The Souls of Black Folk vs Up from Slavery: Which Should You Read?
Both live on shelves: Afro-Americans, Sociology, African Americans, United States, Nonfiction, Biography & Memoir
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.”
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.
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Up from Slavery
“I WAS born a slave on a plantation in Franklin County, Virginia.”
Booker T. Washington, the most recognized national leader, orator and educator, emerged from slavery in the deep south, to work for the betterment of African Americans in the post Reconstruction period. "Up From…
The verdict
- Ratings are close across the board — any is a safe pick by score.
- The Souls of Black Folk has the widest readership — 45888 ratings behind its score.
- The Souls of Black Folk reaches further in scholarship and criticism — cited 139 times.
How to choose
Scores by source
| The Souls of Black Folk | Up from Slavery | |
|---|---|---|
| Goodreads | 4.3 (45888) | 4.1 (36852) |
| Hardcover | — | 5.0 (1) |
| Google Books | 4.5 (3) | — |
| Apple Books | 4.5 (137) | 4.5 (750) |
Reception
| The Souls of Black Folk | Up from Slavery | |
|---|---|---|
| Ratings | 45888 | 36852 |
| Editions | 412 | 430 |
| Citations | 139 | 17 |
| Film adaptations | 1 | 1 |
| Want to read | 86733 | 38259 |
| Reading it now | 7561 | 3344 |
| Written reviews | 2580 | 2627 |
| Wikipedia attention | 3479 | 1399 |
| Pages | 232 | 168 |