A Raisin in the Sun vs Once an Eagle: Which Should You Read?
Both live on shelves: 20th Century, American, History
A Raisin in the Sun
This groundbreaking play starred Sidney Poitier, Claudia McNeill, Ruby Dee and Diana Sands in the Broadway production which opened in 1959. Set on Chicago's South Side, the plot revolves around the divergent dreams and…
vs
Once an Eagle
Required reading for West Point cadets, Once An Eagle is the story of one special man, a soldier named Sam Damon, and his adversary over a lifetime, fellow officer Courtney Massengale. Damon is a professional who puts…
The verdict
- Readers rate Once an Eagle highest: Once an Eagle 4.4 · A Raisin in the Sun 3.9.
- A Raisin in the Sun is the quickest read — about 2 hours vs 24 for Once an Eagle.
- A Raisin in the Sun has the widest readership — 114798 ratings behind its score.
- A Raisin in the Sun runs the darker storyline; Once an Eagle stays the lighter read.
How to choose
Want a one-evening read?
A Raisin in the Sun
≈ 2h vs 24h for Once an Eagle
Just want the better-reviewed one?
Once an Eagle
4.4 vs 3.9 from readers
New to the genre?
A Raisin in the Sun
Moderate vs Challenging for Once an Eagle
In the mood for something dark?
A Raisin in the Sun
a darker storyline than Once an Eagle
Want something lighter?
Once an Eagle
an easier tone than A Raisin in the Sun
Scores by source
| A Raisin in the Sun | Once an Eagle | |
|---|---|---|
| Goodreads | 3.9 (114798) | — |
| Hardcover | 3.0 (1) | 3.9 (4) |
| Apple Books | 4.0 (586) | 4.5 (350) |
Reception
| A Raisin in the Sun | Once an Eagle | |
|---|---|---|
| Ratings | 114798 | 350 |
| Editions | 80 | 14 |
| Citations | — | 6 |
| Film adaptations | 1 | 1 |
| Want to read | 46189 | — |
| Pages | 146 | 1312 |