I have to agree that it is just OK. Certainly an important story, but I’ve read far better. He is a good writer, his nonfiction being amazingly well written, but this is not that. Magical realism is tricky stuff, and using it well to promote horrendous real life situations can be hit or miss. This is a miss. Until a kit halfway through this book was getting somewhere. And then it lost me in the attempts at magical realism with powerful but unrealistic speechifying. I struggled to finish it and felt little. I would not recommend. But it’s your call.

Lizthorn63

Interesting. A different take on American history.

T-doll-pin up

The Water Dancer. Excellent! Powerful! I could not put it down. Everyone should read this beautiful book.

Darius the DMAC

The WATER DANCE #INCREDIBLE. I don’t read much outside of self-help and self-development. However this book had me engaged and wanting more each DEAR TIME : drop everything and read. Many thanks to Author and Narrator job well done. Darius McDonald

Taivon27

Simply Amazing!!!!. The word WOW! Does not even come close, I was completely transported to a world before my time and taking on a journey through the eyes of a person I now see very clearly... they say you don’t know unless you’ve walk a mile in someone shoes well this is it. Great job!! Mr. Ta-nehisi Coates.

Steve yellen

The Water Dancer. In view of Presidential candidate Beto O’Rourke’s brilliant and refreshing discussions on reparations, I found Ta-Nehisi’s book timely and terrific ! I was so moved that I’d like to bring this powerful author to El Paso to be my guest speaker for the Annual Basketball in the Barrio fund raiser. Steve Yellen

Toutoue

Captivating!. Excellent book, well written. I was transported on their journey. A must read.

Ppppppppppppppopttttt

Water Dancer. This book is great! It should be part of required reading in schools. It should be made into a movie .

JoeyLR0

Amazing novel!. Everyone should definitely read this. A must read! Well written! I couldn’t put it down. It’s one of those that will stay with you and you will definitely read it over and over.

Aarwaw

T. Tt S shafted2WGiAZq I Caries daze

Yonama1976

“The Water Dancer” by Ta-nehisi Coates. I felt myself at one with this book, visualizing myself in the presence of its characters and the travails and joys they were experiencing. A book is a good read, for me, when I become immersed and care about the outcome of the characters’ lives. The mechanism or introduction of Conduction for the Underground Railroad was new for me, but who am I to say it did not truly exist. I highly recommend reading this offering from Ta-henisi Coates.

Bookfan22

The Water Dancer Dances. Interesting concept but the story is tedious and needlessly confusing. Perhaps author’s next book will be better.

SantaEcho17

Please Read the Book. Excellent read. Coates is an amazing author.

Ta-Nehisi Coates - The Water Dancer Comments

5 Books like The Water Dancer (Ta-Nehisi Coates)

About Author "Ta-Nehisi Coates"

Ta-Nehisi Paul Coates ( TAH-nə-HAH-see; born September 30, 1975) is an American author, journalist, and activist. He gained a wide readership during his time as national correspondent at The Atlantic, where he wrote about cultural, social, and political issues, particularly regarding African Americans and white supremacy.Coates has worked for The Village Voice, Washington City Paper, and Time. He has contributed to The New York Times Magazine, The Washington Post, The Washington Monthly, O, and other publications. He has published three non-fiction books: The Beautiful Struggle, Between the World and Me, and We Were Eight Years in Power: An American Tragedy. Between the World and Me won the 2015 National Book Award for Nonfiction. He has also written a Black Panther series and a Captain America series for Marvel Comics. His first novel, The Water Dancer, was published in 2019. In 2015 he received a Genius Grant from the MacArthur Foundation. Early life Coates was born in Baltimore,....

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