What to read, watch, and listen to if you lovedThe Known World
Edward P. Jones · Book · 2009
If you loved The Known World, start with The Good Lord Bird (Mark Richard, 2020) — a series on the same thread. Below: 4 films, 4 series and 2 podcasts, each matched to The Known World across media.
What hooked you in The Known World is how it exposes the complex, uncomfortable moral contradictions embedded within the American institution of slavery.
Films on the same thread
12 Years a Slave
Steve McQueen · Film · 2013
Explores: Injustice, Survival, Loss of Freedom.
Like The Known World, this story forces a confrontation with the brutal reality of human bondage while focusing on the interior struggle to maintain dignity amidst systemic dehumanization.
Glory
Edward Zwick · Film · 1989
Shares a thread with The Known World: identity.
If you appreciated the examination of power dynamics in The Known World, you will find this exploration of military leadership and racial prejudice equally compelling and historically grounded.
Mudbound
Dee Rees · Film · 2017
Explores: Racial Prejudice, Post-War Trauma, Class Conflict.
This film mirrors the Southern setting and the focus on social hierarchies found in The Known World, illustrating how landscape and history shape the lives of disparate families.
Gone with the Wind
Victor Fleming · Film · 1939
Explores: Survival, Reconstruction Era, Lost Cause.
While distinct in tone, this epic shares the preoccupation with the American South during the Reconstruction Era, offering a broader look at the societal shifts that The Known World explores.
Series on the same thread
Roots
Alex Haley · Series · 1977
Explores: Family Saga, Cultural Identity, Oppression and Resistance.
Just as The Known World traces the legacy of slavery, this expansive family saga documents the persistence of cultural identity and the weight of generational trauma across American history.
The Good Lord Bird
Mark Richard · Series · 2020
Explores: Abolitionism, Racial Identity, Religious Fanaticism.
This series shares the interest in the moral complexities of the antebellum period found in The Known World, using an unconventional lens to examine abolitionism and racial identity.
The Waltons
Earl Hamner, Jr. · Series · 1972
Shares a thread with The Known World: Morality.
If the rural Virginia setting of The Known World drew you in, this series provides a different, domestic perspective on the evolving social fabric of that same region.
The Book of Negroes
Clement Virgo · Series · 2015
Shares a thread with The Known World: Identity.
This narrative mirrors the focus on survival and identity seen in The Known World, documenting the harrowing journey of an individual navigating the restrictive laws of the nineteenth century.
Podcasts on the same thread
1619
The New York Times · Podcast · 2019
Explores: systemic racism, national identity, legacy of slavery.
This podcast serves as a non-fiction companion to The Known World, deeply investigating the foundational systemic racism and the enduring legacy of slavery that the novel depicts.
S-Town
Serial Productions · Podcast · 2024
Explores: small-town isolation, eccentricity, social decay.
Those who enjoyed the character-driven, atmospheric exploration of a specific Southern community in The Known World will appreciate this investigative deep dive into the isolation of Alabama.
Keep exploring
Common questions
Is The Known World based on a true story?
The Known World is an acclaimed novel written by Edward P. Jones. While it explores the historical reality of slave owners in Virginia, it is a work of fiction that earned the Pulitzer Prize for its narrative about the character Henry Townsend.
Who is the main character in The Known World?
The central figure in The Known World is Henry Townsend. He is a black farmer and former slave who resides in Manchester County, Virginia, where he operates his affairs with discipline as a slave owner within the boundaries of the law.
What is the primary setting of The Known World?
The Known World is set in Manchester County, Virginia. The novel follows the life of Henry Townsend, who manages his affairs in this location while navigating the complex and challenging social landscape of the time period.
Did Edward P. Jones win any awards for The Known World?
Yes, Edward P. Jones won the Pulitzer Prize for The Known World. In addition to this honor, Jones is recognized as a two-time National Book Award finalist, cementing his reputation as an acclaimed author in contemporary literature.