So much to read, so little time? This brief overview of The Underground Railroad tells you what you need to know--before or after you read Colson Whitehead's book.

Crafted and edited with care, Worth Books set the standard for quality and give you the tools you need to be a well-informed reader.

This short summary and analysis of The Underground Railroad by Colson Whitehead includes:

• Historical context
• Chapter-by-chapter summaries
• Analysis of the main characters
• Themes and symbols
• Important quotes
• Fascinating trivia
• Glossary of terms
• Supporting material to enhance your understanding of the original work

Colson Whitehead's National Book Award-winning The Underground Railroad is a bold, original, and unflinchingly brutal portrait of slavery during the darkest period in American history.

On the cusp of womanhood, Cora is a runaway slave, pursued by her memories of abuse and abandonment, and by the implacable and notoriously cruel slave hunter known as Ridgeway. Her journey on the Underground Railroad--in Whitehead's conceit, a literal, subterranean railway--propels her journey across a dangerous landscape in search of freedom.

The summary and analysis in this book are intended to complement your reading experience and bring you closer to a great work of fiction.