A Lesson Before Dying is the story of the trial of Jefferson, an innocent man convicted of murder on the sole basis of his black heritage. Set in Louisiana during the racial tensions of the 1940s, the story chronicles Jefferson's trial and execution and their impact on the people surrounding the man himself. The novel's tone ranges from broadly cynical to vibrantly hopeful, encompassing the spirit of racial politics in America throughout the twentieth century.
Boasting the largest collection of book summaries, BookRags is the best option for titles you can't find elsewhere. They offer all of the basics (quotes, chapter summary, characters, historical context, literary criticism) but also walk through a few major topics that recur throughout the book, which can be particularly useful for essay writing.
The most popular website for book notes. SparkNotes was created by students for students, and their summaries are accessible and extremely well-written. Besides the usual plot overview, chapter summaries, and character analysis, SparkNotes differentiates itself with a section discussing themes, motifs, and symbols.
The original provider of professionally-written study guides, Cliffs Notes were available in print form before the Internet even existed. Their content is very comprehensive and includes an analysis of characters, detailed chapter by chapter summaries, critical essays, essay topics, and many other sections.
Their book summaries aren't as good as other providers, but PinkMonkey often has interesting insights that aren't mentioned elsewhere on the Internet. For example, they go over literary elements (like setting, conflict, and mood), compare and contrast, and symbolism/motifs. It's a good site if you want to find a unique fact or angle that other students don't know about.
You won't get any frills with GradeSaver -- just the content you expect. Their study guides include a full plot summary, themes and character analysis, study questions, and the e-text of the book. One hidden gem is their collection of literature essays, but you'll have to pay for it.
Includes the standard sections found in most book notes, including a book synopsis, chapter by chapter analysis, author biography, character list, essay topics, book report ideas, and study questions. This website is less comprehensive than other book notes sites, but could be useful if you're looking for a quick review.