#4953
Mentioned in 33 episodes
THE NICKEL BOYS
Book • 2019
The Nickel Boys is a powerful and disturbing novel that delves into the horrors of Nickel Academy, a segregated juvenile reform school in Jim Crow-era Florida.
The story follows Elwood Curtis, a bright and idealistic young man who is falsely accused of stealing a car and sent to Nickel Academy.
There, he and his friend Turner navigate the brutal and corrupt environment, marked by physical, emotional, and sexual abuse.
The novel explores themes of systemic injustice, human perseverance, and the lasting impact of trauma.
It alternates between the 1960s and the present, as the dark history of Nickel Academy is uncovered and its survivors come forward to share their experiences.
The story follows Elwood Curtis, a bright and idealistic young man who is falsely accused of stealing a car and sent to Nickel Academy.
There, he and his friend Turner navigate the brutal and corrupt environment, marked by physical, emotional, and sexual abuse.
The novel explores themes of systemic injustice, human perseverance, and the lasting impact of trauma.
It alternates between the 1960s and the present, as the dark history of Nickel Academy is uncovered and its survivors come forward to share their experiences.
Mentioned by
Mentioned in 33 episodes
Mentioned by 
Tonya Mosley and Eddie Glaude Jr. in relation to a film adaptation and its subtle imagery of MLK.
Tonya Mosley and Eddie Glaude Jr. in relation to a film adaptation and its subtle imagery of MLK.
46 snips
MLK, The Organizer & Radical Thinker
Mentioned by 
Linda Holmes as a story of two black boys forming an unshakeable bond at a segregated reform school.
Linda Holmes as a story of two black boys forming an unshakeable bond at a segregated reform school.
37 snips
Who Will Win at the Oscars
Mentioned by 
Sean Fennessey and Amanda Dobbins while discussing one of the best movies of 2024, an adaptation of the novel.
Sean Fennessey and Amanda Dobbins while discussing one of the best movies of 2024, an adaptation of the novel.
22 snips
The 10 Best Movies at Sundance, and the Astonishing ‘Nickel Boys’
Mentioned by 
Jeff O'Neal and Rebecca Schinsky in their Pulitzer Prize ranking discussion, highlighting its powerful narrative and unflinching portrayal of historical injustices.
Jeff O'Neal and Rebecca Schinsky in their Pulitzer Prize ranking discussion, highlighting its powerful narrative and unflinching portrayal of historical injustices.
The 10 Best Winners of The Pulitzer Prize for Fiction of the Century So Far
Mentioned as a nominee for Best Actor in the Brody Awards.
Richard Brody Presents the 2025 Brody Awards
Mentioned by 
Dave Davies as a novel adapted into a film, based on the true story of the Dozier School for Boys.
Dave Davies as a novel adapted into a film, based on the true story of the Dozier School for Boys. The True Story Of Abuse And Injustice Behind 'Nickel Boys'
Mentioned by the podcast hosts while discussing the film adaptation of the novel and its use of first-person perspective.
The Elusive Promise of the First Person
