"This majestic, moving novel is an instant classic, a book that will be read, discussed, and taught beyond the rest of our lives."

--Chicago Tribune

"A quietly moving novel [that] takes us back to a place we've been before to impart a lesson for living"

--San Francisco Chronicle


In a novel that has been compared to the works of Richard Wright, James Baldwin, and William Faulkner, Ernest J. Gaines demonstrates the ways in which people stubbornly declare the value of their lives in a time and place where those lives seemingly count for nothing, and where the imprisoned may find freedom even in the moment of their death.

Vintage Books invites you to learn more about Ernest J. Gaines and his acclaimed novel A Lesson Before Dying. Read the first chapter and follow along as the author reads a selection, participate in our discussion forum, and discover more books by Ernest J. Gaines. A Reading Group Guide and a Teacher's Guide are available online to augment your discussion. Be sure to explore all of our Reading Group Guides and Teacher's Guides to find out about other great titles from Vintage Books and Random House, Inc.



Books@Random | Vintage Reading Group Center