Harlem Shuffle by Colson Whitehead is a very highly recommended historical fiction novel set in Harlem during the early 1960's.

Ray Carney makes a living for his family selling furniture, some gently used. It is 1959 and he and his wife Elizabeth are expecting their second child. They hope to be able to move into a bigger apartment someday. Despite his background he strives to generally live an upstanding life - with a few exceptions when his cousin Freddy gives him some random stolen item to sell. Then his life begins to change when Freddy tells a group planning to rob the Hotel Theresa, the "Waldorf of Harlem," that Ray can act as a fence for the stolen items. Once Ray's name is out there, the struggle begins as a group of several different underworld figures enter his life, including the mobster Chink Montague, WWII veteran Pepper, the purple-suited Miami Joe, among others and he begins leading a double life. Suddenly Ray needs to decide how much loyalty he owes to Freddy versus his care for his family and business.

Whitehead shows amazing skill and care in creating his characters and setting them into a specific time and place in history, from 1959 to the Harlem riots of 1964. The atmosphere and setting makes you feel as if you were there, in 1960's Harlem and experiencing everything along with Ray. The compelling plot follows Ray's dilemmas in this family and crime novel that can be funny, serious, and somber, but is engaging from start to finish. It is an entertaining novel that captures the time period and lovingly tells the story of one man and his family. The writing is sumptuous and memorable.

Ray is an appealing protagonist and you will like him, always hoping he finds a way through the dilemmas placed in his path. The tests of his character are numerous and what Ray learns along the way is just as important as what he learned in the past. In a real sense Harlem is another character in the story as Whitehead lovingly captures it during this period in time.

Disclosure: My review copy was courtesy of Knopf Doubleday.
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I thoroughly enjoyed Whitehead's newest novel. Set in Harlem in the 1960s, it's full of drama and crime, interesting characters, and a plot that keeps the whole thing moving forward in a brisk fashion. I've read some reviews that call this lighthearted, but I didn't find that to be the case, as it covers a lot of heavy topics, including racism and riots, police brutality, poverty, and moral dilemmas. Highly recommended. I was provided a free copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This 1950-60s crime drama from Colson Whitehead continues his exploration of African American experiences. A wonderful read, seemingly light, but full of depth of character and culture.

Ray Carney is working as hard as he can to make a better life- and get an apartment on Riverside Drive- for himself, his wife Elizabeth, and their daughter May. He has a furniture store and a small side line as a fence. His cousin Freddie, oh Freddie, can't stay away from trouble and he gets involved with a robbery, he sucks Ray into a problem that will haunt and hover over him throughout the rest of this wonderful novel. Ray, while a generous man in some ways, is also vindictive and when he is ripped off by a man who appears to the world to be an upstanding citizen, he contrives to bring him down. The world, and Harlem, is changing and Ray works hard to keep what he's got. He's an amazing character but so are all the others, especially Pepper, a hard man who has a soft side for children and Ray. Freddie's relationship with Linus, a Park Avenue heir, has a spiraling impact on everyone. There is wonderful imagery. Whitehead's storytelling and gorgeous prose pulled me in immediately and kept me reading past when I should have put it down. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. A terrific read that I can't recommend more highly.

Ray Carney, wanting to get away from his family history of crime, opens a gently used furniture store in Harlem. He sees himself as a middleman to the to and from of objects, a churn of property, and he was just the facilitator of that churn...and if some of those objects come from nefarious means, how is he to blame?
But when his cousin names him to a shady new group of friends who plan to run the Hotel Theresa, all of a sudden, Ray's shop is frequented by assorted lowlifes and shady cops. He looks for a better life, a better home, but this is no way to get it. He has to work hard to get himself, his cousin, and his shop back out of trouble.
I loved the descriptions of different areas and neighborhoods in Harlem in the 60s from Ray's perspective. I like how he'd choose a house or apartment and imagine his family living there. I really respected Ray for trying to provide for his family in the mostly legal way and get away from his father's criminal ways.
I received an advance reader copy of this book through NetGalley. The views and opinions expressed in this review are completely my own and given voluntarily.

Different from Whitehead’ s other novels but still a tour de force like the others. A crime sorry set in Harlem about a con man with a soul. Loved everything about this book.

Another excellent novel from Colson Whitehead. I loved his take on a crime novel as much as I loved getting to see his humor and gift for characterization. Whitehead uses the genre to explore moral ambiguity and social issues and daily life alike. Most of all, this is the best, most accurate depiction of New York City - its streets, spirit, struggle - that I've read in a while, and you can feel how well-researched and honestly felt his vision of 60s Harlem is.

Thanks to Doubleday and NetGalley for an ARC.

This didn't floor me in the same way that The Underground Railroad or The Nickel Boys did, but I don't think that's its aim. This is a heist novel, but it's less about the heists (which I would have read so much more about than what's given) and more about the way these characters change over time and deal with the gray areas they find themselves in. This has some legitimately hilarious moments, some tension, and a few recurring motifs I really loved whenever they popped up. One of the pieces rolling out this week mentioned Colson Whitehead's already writing what these characters are up to in the 1970s, and I'm absolutely picking that up day one if it comes to fruition.

Ray Carney is a furniture salesman in Harlem in 1959. He seems like a decent guy, as he says “I may be broke, but I ain’t crooked.” But he isn’t really straight either. I don’t know what I expected, but it in a very good way. This book was gritty and bare. The story didn’t try to pretty Harlem up, I can only imagine how roughy it was in the 60’s for the black community. I like Ray, I liked his demeanor and his outlook on life. He was in a rough time in history, they were rocky waters to navigate.


*I received this book as an Advanced Reader's Copy (ARC) through NetGalley. I received this copy free in exchange for my honest review.*

Colson Whitehead hits another one out of the ballpark. It amazes me how a single author can write such distinct novels. Whitehead's newest book is to Harlem what Deacon King Kong is to Brooklyn. I felt transported to mid-century Harlem's streets through Whitehead's writing - and that's why I read. I want to see a bit of the world from someone else's perspective. This novel delivers.

The characters, plot, and descriptive prose kept me fully absorbed in this novel. I read it with a Kindle which was very helpful as there is a large cast of characters. The "search this book" feature came in handy. I read many audiobooks, but this one would have been difficult to follow in that format.

I also appreciated the juxtaposition of the Harlem hustles against the big-wig hustles in Manhatten. It makes one think about the parallels as well as the frustration of living in communities that are hustle-driven.

Readers looking for an original take on NYC culture and history must add this book to their reading list. I think it pairs well with The Autobiography of Malcolm X.

I am waiting for the movie. This book will be fantastic as a film.

NetGalley provided me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I had trouble sinking into the story right away but once the characters began talking about their heist of the Hotel Theresa it became quicker. It provided interesting insight into the criminal world and how people might find themselves in it. It felt well grounded in time and place.

When I heard this was more in the thriller/heist genre for Colson I was super excited. I love a good thriller and this one does not disappoint (I mean literally Colson can do no wrong!!) From the first page you csare about all the characters whether they are good bad. You can literally feel the time and place as he describes them Almost like being a fly on the wall in a time machine in Harlem. The novel centers around Ray Carney a furniture store owner. It's a novel about being African American in the 60's and what is considered good and bad in a wolrd where you have to what you need to do to survive in an unfair world. Truly a novel for our times. I highly recommend for book clubs that are interested in issues of race. Shufffle to your bookstore now and get this book!!! Thank you to Doubleday and Netgalley for the read. It was truly a gift and a pleasure to read!

I was eagerly anticipating this book even though I have a split record with Whitehead (I loved The Underground Railroad and thought The Nickel Boys was okay). I moved it to the top of my TBR when I heard it compared to Donkey King Kong, my favorite book from last year. And that reviewer was right in the beginning; it totally had those DKK vibes. Unfortunately for me, the relevance slowly began to fade away and I got to the point where it was a real chore to pick the book up to read.

The story might have been alright, but I had a hard time getting past Whitehead's choppy writing style. It was disjointed and really hard to find my pace. The story felt slow and, overall, I just couldn't ever find my groove with the story.

1959 Harlem, NYC: Ray Carney is a solid-citizen family man and entrepreneur with a furniture store he is pretty proud of...but occasionally he gets drawn into 'crooked complexities' by his cousin Freddie. 'I may be broke, but I ain't crooked,' he likes to believe, but then he admits perhaps he is.

This is an amusing crime novel on one level but also a look at how things really work behind the scenes. Ray learns many lessons and sees there are 'different entrances into one vast, secret city. Ever close, adjacent to all you know, just underneath if you know where to look.'

We may like to think that race relations have vastly improved over the past 60 years but sadly Whitehead shows the more things change, the more they stay the same.

Many thanks for the opportunity to read this new novel from a favorite author. I received an arc from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I enjoyed the ride of this crime novel/family saga/historical fiction that defies definition. Whitehead doesn't disappoint. There are some structural issues that I'm not quite smart enough to break down, but I'm sure someone else will. The story is choppy and I'm not sure that served it well.

Thank you NetGalley and Doubleday books for allowing me to read a digital ARC of Harlem Shuffle by Colson Whitehead.

Colson Whitehead is one of my favorite authors, but this novel is a departure from The Nickel Boys and The Underground Railroad. We are introduced to Ray Carney, a furniture owner, who lives in Harlem in the late 50s and early 60’s. Ray is complex character who wants to take care of his family and move them into a better neighborhood. There is duality is Ray’s life, as he has one foot in a legitimate business and the other in criminal activities. He constantly gets caught in his cousin Freddie’s schemes, heists, and hijinks. Ray is devoted to his wife, aunt, cousin, employees, and an associate of his deceased father, but if crossed, he seeks revenge, but attempts to keep his hand clean, with shady, unreliable characters. This novel touched on a lot of topics germane today – upward mobility, police shootings, racial protests, power, etc. I had ambivalent feelings about Ray even though I understood why he felt animus toward others. There were so many flawed, self-centered, and unlikeable characters in this novel; as a matter of fact, I was overjoyed when I no longer had to read about them. Eventually, Ray, a man who wants to do right, must decide if leading a morally ambiguous life is worth it. Colson Whitehead does capture the ambience of Harlem during this time. Overall, this book is not a quick read, but it is worth reading.

Ray Carney is furniture store owner and family man. He is trying to provide a better life for his expecting wife, Elizabeth and their daughter May. Ray wants to lead a different life from his father Mike, but occasionally his cousin Freddie shows up with some jewelry he needs to sell and Ray assists him in finding a buyer. This arrangement works out well until Freddie ropes Ray into a deal to off load his ill gotten gains from a hotel robbery. After being pulled into this deal Ray struggles to keep his hands clean and provide for his family while also trying to protect his cousin from himself and the shady characters after him.

This historical fiction novel is one I did not know I needed in my life - crime and family drama. Set in Harlem during the 1960's, Ray Carney is a your average everyday furniture salesman. Happily married to the women of his dreams with one child, and another on the way. He is a respectable man, who hides his lawlessness. All is running smoothly until one big heist catches-up with to him, potentially bringing the bad guys to his door. Torn between the danger that is looming and his normal everyday life, can he figure out a path to survive?

Harlem Shuffle's vibrant descriptions of the neighborhoods, the hustle, the community and the political shift during this time period are atmospheric. The secondary cast provides added flavor to the story. Harlem Shuffle is a book that deserves your undivided attention to every word and every sentence. The reader can't afford to miss a thing in this novel. This is the third book I've read by Colson Whitehead, and I have yet to be disappointed.

Thank you PRHA for the complimentary audiobook and NetGalley / DoubleDay for the advance reader copy.

Colson Whitehead has written another masterpiece, this time set in Harlem, where everything changes and yet stays the same. Mr. Whitehead has the gift of making historical fiction as relevant as the day's news. His characters are vivid, alive and multi-faceted. The streets are yet another character and a way to mark the passing of time. The historical context is impeccable. You may think you know where the story is going to take you, but buckle up for you are in for quite a ride. This is a book to be savored and re-read.

Thank you to the author and publisher for providing me with a digital ARC of this title via Netgalley in exhange for my honest review.

I was drawn to this book by the cover and obviously by the author. I expected great things. I was unfortunately really disappointed with this title. I felt like a good portion of the book was actually a travel guide to New York City. SO much on the streets and where everything is located. I get setting up your location and bringing the reader into the city with you, but this was overkill and distracted from the story. Although maybe that was the point as this story was a problem in itself. I couldn't care about any of the characters. He works so hard to overcome his bad upbringing only to throw it all away by making the same choices. It seemed like we were supposed to have sympathy for the character for being judged as a criminal low-life, but he WAS a criminal. It wasn't misjudgments based on the color of his skin. Everything about this was a miss for me and just didn't connect in anyway.