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).

Colson Whitehead, acclaimed author of The Underground Railroad, explores a dark chapter of American history through the harrowing tale of two boys at a reform school in 1960s Florida. Elwood Curtis, inspired by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., believes he deserves a better life. Raised by his loving grandmother, he is on the brink of attending a local black college when a single mistake lands him at The Nickel Academy, which purports to offer moral and intellectual training. However, the reality is a nightmare of physical, emotional, and sexual abuse, where corrupt officials profit from the suffering of the boys. Elwood clings to Dr. King's message of love and resilience, but his friend Turner views the world differently, believing that survival requires adopting the very cruelty they face. This clash of ideals between Elwood's hope and Turner's pragmatism culminates in a choice with lasting consequences. Drawing from the true history of a Florida reform school that operated for over a century, this narrative is a poignant exploration of injustice and resilience, illuminating the ongoing struggles within the United States.

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, a two-time Pulitzer Prize winner, presents a captivating novel set in 1970s New York, depicting Harlem's vibrant yet gritty landscape. This darkly humorous story explores the challenges of urban life while delving into the deeper themes of family and connection.

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.

Imagine what a dictionary might look like about thirty years hence, when all of the world's problems are solved and our current dictionaries are a distant memory. Dave Eggers, Jonathan Safran Foer and Nicole Krauss have lined up an incredible array of writers to bring you that futuristic dictionary and a vision of the world as it might be. Think of it as a dictionary of language for describing what the future could look like a dictionary that is both useful and romantic, hopeful and necessary, pragmatic and idealistic, and frequently funny. This is science fiction but with a difference.

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