It’s a superlative story, but the most impressive achievement is Whitehead’s loving depiction of a Harlem 60 years gone-“that rustling, keening thing of people and concrete”-which lands as detailed and vivid as Joyce’s Dublin. These and other characters force Carney to decide just how bent he wants to be. A husband, a father, and the son of a man who once worked as muscle for a local crime boss, Carney is “only slightly bent when it to being crooked.” But when his cousin Freddie-whose stolen goods Carney occasionally fences through his furniture store-decides to rob the historic Hotel Theresa, a lethal cast of underworld figures enter Carney’s life, among them the mobster Chink Montague, “known for his facility with a straight razor” WWII veteran Pepper and the murderous, purple-suited Miami Joe, Whitehead’s answer to No Country for Old Men’s Anton Chigurh. It’s 1959 and Ray Carney has built an “unlikely kingdom” selling used furniture. GradeSaver, 29 September 2021 Web.Two-time Pulitzer winner Whitehead ( The Nickel Boys) returns with a sizzling heist novel set in civil rights–era Harlem.

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Whitehead addresses crucial societal menaces affecting the African-American community and the society at large like corruption, privilege, power, race, morality, crime, civil rights, and black heritage. The story is surely entertaining and full of humor, as it undoubtedly highlights African-American's prowess in writing crime sagas. These criminal operations are damaging to the community, and Whitehead uses this novel to raise subtle political and social commentary that go a long way to complement the story of African-Americans trying to escape the trappings of poverty and lead decent lives. Whitehead exceptionally paints a vivid picture using his powerful words to depict a neighborhood that's culturally diverse and closely intertwined, that everyone in Harlem seems like part of one big family.Įverything though is not as they seem, as there exists a very influential underground world of crime that has a grip on Harlem.

Set in the vibrant and booming city of New York, Harlem of the 1950s and 60s, it explores the everyday life of the people that live in this inviting yet chaotic community. We are thankful for their contributions and encourage you to make your own.Ĭolson Whitehead ventures into new territories, moving away from the heavy-handed social commentary, and into a close-knit story about family, loyalty, and crime. These notes were contributed by members of the GradeSaver community.

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