A Rage in HarlemA Rage in Harlem
Score Classic
What it's about
Jackson's girlfriend Imabelle finds him a 'foolproof' way to turn ten-dollar bills into hundreds. When the scheme goes wrong, he's broke, wanted by the police and racing to get back his money and his woman.
Why it's worth reading
It's on the Guardian's list of 1,000 novels everyone must read. It's the first of Chester Himes's novels about the hard-boiled Harlem detectives Coffin Ed Johnson and Grave Digger Jones.
You'll love it if you liked
Devil in a Blue Dress
The Big Sleep
The Friends of Eddie CoyleGood to know
It's violent and very funny.
By the numbers
- Readers49 out of 100 · counts 42%
- Critics30 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
- Bestseller1 out of 100 · counts 14%
- Buzz0 out of 100 · counts 10%
Critics and Bestseller are two ways to earn a place: a book's stronger one counts more. Buzz rewards recent bestseller weeks and prizes, so older books start at zero. The parts combine into the Must-Read Score, shown on a scale where the best book we found scores 99 and the last book to make the ranking scores 50.
Where it ranks
- #398 of the 623 mysteries and thrillers we rank
- #687 of the 924 classics we rank
- #2187 of the 3,057 books we rank
Why it made the list
Reads as
Gripping
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Quick answers
Is A Rage in Harlem worth reading?
Yes. It's on the Guardian's list of 1,000 novels everyone must read. It ranks #2,187 of the 3,057 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 63.3 (the best book we found scores 99).
What is A Rage in Harlem about?
Jackson's girlfriend Imabelle finds him a 'foolproof' way to turn ten-dollar bills into hundreds. When the scheme goes wrong, he's broke, wanted by the police and racing to get back his money and his woman.
How long does it take to read A Rage in Harlem?
About 6 hours (232 pages), or about 2 weeks at 30 minutes a day.
What should I read after A Rage in Harlem?
If you liked it, try Devil in a Blue Dress by Walter Mosley, The Big Sleep by Raymond Chandler or The Friends of Eddie Coyle by George V Higgins.