![]() With sparing prose packed with a punch, Whitehead’s latest work is a realistic portrayal of how quickly life can get out of hand, as well as the forces-historical, institutional, and familial-that can propel any of us in a direction we didn’t think possible. But when his cousin, Freddie, pulls him into a heist, we’re forced to ask, “Just how crooked will Carney become?” Carney dreams of a better life for his family, and this motivates him to act as a go-between for thieves and those who acquire their stolen gems, TVs, and radios. Set in 1950s and 60s Harlem, Whitehead sucks us into the world of Ray Carney, a furniture salesman best described as “curved”-not exactly straight, but not exactly crooked. ![]() The man doesn’t miss.Īnd Harlem Shuffle is no exception. John Henry Days, Apex Hides the Hurt, The Underground Railroad-novels as exciting and varied as an advent calendar, all connected by themes of power, representation, and America. As someone who grew up there and often felt like an outsider, it spoke to me. My introduction to the two-time Pulitzer winner was Sag Harbor a story about a Black kid who spends the summer on Long Island. ![]() When it comes to Colson Whitehead’s plots, you never know what you’re going to get. ![]()
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