Pulitzer Prize Fiction Winner

The Confessions of Nat Turner

by William Styron

Summary

A fictionalized first-person account of the 1831 slave rebellion in Virginia, told through the voice of its leader, Nat Turner, as he awaits execution.

Historical Context & Significance

The book was a massive bestseller but sparked a firestorm of controversy; many Black critics and historians denounced Styron (a white man) for his portrayal of Turner.