Colson Whitehead on His Harlem Trilogy

About this episode

<p>Colson Whitehead is one the few novelists, and the only still alive, to win two Pulitzer Prizes for Fiction—for “<a href="https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/232365/the-underground-railroad-pulitzer-prize-winner-by-colson-whitehead/" rel="noopener noreferrer">The Underground Railroad</a>” and “<a href="https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/223161/the-nickel-boys-winner-2020-pulitzer-prize-for-fiction-by-colson-whitehead/" rel="noopener noreferrer">The Nickel Boys</a>.” Whitehead’s protagonist in the Harlem trilogy is Ray Carney, a small-time crook who fences stolen goods while working as a furniture salesman. Ray first appeared in “<a href="https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/608669/harlem-shuffle-by-colson-whitehead/" rel="noopener noreferrer">Harlem Shuffle</a>,” and the final book of the trilogy, “<a href="https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/742026/cool-machine-by-colson-whitehead/" rel="noopener noreferrer">Cool Machine</a>,” will be published in July. David Remnick and Whitehead discuss the trilogy’s second book, “<a href="https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/608670/crook-manifesto-by-colson-whitehead/" rel="noopener noreferrer">Crook Manifesto</a>,” and how David Bowie inspired Whitehead’s genre-hopping approach to fiction.</p> <p><i>This segment originally aired on July 21, 2023.</i></p> <p>Further reading and listening: </p> <ul> <li>“<a href="https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2021/07/26/the-theresa-job#rid=e958a2c0-9b19-4097-8074-a6b9b7b9c31a&q=colson+whitehead" rel="noopener noreferrer">The Theresa Job</a>,” by Colson Whitehead</li> <li>“<a href="https://www.newyorker.com/books/this-week-in-fiction/colson-whitehead-07-26-21#rid=e958a2c0-9b19-4097-8074-a6b9b7b9c31a&q=colson+whitehead" rel="noopener noreferrer">Colson Whitehead on Historical Heists</a>,” by Deborah Treisman</li> <li>“<a href="https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2019/04/01/the-match#rid=c6981f06-97f1-4369-85b1-58feb2d1fca6&q=colson+whitehead" rel="noopener noreferrer">The Match</a>,” by Colson Whitehead</li> </ul> <p> </p> <p>New episodes of The New Yorker Radio Hour drop every Tuesday and Friday. Join host David Remnick as he discusses the latest in politics, news, and current events in conversation with political leaders, newsmakers, innovators, <i>New Yorker</i> staff writers, authors, actors, and musicians.</p><br/> <p>Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See <a href="https://pcm.adswizz.com">pcm.adswizz.com</a> for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.</p>