Life and Times of Michael K
by Colson Whitehead
Life and Times of Michael K by Colson Whitehead holds a well received rating of 3.85 out of 5, based on 10.6K reader ratings. First published in 1983. The book spans 259 pages.
About Life and Times of Michael K
In this wry take on the post-apocalyptic horror novel, a pandemic has devastated the planet. The plague has sorted humanity into two types: the uninfected and the infected, the living and the living dead. Now the plague is receding, and Americans are busy rebuilding civilization under orders from the provisional government based in Buffalo. Their top mission: the resettlement of Manhattan. Armed forces have successfully reclaimed the island south of Canal Street—aka Zone One—but pockets of plague-ridden squatters remain. While the army has eliminated the most dangerous of the infected, teams of civilian volunteers are tasked with clearing out a more innocuous variety—the “malfunctioning” stragglers, who exist in a catatonic state, transfixed by their former lives. Mark Spitz is a member of one of the civilian teams working in lower Manhattan. Alternating between flashbacks of Spitz’s desperate fight for survival during the worst of the outbreak and his present narrative, the novel unfolds over three surreal days, as it depicts the mundane mission of straggler removal, the rigors of Post-Apocalyptic Stress Disorder, and the impossible job of coming to grips with the fallen world. And then things start to go wrong. Both spine chilling and playfully cerebral, Zone One brilliantly subverts the genre’s conventions and deconstructs the zombie myth for the twenty-first century.
| Detail | Value |
|---|---|
| Author | Colson Whitehead |
| Published | 1983 |
| Pages | 259 |
| Genres | Fiction, Horror, Science Fiction, Fantasy, Mystery & Thriller |
| Average Rating | 3.85 / 5.00 |
| Total Ratings | 10,647 |
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Frequently Asked Questions
What genre is Life and Times of Michael K?
Life and Times of Michael K is categorized as Fiction, Horror, Science Fiction, Fantasy. Its primary genre classification is Fantasy.
Is Life and Times of Michael K worth reading?
Based on 10.6K reader ratings, Life and Times of Michael K has an average score of 3.85 out of 5.00, which is considered "Well Received."
How many pages is Life and Times of Michael K?
Life and Times of Michael K has 259 pages.
Who wrote Life and Times of Michael K?
Life and Times of Michael K was written by Colson Whitehead. It was first published in 1983.
What is the ISBN for Life and Times of Michael K?
The ISBN-13 for Life and Times of Michael K is 9780099479150.0.
Data sourced from community book ratings and reviews. Last updated: April 15, 2026
