Colson Whitehead's "Harlem Shuffle: A Novel"

Oliver Page: I was drawn to read Harlem Shuffle through the title itself and the positive reviews. Undoubtedly Colin Whitehead doesn’t disappoint as a writer. The smooth streetwise style offers the company of a narrative voice somewhere between a hard boiled Chandler and a lighter more colorful modern voice. The main character Ray Carney is a furniture salesman in Harlem in the early 60s. The three loosely connected stories from Carney’s life see him walking the fine line between his progress as an entrepreneur and upright citizen, and his hidden connections with local petty criminals that drag him closer to a far more dangerous world of organized crime. It’s an enjoyable read set against the turbulent backdrop of the American history of its time, without ever overstating the author’s political position ~ not difficult to grasp as the racism and segregation of the black community of the seems unimaginable in the modern day. A good read although fairly understated, so without particular emotional involvement. Recommended!

Italy on Dec 03, 2023

Andrew Desmond: “Harlem Shuffle” by Colson Whitehead is a wonderful romp of a crime (heist?) novel set in 1960s New York City. After a slow start, it progressively picks up pace. I found myself increasing entranced by both the plot and the extraordinary cast of characters.

In essence, the story centres around Ray Carney and his business. Ostensibly, Carney is the owner of a furniture store on 125th Street in Harlem. However, early on, he is introduced to a side hussle by being a “fence” for the Hotel Theresa heist. Although not necessarily enjoying the life of crime, it helps Carney pay the bills. All seems fine until, one day, his cousin, Freddie, asks him to hold a brief case for safe keeping. As it turns out, this will be a fateful decision for Carney. It draws him deeper and deeper into a world of crime where he is, definitely, in over his head.

Colson Whitehead is an accomplished writer. The fact that he has previously been awarded two Pulitzer Prizes should prove this point. In “Harlem Shuffle”, he is at the top of his game. His descriptions of New York in the 1960s are totally plausible and his characters are both real and funny.

A very enjoyable novel.

United States on Nov 19, 2023

Richard Porter: A good story well told by a master craftsman. I enjoyed the writing as much as the story. Highly recommended

United States on Nov 18, 2023

Stephen V. Hawkins: looking forward for the next installment . cheers

Canada on Sep 30, 2023

Lucy: I liked this book a lot. Whitehead's writing is exquisite and the complex plot of this story serves as his vehicle to tell a deeper story--one of NYC in the late 1950's and early 60's when things were beginning to change. I had relatives who were cops in Harlem and Bedford-Stuyvesant in those days (50'-60's) and this account rings true. It is also a story about what has changed but more importantly about what has never really changed in this city and beyond. The characters were well developed and I found myself rooting for this criminal furniture salesman (it's all about degree, right?) The culture of crime has its own "good guys" in literature. I have read other books by Whitehead and they were excellent. This one, though, had me staying up late into the night reading it.

United States on Sep 29, 2023

Bhamdo: What can I say? Whitehead brings us Ray Carney a character who you can't help but root for . As he navigates Harlem, walking that narrow path between straight and crooked. He has built the life he has aspired for. And yet there is Freddie his cousin. Freddie is living the crimes life. He is a small time never do well. Their bond is strong bonded as lonely little boys left on their own for too many hours. Freddie seems stuck in that carefree mischief. A Harlan Peter Pan when drags Roy over to the crooked side on occasion. Love, loyalty, the everyday hustle of living in a segregated New York where everything is on display, but too much of it is out of reach. A Harlem where racist abusive cops are a way of life. As is payouts for protection, and small time crooks showing up at the backdoor with gently used goods to be sold. a get read.

United States on Sep 04, 2023

Client d'Amazon: Franchement, j’ai trouvé ce livre génial. L’ambiance y est décrite comme si on y était. J’ai beaucoup aimé le ton utilisé pour écrire l’histoire entre humour noir et fausse sagesse. L’histoire d’un homme propre aux mains sales, mais tout dans la dignité ! Je devrais dire les histoires, car ce livre est écrit en plusieurs sketchs mais avec les mêmes personnages. Du moins ceux qui restent….À découvrir !

France on Aug 20, 2023

Christianne Pask: Overall this story turned out as expected. No big surprises yet some good characters. Ray Carney and his life toils with misshapen relationships.

United Kingdom on Jun 26, 2023

Cheshire Tiger: This was a book group choice and I shuffled through it contentedly. It's not the lightest read but it's a good book, a fascinating look at the Harlem of sixty years ago. Of course the author was not born at the time, but he seems to have a very lucid picture of the 'state within a state' that Harlem was. Also, he comes from a privileged, black Manhattan background, so there's no chip on his shoulder. I'm sure that things are generally better now than they were then, but there's an interesting irony (coupled with nostalgia) in the destruction of swathes of the old New York City to build the World Trade Centre.

United Kingdom on Apr 06, 2023

Timothy Haugh: Before this, I’d read two novels by Mr. Whitehead: Nickel Boys and The Underground Railroad. Both of these are very good novels filled with great characters and powerful moments; however, I wouldn’t rank them among the great novels. My main complaint with both is weaknesses in plotting. In essence, the author gets in the way of the story. What he is trying to accomplish in these novels interferes with good storytelling.

I know a number of readers who enjoyed this novel less than the other two I’ve mentioned. Perhaps they missed the excesses that make episodes of those books so memorable. I, on the other hand, find this to be the best novel Mr. Whitehead has written so far. Other than having to hear Mick Jagger’s brassy voice in my head every time I think of the title of this novel thanks to the Stones’ song of the same name, I have few complaints about this novel and much praise. It is simply a well-told story without anything getting in the way of that.

The novel takes place over a handful of years in the late fifties/early sixties. Mr. Whitehead is an absolute master of character which makes it no surprise that Carney, our protagonist, is full of depths....

United States on Feb 21, 2022