The Sellout
- Downloads：1553
- Type：Epub+TxT+PDF+Mobi
- Create Date：2021-10-18 09:51:36
- Update Date：2025-09-07
- Status：finish
- Author：Paul Beatty
- ISBN：1250808243
- Environment：PC/Android/iPhone/iPad/Kindle
- Download
Summary
Winner of the 2016 Man Booker Prize
Winner of the 2015 National Book Critics Circle Award in Fiction
Named one of the best books of 2015 by The New York Times Book Review and The Wall Street Journal
A biting satire about a young man’s isolated upbringing and the race trial that sends him to the Supreme Court
Born in the “agrarian ghetto” of Dickens—on the southern outskirts of Los Angeles—the narrator of The Sellout resigns himself to the fate of lower-middle-class Californians: “I’d die in the same bedroom I’d grown up in， looking up at the cracks in the stucco ceiling that’ve been there since the ’68 quake。” Raised by a single father， a controversial sociologist， he spent his childhood as the subject in racially charged psychological studies。 He is told that his father’s work will lead to a memoir that will solve their financial woes。 But when his father is killed in a police shoot-out， he realizes there never was a memoir。 All that’s left is the bill for a drive-thru funeral。
Fueled by this deceit and the general disrepair of his hometown， the narrator sets out to right another wrong: Dickens has literally been removed from the map to save California further embarrassment。 Enlisting the help of the town’s most famous resident—the last surviving Little Rascal， Hominy Jenkins—he initiates the most outrageous action conceivable: reinstating slavery and segregating the local high school， which lands him in front of the Supreme Court。
Paul Beatty’s The Sellout showcases a comic genius at the top of his game。 It challenges the sacred tenets of the U。S。 Constitution， urban life， the civil rights movement， the father-son relationship， and the holy grail of racial equality—the black Chinese restaurant。
Winner of the 2015 National Book Critics Circle Award in Fiction
Named one of the best books of 2015 by The New York Times Book Review and The Wall Street Journal
A biting satire about a young man’s isolated upbringing and the race trial that sends him to the Supreme Court
Born in the “agrarian ghetto” of Dickens—on the southern outskirts of Los Angeles—the narrator of The Sellout resigns himself to the fate of lower-middle-class Californians: “I’d die in the same bedroom I’d grown up in， looking up at the cracks in the stucco ceiling that’ve been there since the ’68 quake。” Raised by a single father， a controversial sociologist， he spent his childhood as the subject in racially charged psychological studies。 He is told that his father’s work will lead to a memoir that will solve their financial woes。 But when his father is killed in a police shoot-out， he realizes there never was a memoir。 All that’s left is the bill for a drive-thru funeral。
Fueled by this deceit and the general disrepair of his hometown， the narrator sets out to right another wrong: Dickens has literally been removed from the map to save California further embarrassment。 Enlisting the help of the town’s most famous resident—the last surviving Little Rascal， Hominy Jenkins—he initiates the most outrageous action conceivable: reinstating slavery and segregating the local high school， which lands him in front of the Supreme Court。
Paul Beatty’s The Sellout showcases a comic genius at the top of his game。 It challenges the sacred tenets of the U。S。 Constitution， urban life， the civil rights movement， the father-son relationship， and the holy grail of racial equality—the black Chinese restaurant。
Reviews
Caroline Mann
，
4。5 rating。Another novel that makes me want to keep reading the Man Booker Prize winners。Paul Beatty’s story is strange， challenging， and funny。 He makes you think without boring you， he makes you laugh without comforting you。 He takes you into a world almost as detailed and fascinating as his narrator’s mind。 Read the Man Booker Prize winners - especially this one。
Luke
，
It's not very often that a book makes me laugh out loud at all， let alone frequently。 The last one I remember doing that is Gary Shteyngart's memoir Little Failure， maybe four years ago。 But this book is hilarious and poignant and， really， what more can you ask for out of satire？ Makes me want to grow a strain of weed and name it Swift-Beatty。 It's not very often that a book makes me laugh out loud at all， let alone frequently。 The last one I remember doing that is Gary Shteyngart's memoir Little Failure， maybe four years ago。 But this book is hilarious and poignant and， really， what more can you ask for out of satire？ Makes me want to grow a strain of weed and name it Swift-Beatty。 。。。more
Simon Garnett
，
Dull and over-long。 👎
Colleen
，
Some great laugh-out-loud moments and a really interesting plot but I'm not quite sure I was always following what was going on。 Some great laugh-out-loud moments and a really interesting plot but I'm not quite sure I was always following what was going on。 。。。more
Jake Linden
，
I was enchanted with this book from the very first page。 Beatty’s sarcastic writing style is easy to love and the story’s twisted culmination is a perfect analog for a country that is a very much not post-racial。 Please read this。
Hally
，
This probably wasn't the best choice for a 'buddy read' as trying to keep up with a friend's pace created added pressure for me on top of an already challenging read。 There are so many great ideas in this book， but my personal experience of reading it has been mixed。 I find that this is often the case with satirical novels， as I'm a character based reader and I feel like characters don't feel as real in satire。I also didn't understand a great deal of the references， but the ones I did get were a This probably wasn't the best choice for a 'buddy read' as trying to keep up with a friend's pace created added pressure for me on top of an already challenging read。 There are so many great ideas in this book， but my personal experience of reading it has been mixed。 I find that this is often the case with satirical novels， as I'm a character based reader and I feel like characters don't feel as real in satire。I also didn't understand a great deal of the references， but the ones I did get were amusing and smart enough for me to carry on， knowing that I'd be entertained on-and-off。 I became a bit obsessive about googling names and places I hadn't heard of。 This， along with the episodic structure， meant that I never got lost in the plot。All in all a little highbrow for me but definitely some wow moments and really poignant ones too。 。。。more
Callie
，
Not as good as white boy shuffle， but that's a high bar。 Very enjoyable still。 Not as good as white boy shuffle， but that's a high bar。 Very enjoyable still。 。。。more
Joelle Murphy
，
2。5 stars for me。 This book simply wasn’t for me。 I have a lot of trouble wrapping my head around satire so for me I couldn’t see much of the humour。 If you’re a fan of satire though you might love it！
Sam Wright
，
Though the overall plot fell a little flat for me， Paul Beatty's witty， whimsical writing was more than enough to win me over and make "The Sellout" a great read。 Also this book was absolutely hilarious and made me laugh way more than I thought it would。 I definitely recommend this book， and I would like to read it again in the future。 Though the overall plot fell a little flat for me， Paul Beatty's witty， whimsical writing was more than enough to win me over and make "The Sellout" a great read。 Also this book was absolutely hilarious and made me laugh way more than I thought it would。 I definitely recommend this book， and I would like to read it again in the future。 。。。more
Andrew Epperson
，
I went through a bit of a reading drought， unfortunately， so it took me a while to finish this one。 That’s not a knock on this piece， which is deserving of all the praise it’s gotten since first published。 Paul Beatty made me laugh， think， and feel。 Any book that can do those three things is worth the read。
Jay Frelink
，
A fantastically funny book with a lot of unnecessary fodder
Mona
，
Started but kept putting off reading it。 Didnt really get into it。
Autumn
，
Should be required reading for Western psych students。
Emily
，
Like laughing with a knife in your gut。 Grim， absurd，like America。
Jwjw
，
This book is the best book I read in 2020。 Just when you think it couldn't get any stranger， more daring， smarter， it keeps outdoing itself。 The characters are so great， so lovable and wonderful。 Paul Beatty writes great female characters too---so rare。 The bus driver is amazing。 Just an incredible bit of wizardry and genius this book！ This book is the best book I read in 2020。 Just when you think it couldn't get any stranger， more daring， smarter， it keeps outdoing itself。 The characters are so great， so lovable and wonderful。 Paul Beatty writes great female characters too---so rare。 The bus driver is amazing。 Just an incredible bit of wizardry and genius this book！ 。。。more
Diana C Tienda
，
I can say so many good things about this book。 I believe "The Sellout" is one of the finest books I've read。 The way Beatty leads a subject as polemic as it is racism is simply wonderful and intelligent。 The protagonist is full of humour， poetry， pain and sarcasm almost always making you laugh and empathize with him。 So human。 The writing is perfect。 "Unmitigated Blackness is essays passing for fiction。 It’s the realization that there are no absolutes， except when there are。 It’s the acceptance I can say so many good things about this book。 I believe "The Sellout" is one of the finest books I've read。 The way Beatty leads a subject as polemic as it is racism is simply wonderful and intelligent。 The protagonist is full of humour， poetry， pain and sarcasm almost always making you laugh and empathize with him。 So human。 The writing is perfect。 "Unmitigated Blackness is essays passing for fiction。 It’s the realization that there are no absolutes， except when there are。 It’s the acceptance of contradiction not being a sin and a crime but a human frailty like split ends and libertarianism。 Unmitigated Blackness is coming to the realization that as fucked up and meaningless as it all is， sometimes it’s the nihilism that makes life worth living。""Silence can be either protest or consent， but most times it’s fear。 I guess that’s why I’m so quiet and such a good whisperer， nigger and otherwise。 It’s because I’m always afraid。 Afraid of what I might say。 What promises and threats I might make and have to keep。" 。。。more
Jeff Kaye
，
The Sellout by Paul Beatty is an extraordinary book about the position of black people in the US。 It was a very good read， humourous but pithy with a backdrop of gardening/farming （！）， LA and also Our Gang / The Little Rascals /Alfalfa show from the 30’s （through one character from that series， Hominy）that portrayed black and white kids together but was still racist in content， reflecting the times in which it was made， the Jim Crow era。 It was produced by Hal Roach - who was behind Laurel and H The Sellout by Paul Beatty is an extraordinary book about the position of black people in the US。 It was a very good read， humourous but pithy with a backdrop of gardening/farming （！）， LA and also Our Gang / The Little Rascals /Alfalfa show from the 30’s （through one character from that series， Hominy）that portrayed black and white kids together but was still racist in content， reflecting the times in which it was made， the Jim Crow era。 It was produced by Hal Roach - who was behind Laurel and Hardy。 It used this very well via one character that remains living to show up the idiocy of race hate。The book shows modern LA through the street gangs and the way that mutual tolerance （or intolerance of all races） works or does not in the US through street gangs， Mexican hatred by all， history and also the plan to make Dickens， a district of LA that is airbrushed from the map， real again。Part of that is the pretence of making whites only areas and a school in Dickens and watching the effect， which is broadly positive。 The narrator， "me" or "Bonbon" is seen through his life growing up with a pyschiatrist father （a whisperer， who cajoles many out of suicide） who is probably a case for concern himself in the weird manner of upbringing he forces on his son。 The latter， as a result of his Dickens entanglements， is brought to court to face the toughest of charges as high as the Supreme Court of the United States。A thoroughly racing and educative read， made real by the extraordinary characters and the predicaments they engulf themselves in。 Hominy's desire to be the narrator's 'slave' and to ensure whippping is but one creative absurdity in a sea of such follies - yet， set against racism， casual and worse， we know how absurdities take on a life of their very own。 。。。more
Kritanya
，
This was my first satire and what a book to begin with！ It was hard to read， the African-American cultural references were alien to me。 I know nothing about African history apart from a couple of movies， documentaries and that one attempt at reading 'Roots'。 But I loved the sarcastic， witty， sharp humour， and why I kept at it despite the fast pace and its complex subject。 I had to re-read several pages just to fully grasp the context。 Half the time I thought the 'Little Rascals' references were This was my first satire and what a book to begin with！ It was hard to read， the African-American cultural references were alien to me。 I know nothing about African history apart from a couple of movies， documentaries and that one attempt at reading 'Roots'。 But I loved the sarcastic， witty， sharp humour， and why I kept at it despite the fast pace and its complex subject。 I had to re-read several pages just to fully grasp the context。 Half the time I thought the 'Little Rascals' references were to the 90s movie and not the 1930s show！ I loved the absurd plot though， and how Paul Beatty tackled serious， dark themes of racism in America with a carefree and brutally honest style。 I picked it up because it was on my pretentious 'must read all Bookers' list。 I'm going to revisit this book and his other works too， probably when I have enough context （or at least some） on African culture。 I don't regret reading it one bit。 Highly recommended！ 。。。more
Kaila
，
4。5/5 starsThis was so freaking good。 An absolutely targeted satirical attack that was equal parts comically entertaining and thought provoking。 Sometimes reading an ‘award-winning’ book can fee a bit disappointing， but I completely understand the accolades for this novel。 The premise was unique， it was sharply written with wry wit and humour， and it was completely engaging from page one。 I definitely recommend this one， it was definitely a one of a kind book。
Murray
，
"The Sellout"， which is filled with a lot of humor， satire， and very sharp irony， delves deeply into race issues in ways that will make you cringe but also sit up and take notice。 Beatty is at his funniest in the chapters about Hominy， the now grown-up Little Rascal who finds himself placed in a very precarious situation while living in the Southern California town of Dickens。 Filled with laughs， the book also looks closely at African-American culture in the 21st century。 At times， it gets tedio "The Sellout"， which is filled with a lot of humor， satire， and very sharp irony， delves deeply into race issues in ways that will make you cringe but also sit up and take notice。 Beatty is at his funniest in the chapters about Hominy， the now grown-up Little Rascal who finds himself placed in a very precarious situation while living in the Southern California town of Dickens。 Filled with laughs， the book also looks closely at African-American culture in the 21st century。 At times， it gets tedious， downright offensive， and even absurd， but， in the end， it's an enjoyable book。 。。。more
Gopal Pathak
，
Too American very difficult to relate anecdotes for an outsider！ Might be a great author， but I won't pick up his books again。 Too American very difficult to relate anecdotes for an outsider！ Might be a great author， but I won't pick up his books again。 。。。more
Victoria Roe
，
Insanely funny and also unbelievably uncomfortable to read。 I found this book impossible to describe really - the best description is one I couldn’t write but from a Booker judge:“The Sellout is one of those very rare books that is able to take satire， which is in itself a very difficult subject and not always done well， and it plunges into the heart of contemporary American society and， with absolutely savage wit， of the kind I haven't seen since Swift or Twain， both manages to eviscerate every Insanely funny and also unbelievably uncomfortable to read。 I found this book impossible to describe really - the best description is one I couldn’t write but from a Booker judge:“The Sellout is one of those very rare books that is able to take satire， which is in itself a very difficult subject and not always done well， and it plunges into the heart of contemporary American society and， with absolutely savage wit， of the kind I haven't seen since Swift or Twain， both manages to eviscerate every social taboo and politically correct， nuanced， every sacred cow， and while both making us laugh， making us wince。 It is both funny and painful at the same time and it is really a novel of our times。"Funny and painful is very accurate。 Also props to the excellent psychology content throughout which I imagine is a bit nuanced for some readers without a psychology background but made me laugh out loud。Highly recommended but brace yourself。 。。。more
Michael
，
I enjoyed Hominy and his stories of the our Gang/Little Rascals。
Sathishkumar
，
💔Unexpected！ 🔥
Patrick
，
way too examplery
Cathy
，
I didn't understand the book。 I'm sure the author put a lot of thought into it， but probably because as a 1。5 generation immigrant I don't have a lot of cultural capital for U。S。 culture， so a lot of his thoughtful hyperbole and I assume hilarious references are lost on me。 I don't understand any of the characters in the book。 I don't understand why the dad abused the son。 I don't understand why the actor wanted to be a slave。 I don't understand why it mattered whether the hometown was off or on I didn't understand the book。 I'm sure the author put a lot of thought into it， but probably because as a 1。5 generation immigrant I don't have a lot of cultural capital for U。S。 culture， so a lot of his thoughtful hyperbole and I assume hilarious references are lost on me。 I don't understand any of the characters in the book。 I don't understand why the dad abused the son。 I don't understand why the actor wanted to be a slave。 I don't understand why it mattered whether the hometown was off or on the map。 I don't understand why the main characters believed segregation would bring higher quality of life for minority， and why in the novel， it actually did bring about higher quality of life。 I really should have stopped reading after chapter 1 lol I can now tell people I read this famous book。 But I don't understand where any of the characters are coming from， I don't understand the storyline， and I don't understand 90% of the jokes and innuendo。 I guess this book was written for really smart， culture-savvy readers。 。。。more
David Velasco
，
Very well-written and somewhat absurdist satire on post-racial America， not too much that I could say that hasn't already been said without going into spoilers， so I'll just say that thematically I loved the concept and the execution。 Beatty is hilarious and I think he found the right balance of driving the point home but doing it without beating you over the head with it。 Absurd as it was at times， it also didn't feel wholly unbelievable and quite frankly that's probably the point。 A great read Very well-written and somewhat absurdist satire on post-racial America， not too much that I could say that hasn't already been said without going into spoilers， so I'll just say that thematically I loved the concept and the execution。 Beatty is hilarious and I think he found the right balance of driving the point home but doing it without beating you over the head with it。 Absurd as it was at times， it also didn't feel wholly unbelievable and quite frankly that's probably the point。 A great read， especially for anyone who still views the world with rose-tinted glasses。 。。。more
Jared Schepis
，
Hilarious
Donald Couper
，
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers。 To view it， click here。 Sarcasm sums it up really。
Katherine
，
Somewhat difficult to get into。 Biting satire that's a bit over the top， at times。 Occasionally LOL funny。 Somewhat difficult to get into。 Biting satire that's a bit over the top， at times。 Occasionally LOL funny。 。。。more
Reference
google book https://www.google.com/search?tbm=bks&q=The Sellout
hathitrust digital library https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/ls?q1=The Sellout&field1=ocr&a=srchls&ft=ft&lmt=ft
The British Library https://bll01.primo.exlibrisgroup.com/discovery/search?query=any,contains,The Sellout&tab=LibraryCatalog&search_scope=Not_BL_Suppress&vid=44BL_INST:BLL01&lang=en&offset=0