by Colson Whitehead
Reviewed by Janet:
This short novel takes us to the Jim Crow South in the 1960s, where Elwood, a hardworking and intelligent young man, has been raised by his grandmother. On the verge of finishing high school and heading to college, Elwood’s life is derailed and forever changed as he is sent to Nickel Academy, a juvenile reformatory with many secrets to hide. A startling portrait of racism, injustice, and survival.