Carney told himself that he wasn’t crooked, only a little bent. It’s all in the perspective of how legit Ray Carney thought of himself. The title of Harlem Shuffle is aptly named as Ray shuffles his way through life, just this side of being an honest as a semi-respectable furniture store owner in Harlem. Never mind that one third of his inventory was acquired by questionable means. Additionally, on the occasion, Ray would fence stolen baubles for his cousin Freddie when needed. But no, he wasn’t a crook, not like his old man. Ray just wanted to provide a good life for his pregnant wife and daughter. But then, due to his beloved cousin Freddie, Ray becomes entangled with a robbery and into the Harlem underworld. As accomplices start ending up missing or dead, Ray struggles to survive.

Once again, Colson Whitehead tells a great story. His portrayal of Harlem in the late 50’s or early 60’s depicts the rough environment for all who tried to disengage from becoming sucked down by the everyday realities on the streets. Hearing what Ray experienced as a child and then as an adult, made me reflect on growing up in Detroit in the 60’s and also of the racial tensions of today, seeing all the parallels. Although I found it a bit slow to get into in the beginning, the story became engaging and then hard to put down. His character development is flawless. Without being preachy, Whitehead delivers a story that makes you think far beyond the last page.

Add Harlem Shuffle to your TBR list. It’s a good one.

Many thanks to #netgalley #colsonwhitehead #harlemshuffle for the opportunity to read and review this book.

I haven't read a lot of Colson Whitehead's work, just Underground Railroad and now Harlem Shuffle, so I can't provide context for this review that many of those who know his work better can. What I can say with certainty is that I'm glad I read this title. Set in Harlem on the cusp of the 1960s, Harlem Shuffle presents the story of Ray Carney, son of a career criminal who is succeeding on his own as a legitimate—mostly—furniture store owner. Carney sells the occasional item that "fell off the back of the truck" and helps fence occasional buts of stolen jewelry, but he also offers quality furniture at fair prices.

Carney's father wasn't always around, so Carney spent a significant part of his growing up in an Aunt's home alongside his cousin Freddie. Carney has always been the kind of guy who thinks things through; Freddie acts on impulse. Now, one of Freddie's impulses has gotten Carney involved in the robbery of Harlem's best-known hotel, an undertaking much more risky than occasional fencing. Whitehead lays out this situation at the start of Harlem Shuffle, then leads us through several years of Carney's life, watching him juggle his quest for legitimate status and security with the temptation of quick money to be made on the side.

This book didn't shake me up the way Underground Railroad did, but I enjoyed every moment of reading it. Carney and his cohort are engaging characters, and Whitehead's use of third-person omniscient narration gives readers plenty of insight regarding Carney's explanations to himself of the choices he's made and is making. A number of the secondary characters are equally well drawn, placing readers in the elaborately structured community that Harlem was at this time. The "action" of the novel moves in fits and starts, but that's how life moves—few of us consistently travel direct, purposeful trajectories.

I received a free electronic review copy of this title from the publisher via NetGalley; the opinions are my own.

A bit different than Whitehead's usual book, Harlem Shuffle is a crime novel set against the backdrop of 1960's Harlem. Our main character, Ray Carney is just a bit crooked but his cousin Freddie gets him knee deep in shady business, heists, shakedowns and capers. Told in three parts, from Ray's point of view, we get a glimpse of the underbelly of Harlem and find out who's really got the power.

My thoughts:
-Undeniable that Colson Whitehead is a fantastic storyteller and I will read anything penned by him.
-The Characters are written real, believable, likable with flaws and all.
- Harlem is described as if your walking the streets with the characters.
The backdrop and back story of the Harlem Riot of 1964 was insightful.
- Overall I enjoyed the story, although for me the story got bogged down with overly descriptive scenes that slowed the pace of the book, but didn't add much to the overall story. I found myself having to reread some sections because my mind would wander. I loved the characters and found the story to be solid.

Thank you to netgalley and publisher, doubledaybooks for an advanced copy in exchange of a honest review.

This book was Walter Mosley’s character Easy Rawlins transformed into a Harlem resident by the name of Ray Carney. I apologize to the authors, Colson Whitehead and Walter Mosley for the comparison but having seen Denzel Washington as Easy in a movie, I just kept picturing him as Carney. Okay so Denzel would have to be a lot younger to be Carney but you get how my mind works don’t you?

Ray Carney was raised by a father known as Big Mike who had various means of income, none of which was legitimate which may be why Carney is so determined to walk that fine line between legit and not so legitimate. Carney owns a furniture store which is a legitimate business but true to his roots he does dabble in a little under the table business of stolen objects, nothing too big to draw attention to him. Carney’s cousin Freddie is his biggest problem in trying to stay out of trouble since Freddie is always trouble and this time he is big trouble.

Add in the racial issues of the 1960’s which are fast coming to a head and you have a good, fast moving, interesting story. The author’s writing will take you back to a time period in this country that was divided by the haves and have nots and certainly a part of this was based on race.

I enjoyed this book because of the fast pace of the story and the colorful characters created by the author.

Thank you to NetGalley, Doubleday Publishing and the author Colson Whitehead.

Fine, but nowhere near the level of Whitehead's previous two works. Although I was in the right mindset for a caper that the synopsis offered, the characters are vividly drawn and Whitehead's writing occasionally shines, there are numerous unnecessary digressions throughout the story that made my attention wander and too many important plot events happen off-page. The book might have been more successful if each of the three portions had been told from a different point of view, allowing for the further exploration of some intriguing secondary characters.

I loved the energy buzzing off every page. The descriptions of Harlem made the place seem alive. The characters were fully fleshed out and dynamic. The writing was phenomenal, with perfect descriptions and sly humor. I loved everything about this book.

A lighter read from Colson Whitehead. This is the story of Ray Carneyinthe 1950s and 1960s in Harlem. He wants to be completely legit, but cousin Freddy is convinced they can pull off a big heist.

This book shines in helping the reader see, feel, experience Harlem of the min 20th century. The second half was fun, but the first half was a struggle for me. It’s well-written, just not my usual genre.

Colson Whitehead is a beautiful writer, as evidenced by his two past Pulitzer Prize winning books. He strings words together that create vivid images that are hard to shake.

Harlem Shuffle takes the reader back in time to the late 1950s and early 1960s in Harlem. Ray Carney, son of crook Mike Carney, has each foot in a different world. He's family man who went to school to learn business, then opened up a furniture store in Harlem. He also runs a side business from that same store that is not above board.

In this story we are taken through cons, corruption and characters. This is a much lighter story than The Underground Railroad and The Nickel Boys, which I wasn't expecting.

It didn't hold my interest in the same way and I kept hoping I would finish it soon. I to keep rereading parts because I kept getting distracted. It's not a bad book. I'm giving it a solid three stars but it's certainly not one of my favorites.

Harlem Shuffle by Colin Whitehead. I just finished reading the latest book by Colin Whitehead who wrote The Nickel Boys and The Underground Railroad both of which garnered him two Pulitzer Prizes for literature. this latest book due to published on Sept. 14th is quite a departure from his usual fare. Carney is the owner of a furniture store in mid twentieth century Harlem. He tries to stay on the straight and narrow despite the problems his cousin Freddy entangles him in. The author includes beautifully drawn characters ranging from crooks, the Negro elite of Harlem, bent cops, a loving aunt, devoted employees and a supportive wife. Things go south quickly. Whitehead paints a vivid picture of the trials and tribulations of black Americans attempting to get ahead, travel, and simply stay alive.

I was excited to get this pre-published copy of Harlem Shuffle. I have not read any of Whitehead's books though they are on my TBR. I really appreciate historical fiction as it allows me to understand and learn more about that time. Having knowledge of Harlem all my life, I was interested to learn more. Sadly, this book is not the right one for me. I can see that Whitehead is a talented writer in style and words, but this story is not capturing my attention. I am a third of the way into the book, and haven't gotten involved with any of the characters or action in the book. Some of the transitions in time and perspective confuse me. I feel I need more background to understand this story, either more on Harlem or the times or the people. It did make me read about the hotel to learn its significance which was interesting. This might be a case of reading a book at the wrong time. In any case, I will not be finishing this book so cannot really review it in full and will not post a review on Goodreads.

Harlem Shuffle is a rare jaunt into late 50’s early 60’s Harlem. The prose is gorgeous, with quotable lines throughout. The book itself is heavy on the narrative, and with but very little opportunity to connect emotionally with the characters, I struggled to remain invested in the plot. That being said, I favor more character-driven novels so this could be a matter of simple preference. This book is beautifully written and worth the read.

Very interesting and entertaining mix of caper and social history. Someone mentioned an element of family epic, but I found Ray's family was really neglected. Freddie was his cousin, but could have been any friend from back in the day and the aunt had more impact than his wife and kids. Still, I really appreciated the representation of Harlem (it really was a character on it's own) and the capers were tense.

Colton Whitehead’s latest is a return to 1959-1961 Harlem. He totally evokes the feel of the time and place. Each one of his words served to bring up the sights, smells and sounds of the place. His descriptions had me in their thrall. It was impossible not to see every scene, so lush were the descriptions.
Ray Carney might be the son of a petty thief, but he seems himself as an upstanding citizen. He was “only slightly bent when it came to being crooked”, not above taking something that had fallen off a truck. But his main bread and butter was his furniture store. His cousin, Freddie, on the other hand, is looking for the big score and draws Ray into the mix. Things with Freddie never go as planned and always end up causing trouble for Ray. Ray starts fencing more, trying to carefully walk the line between the two worlds. “Crooked world, straight world, same rules -everybody had a hand out for the envelope.” As the book goes on, Ray gets drawn further and further into the crooked world and it’s fascinating to see him try to rationalize the change.
Whitehead creates characters that just feel real. Not just Ray, but Freddie, Elizabeth, Pepper; even minor characters like Moskowitz. This book has a lot to say about revenge and suppressed anger, family relations, the urge to get ahead.
But for all that, I was less than completely enchanted. The story was uneven. All too often in the beginning, it was too much talk, not enough action. The humor is very subtle here. Blink and you’ll miss it almost. This is a book that demands you pay attention to every sentence, every word. Things start to pick up around the middle and I enjoyed the second half of the book as the action picked up.
So, a solid 4 stars, but it could have easily been a five.
My thanks to Netgalley and Doubleday for an advance copy of this book.

Don’t expect The Underground Railroad or The Nickel Boys here. Do expect to descend into Harlem life in the late 1950s and early 1960. The prose flows like the best smooth, tangy molasses. I felt immersed in the time. Ray Carney, the main character, is flawed, slightly bent. He is determined not to be the crooked man his father was. Through Ray’s eyes, we see the neighborhood, the neighbors, the businesses, the police, his family, and his relationships. Like all of us, he is multifaceted. His choices are sometimes obvious, but they don’t always come easy. Ray will be with me for quite some time. Could he be the Black every man of Harlem?

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the chance to read this arc in exchange for an honest review.

This is the third novel I've read by Whitehead, and my least favorite. He is a phenomenal writer, but the pace of this one was just too slow for me. The word "monotone" comes to mind-- even the scenes with more action in them are delivered in the same slow, steady way.

Similar to Deacon King Kong, Harlem Shuffle is full of vibrant characters. Making a bygone era of NYC feel alive, Colson Whitehead has pulled off a heist thriller that is a joy to read.

Harlem Shuffle by Colson Whitehead

#sixtyninthbookof2021 #arc

CW: violence, drug use, gangs, murder / death, including at the hands of police

I was so excited when I received an early copy of this book! I’ve only read Nickel Boys and Underground Railroad from this author, but I loved them both and actually think of them often, so I knew I wanted to read this as well. Harlem Shuffle is a vastly different kind of book, part heist novel, part family saga, part social commentary, and it felt like it could be set in present day with the way it discusses the politics and events of the time. In certain moments I forgot it wasn’t set in recent times. Ray is a furniture store owner turned associate to local mob heavies in the late 1950s / early 1960s Harlem, and his interactions across various communities of people really drew me in from the very beginning. The book is broken up into three sections, each corresponding with a different sort of heist, and I enjoyed it very much.

Thank you to @netgalley and @doubledaybooks for the advance copy. (Pub date 9/14/21)

I loved this book! I love stories about old Harlem the "Black Mecca" and this one did not disappoint!

This book is a crime drama, mystery and a historical look at Old Harlem. The way it is written with such incredible detail and richness I felt as if I was standing right there at 125st and taking it all in.

The protagonist Ray is a good guy and business man that makes bad choices. He wants to move his family to a middle class life but he goes about it in the worse way. He fences stolen goods to help subsidize his income from his furniture store. This puts him into the path of some shady characters. You can see him getting sucked down into the black hole of the criminal world and you just want to save him.

The writing in this book is superb. The characters are fully developed and finely drawn. I loved the descriptions of Harlem and the history that is presented. The drama was well paced and the story held my attention until the very end.

This was my first book by Colton Whitehead but with writing as exquisite as Harlem Shuffle it definitely won't be my last.

Unfortunately, I had to give up on this story after about 16%. I didn't find the characters or the story relatable - I wasn't really compelled to keep reading it.

Thanks, anyway, NetGalley, for letting me give this one a try.

Thank you to @netgalley and @doubledaybooks for this advanced readers copy. This is my first novel by famed Pulitzer Prize winning author Colson Whitehead. The book was written in three parts, with each part having its own distinct crime caper. I often felt disoriented and disconnected as the reader, and I’m not sure if I struggled due to the changing storyline in each section, or because I read this in ebook format, or a combination of both of those things. I enjoyed the Ocean’s Eleven meets Deacon King Kong vibes and the subtle dry humor throughout the book made me laugh on several occasions. There’s no doubt Whitehead is a talented author and his many fans will love this newest release.