50 Must-Read 50 Beta
← The Must-Read 50
Cover of If I Survive You by Jonathan EscofferyIf I Survive You
New · Fiction, Family, Short Stories

If I Survive You

by Jonathan Escoffery
2022 · 194 pages · Fiction
Critics' pick
≈ 5 hours to read · about 10 days at 30 minutes a day

What it's about

In the 1970s, Topper and Sanya flee political violence in Jamaica for Miami. Connected stories follow their family striving for more there.

Why it's worth reading

It was a finalist for the Booker Prize.

You'll love it if you liked

Good to know

It's linked short stories that read like a novel.

By the numbers

57.2Must-Read Score
  • Readers12 out of 100 · counts 42%
  • Critics32 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
  • Bestseller10 out of 100 · counts 14%
  • Buzz37 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

Why it made the list

Shortlisted
Booker Prize finalist (2023)

Reads as

Moving

How we rank

Already read it? Upload your Goodreads or StoryGraph history and get the 50 best books you haven't read, tuned to your taste.Get my 50

If you like this, read next

Cover of James by Percival EverettJames
JamesPercival Everett
Cover of Demon Copperhead by Barbara KingsolverDemon Copperhead
Demon CopperheadBarbara Kingsolver
Cover of The Women by Kristin HannahThe Women
The WomenKristin Hannah
Cover of Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van PeltRemarkably Bright Creatures
Remarkably Bright CreaturesShelby Van Pelt
Cover of Quicksilver by Callie HartQuicksilver
QuicksilverCallie Hart
Cover of The Love Songs of W.E.B. Du Bois by Honorée Fanonne JeffersThe Love Songs of W.E.B. Du Bois
The Love Songs of W.E.B. Du BoisHonorée Fanonne Jeffers

Explore the best-of lists

All 47 best-of lists →

Quick answers

Is If I Survive You worth reading?

Yes. It was a finalist for the Booker Prize. It ranks #2,778 of the 3,056 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 57.2 (the best book we found scores 99).

What is If I Survive You about?

In the 1970s, Topper and Sanya flee political violence in Jamaica for Miami. Connected stories follow their family striving for more there.

How long does it take to read If I Survive You?

About 5 hours (194 pages), or about 10 days at 30 minutes a day.

What should I read after If I Survive You?

If you liked it, try Olive Kitteridge by Elizabeth Strout, Americanah by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie or The Turner House by Angela Flournoy.