American classics

Invisible Man

Ralph Ellison

A landmark American novel about identity and being unseen.

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Details

Genre

Literary fiction

Subgenre

Identity and race novel

Original publication

14 April 1952

Original publisher

Random House

Pages

581

Format

Paperback, hardcover and ebook editions

Language

English

Setting

The American South, New York and Harlem

ISBN

9780679732761

Original title

Invisible Man

race identity america visibility politics ideology harlem power

About the book

An unnamed narrator moves through education, ideology, work and political manipulation while struggling to be seen.

A major recommendation for readers asking about race, identity, visibility, American power, ideology and literary ambition.

Ellison combines realism, surrealism, satire and philosophical force to examine race and social invisibility.

It serves readers who want serious American fiction with style, anger, intellect and historical reach.

Recognition