Colson Whitehead is a force and this is just another example of his ability to turn words into art. Incredible characters, great story structure and some of the smoothing prose out there.

Colson Whitehead's novel offers a vibrant portrayal of 1950s and 1960s Harlem, blending historical fiction and crime genres. Through the story of Ray Carney, a man navigating personal challenges while dreaming of bigger aspirations, Whitehead explores themes of race, class, power, and morality against the backdrop of social and political change. The novel delves into corruption, crime, and white privilege, all set within the richly detailed Harlem community. Whitehead's storytelling is engaging and perfectly showcases his versatility as an author.

I am sorry for the inconvenience but I don’t have the time to read this anymore and have lost interest in the concept. I believe that it would benefit your book more if I did not skim your book and write a rushed review. Again, I am sorry for the inconvenience.

Although this book was fine, the writing is great and Ray Carney is an interesting character. My interest is piqued and I will continue to read this series.

Great sweeping story. Colson Whitehead truly evokes 1960’s Harlem and the unique feel of the neighborhood. Ray Carney is a character you can’t help but want to know more about.

This is my second from Whitehead and while this is very different from the first book I read, The Nickel Boys, Whitehead's writing style is evident in both and was a big draw for this book. Harlem Shuffle is a crime fiction novel set in 1960s Harlem. The story centers on Ray Carney, the owner of a small furniture store. Ray is trying to go straight and leave his family history behind. Ray is ambitious, he wants to provide for his growing family and aspires to be successful and move to bigger houses. While he tries to make a living at his furniture shop, he gets involved in a heist through his cousin Freddie. This sets up the balance that Ray tries to maintain throughout the book. I really liked how this story is developed through the lens of Ray and the people around him while also incorporating the ongoing themes of 1960s Harlem such as race and the civil rights movement. I thought Whitehead included these topics seamlessly with Ray's story. It added to the plot and definitely made me more interested in the story while I was reading.

The writing really stole the show!! Whitehead creates a very atmospheric setting throughout the book and I was very much immersed in the story the whole time. There are some passages that have a lyrical quality to them and overall, I felt like the book has so much depth because of it. Some parts of the book also incorporate humor for lighter moments and I felt like that really added to the whole reading experience. I would definitely recommend this Historical Fiction novel, especially to those who enjoy crime novels with fantastic writing.

This is the first book I have read by 2 time Pulitzer prize winning Colson Whitehead, but it wont be the last! In Harlem Shuffle, we meet Ray Carney, a furniture salesman who is trying to change the reputation of his family since his his dad was a crook. Yet, Ray gets pulled back into the world he has tried so hard to escape. As we read this romp set in 1960s Harlem, we can't help but root for Ray's heist to go off without a hitch.

I loved the atmosphere of this story. Whitehead brings the time and place alive on the page. The motivation is believable and sucks the reader into the tension that Ray Carney experiences throughout the book.

I highly recommend Harlem Shuffle!

I DNF'd this one. Just could not get into it. That said, I will still be reading Colson Whitehead because I think he's a genius writer. Harlem Shuffle wasn't for me and that's OK.

I love a good crime novel. Ray gets dragged into his cousin's illegal schemes. This is set in Harlem in the 60s and racism is rampant, which makes life even harder for Ray. I loved the story and the schemes and the vivid images created of Harlem. In addition to race, the book also covers subjects such as class, political corruption, and morality. However, I had a harder time with the pacing and the writing.

The book was informative in the backdrop of Harlem in the 1960's. It was a bit hard to follow and not the most interesting character was written about. This is my first book by this author so maybe I would enjoy others by this author more than this one.


I was given a complimentary copy of this book.
All opinions expressed are my own.

What a great book! It's lighter than his earlier works, but if the author is Colson Whitehead, you know you're getting a great book. Even though I've spent my life in NYC, I didn't know that much about Harlem from this time period, and I thought the book did a good job of putting you directly onto 125th street in the 60s. I don't always love when books have distinct sections/episodes, but this worked well, and I thought the book was enjoyable to read.

I love Colson Whitehead but this book didn't work for me. I found myself unable to focus and get past the first 30 pages. I may revisit one day but for now it is a DNF.

Absolutely love this author so that’s why I was thrilled to get an advanced copy. Was disappointed with this one. Had a very difficult time getting into it and struggled to finish it off. Not one of his best.

I love Colson Whitehead. I will read any and everything he writes. This one, albeit late, is no exception. This was such a creative and unique story where the city of NY was as much a character as Ray Carney. I love how CW chose a time period that very much mirrors the time this book was written and released, with the police murders of innocence Black and Brown bodies and the social unrest that resulted in the streets. Mind blowing!! I also love how CW introduced me to other racial injustices and atrocities that I had never known about, like Seneca Village. The man is a genius! However, his genius extended to a style of writing in this book that was a perfect representation of the time and the story it was telling. And that made it hard for me to follow along at times. It took me nearly half the book to get used to the style. So I feel like I missed a lot. And if I had to put the book down, which I did a lot, it was always a big transition when I picked it back up. So it wasn’t as cohesive for me, but that’s partly my own fault bc I had to keep picking it up and putting it back down all too often. There were also SO many characters and many of them with small background or side stories that proved to be completely unnecessary and way too hard for me to keep track of. So, by the end when we are paying a visit to Aronowitz, I have NO IDEA who that even is or was. But, this was, overall, a really enjoyable and entertaining read from the hands of a master craftsman and I cannot wait to see what Ray Carney gets into next.

I only started reading Colson Whitehead when he won the Pulitzer Prize for the first time with The Underground Railroad. I loved it. I quickly rushed to read his follow up, The Nickel Boys, upon its publication, and I ended up loving it as well. I was thrilled he won the Pulitzer again. It felt like Whitehead had found his pitch and could go on writing such books. And then we get Harlem Shuffle, a strange crime novel in 1960s Harlem.

The slightly crooked protagonist is a man named Ray Carney. He is sometimes drawn into a job for some extra money, but he tries to play it safe. Safety, though, is not always an option, and things start to go bad quickly in Harlem Shuffle.

While the novel is a fun crime novel, complete with heists and chases, it is also a novel about some of the dark currents running through American history. I'm so glad Whitehead cannot be boxed in!

I had heard how great this author’s prior two novels were so I was excited to read this one.

I’m not sure if it was as the writing style or my mood but I just could not get into this unfortunately. I tried about 4 times and kept re-reading the same parts before finally deciding to DNF.

I hate abandoning a read and often feel that I just didn’t meet the book at the right time so may try it again later and see if I make it through at that point.

Many thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the advanced copy!

Unfortunately, this was not for me. I was unable to get past the first few chapters. I believe this is just an issue of my taste not aligning with the story. I recommend others try it!

I will read ANYTHING Whitehead writes. A love letter to Harlem. This historical fiction is rooted in Harlem. Whiteheads prose is beautifully woven through. It is wildly masterful. The way CW writes is just stunning. I truly have no words of how well any narrative he writes is perfect.

My first Colson Whitehead book, but it will not be my last. This one keeps you on a knife's edge as you follow Ray Carney, his furniture store, and his family as he strives to become a business success in Harlem, but this apple doesn't fall too far from his father's tree. Ray will use his father's old truck as both an ambulance and a hearse before the story is over. The changes in Harlem from 1959-1964 are fascinating as neighborhoods businesses give way to big towers, citizens protest police killings and crime lords and business men are not that far apart. Ray nurses his grudges and spends the Dorvay hours at night roaming and taking care of his revenge.

It’s nice to see Whitehead step out of his trauma books and back into the world of fun and adventure. He probably won’t receive the same accolades for this books because it’s commentary on race and class is far subtler than in some of his other books but it’s a gripping, fast-paced novel that deserves a world of praise. Carney is the perfect lovable rogue and I can’t to see what more he gets up to.