

#538
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 

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in their Pulitzer Prize ranking discussion, highlighting its powerful narrative and unflinching portrayal of historical injustices.


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Mentioned by the podcast hosts while discussing the film adaptation of the novel and its use of first-person perspective.

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