Colson Whitehead Knihy

Cora je otrokyně na bavlníkové plantáži, kde lidé žijí v příšerných podmínkách. Vede se jí ještě o něco hůř než ostatním, odvrhla ji i černošská vesnice. Caesar, otrok, kterého páni nedávno přikoupili, vypráví Coře o podzemní železnici a přesvědčí ji k riskantnímu útěku na sever. Ve Whiteheadově pojetí nepředstavuje Podzemní železnice jen historický krycí název pro síť tajných cest, dráha tu získává i fyzickou podobu. Strojvůdci skutečně obsluhují ilegální podzemní tratě a tunely. Coru a Caesara odváží na sever zchátralý nákladní vagon, který hluboko pod povrchem země s námahou táhne parní lokomotiva. Whitehead mistrně vykresluje formy násilí páchaného na černoších v období před občanskou válkou a jeho vyprávění postupně přerůstá ve velkou americkou ságu. Podzemní železnice nevypráví jen o zoufalém odhodlání jedné ženy, která touží uniknout hrůzám otroctví, nabízí nám i působivou reflexi dějin.

Dystopický thriller Zóna Jedna z r. 2011 se z Whiteheadovy tvorby výrazně žánrově vymyká. Tématem je virus, který nakažené jedince proměnil z 99 procent v masožravé skely a v 1 procento netečných bloudů. Veškerá civilizace se zhroutila, ale „lidé“ přežili a pouštějí se do její obnovy. Děj se s mnoha odbočkami do minulosti odehrává během tří dnů, během kterých si Mark Spitz a jeho „čističi“ berou zpět části Manhattanu. Ale nějak se to zvrtne… Kromě toho, že román představuje moderní civilizaci v její ubohosti, je také autorovou poctou mistru horroru Stephenu Kingovi, sci-fi Isaacu Asimovovi a režiséru Georgi A. Romerovi. V knize se střídá několik žánrů a stylů – od filosofické eseje po brutální střílečky, od příručky na přežití po cynicky humorné vyprávění. Někteří kritici právě kvůli tomu přirovnali způsob, jakým je kniha napsána k „randění intelektuála s pornohvězdou“. „Na světě byla spousta věcí, která si zasloužila zůstat mrtvá, a přesto po něm dál chodila.“ Román dvojnásobného držitele Pulitzerovy ceny za beletrii (2017 a 2020) Colsona Whiteheada (nar. 6. 11. 1969 v New Yorku).

As the Civil Rights movement reaches the black enclave of Frenchtown in segregated Tallahassee, Elwood Curtis embraces Dr. Martin Luther King’s belief that he is "as good as anyone." Abandoned by his parents but guided by his grandmother, Elwood is set to enroll in a local black college. However, one innocent mistake leads him to the Nickel Academy, a juvenile reformatory that claims to provide "physical, intellectual and moral training" to help boys become "honorable and honest men." In reality, it is a nightmarish place where sadistic staff abuse the students, corrupt officials steal resources, and any boy who resists risks disappearing. Faced with this brutal environment, Elwood clings to Dr. King's message: "Throw us in jail and we will still love you." In contrast, his friend Turner believes Elwood is overly idealistic, arguing that survival requires cunning and avoidance of trouble. Their differing views create tension, culminating in a decision that will have lasting consequences. The boys' fates, shaped by the horrors of Jim Crow, will be determined by their experiences at the Nickel Academy.

Cora is a slave on a cotton plantation in Georgia. When Caesar, a recent arrival from Virginia, tells her about the Underground Railroad, they decide to take a terrifying risk and escape. Though they manage to find a station and head north, they are being hunted. Their first stop is South Carolina, in a city that initially seems like a haven. But the city's placid surface masks an insidious scheme designed for its black denizens. And even worse: Ridgeway, the relentless slave catcher, is close on their heels. Forced to flee again, Cora embarks on a harrowing flight, state by state, seeking true freedom

Colson Whitehead continues his Harlem saga, capturing the gritty essence of 1970s New York. In 1971, as the city faces rampant crime and impending bankruptcy, furniture store owner Ray Carney attempts to maintain his business and stay out of trouble. His resolve falters when he seeks Jackson 5 tickets for his daughter, leading him back to his old police contact, Munson, who complicates Carney's desire for a quiet life with dangerous demands. By 1973, the counter-culture has reshaped society, but Carney’s volatile partner, Pepper, remains a constant. As assembling a reliable crew for criminal activities becomes more challenging, Pepper takes a side job providing security on a Blaxploitation film set in Harlem, navigating a bizarre world of celebrities and drug dealers, where his experience proves invaluable. In 1976, as Harlem faces destruction amidst the Bicentennial celebrations, Carney grapples with creating a July 4th ad while his wife, Elizabeth, supports a rising politician. When a fire injures one of his tenants, Carney enlists Pepper to uncover the culprit, forcing the duo to navigate a decaying city rife with corruption and violence.

Pure shimmering brilliance...One of the funniest books I've ever read' Gary Shteyngart

From two-time Pulitzer Prize-winning author Colson Whitehead, a gloriously entertaining novel of heists, shakedowns and rip-offs set in Harlem in the 1960s.

In a dazzlingly original work of nonfiction, award-winning novelist Colson Whitehead captures the exuberance, chaos, promise, and heartbreak of New York. This literary love song enchants anyone who has lived in or visited this iconic American city. Through a series of vignettes, meditations, and personal memories, Whitehead evokes the city’s inner and outer landscapes. He conveys the feelings of longtime residents and newcomers alike, portraying those who have conquered its challenges and those who struggle against its cruelties. His style mirrors New York’s multilayered essence, seamlessly shifting between third, first, and second person to weave individual voices into a jazzy composition that reflects the city’s experience. From a humorous take on arriving in New York for the first time to a lyrical meditation on how an unexpected rain shower transforms the city, Whitehead explores the ferocious battle of commuting and captures the plaintive notes of the lonely and dispossessed. He also highlights magical moments when the city seems to speak directly to you, inviting you to embrace its rhythms. This remarkable portrait of life in the big city is an unparalleled tribute to New York and a compelling introduction to one of today’s most exciting writers.

The marvellously inventive, genre-bending, noir-inflected debut novel from the author of The Underground Railroad.

A brilliant, witty, and subtle novel, written in a most engaging style, with tremendous aptness of language and command of plot New York Review of Books