Harlem Shuffle

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Book Review: 

“Ray was only slightly bent when it came to being crooked…”

In “Harlem Shuffle”, Pulitzer Prize winning author Colson Whitehead takes us on a gritty excursion through one of America’s most iconic neighborhoods during the social unrest of the 1960’s.

Ray Carney is a black furniture store owner struggling to raise himself and his young family out of the poverty and crime of the slums. Not an easy task when surrounded by vicious gangs, unscrupulous law enforcement, junkies and prostitutes, heists, riots, and a ne’er-do-well cousin who keeps dropping trouble on his doorstep. Sound grim? Actually, the book is surprisingly upbeat and fun. Colorful characters abound, and there is a good-humored exuberance that permeates even the darkest scenes. Considering racism and corruption are predominant themes, this is an unexpected pleasure for the reader. If you’ve read the book, let me know what you think of it in the comments section.

Recommendation: A definite must read for those interested in black America in the 1960s, or anyone looking for a lighthearted, intelligent crime novel that won’t mire you down in blood and gore.

Author - Colson Whitehead
Publishing - Doubleday, New York, 2021
Genre - historical fiction, crime
Pages - 318

Mr. Wedel

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