A Raisin in the Sun vs The Souls of Black Folk: Which Should You Read?
Both live on shelves: Afro-Americans, Race Relations, African Americans, History
A Raisin in the Sun
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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…
The Souls of Black Folk
“BETWEEN me and the other world there is ever an unasked question: unasked by some through feelings of delicacy; by others through the difficulty of rightly framing it.”
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Du Bois' 1903 collection of essays is a thoughtful, articulate exploration of the moral and intellectual issues surrounding the perception of blacks within American society.
Side by side
The verdict
- Readers rate The Souls of Black Folk highest: The Souls of Black Folk 4.3 · A Raisin in the Sun 3.9.
- A Raisin in the Sun has the widest readership — 114798 ratings behind its score.
- A Raisin in the Sun runs the darker storyline; The Souls of Black Folk stays the lighter read.
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How to choose
Scores by source
| A Raisin in the Sun | The Souls of Black Folk | |
|---|---|---|
| Goodreads | 3.9 (114798) | 4.3 (45888) |
| Hardcover | 3.0 (1) | — |
| Google Books | — | 4.5 (3) |
| Apple Books | 4.0 (586) | 4.5 (137) |
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Reception
| A Raisin in the Sun | The Souls of Black Folk | |
|---|---|---|
| Ratings | 114798 | 45888 |
| Editions | 80 | 412 |
| Citations | — | 139 |
| Film adaptations | 1 | 1 |
| Want to read | 46189 | 86733 |
| Reading it now | 2062 | 7561 |
| Written reviews | 6580 | 2580 |
| Wikipedia attention | 15794 | 3479 |
| Pages | 146 | 232 |
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Questions readers ask
Which is rated higher: A Raisin in the Sun or The Souls of Black Folk?
The Souls of Black Folk has the higher combined reader rating across sources (The Souls of Black Folk 4.3/5, A Raisin in the Sun 3.9/5).
Which is shorter to read: A Raisin in the Sun or The Souls of Black Folk?
A Raisin in the Sun is the quickest read. Estimated at 225 words per minute: A Raisin in the Sun (146 pages, ≈ 2 h 42 m); The Souls of Black Folk (232 pages, ≈ 4 h 18 m).
Which is harder to read: A Raisin in the Sun or The Souls of Black Folk?
Estimated difficulty, based on era, reader shelves and length — A Raisin in the Sun: Moderate; The Souls of Black Folk: Demanding.