Episode

How Colson Whitehead made his Harlem Trilogy feel true to life (Fresh Air+)

Writer Colson Whitehead’s new book “Cool World” comes out this week. It’s the third and final book in what’s now considered his Harlem Trilogy, which follows a man’s struggle with morality as he tries to find success as a small businessman in 20th century New York City. So in this bonus episode, we’re looking back at Whitehead’s 2021 interview with Terry Gross, recorded after the publication of “Harlem Shuffle,” the first book of the series. Whitehead discusses the research he did into 1960s Harlem, what he had to learn about the criminal underworld, and how he integrated the language, pop culture, and housing of the period into the book. | Listen to 50 years of Fresh Air's archives at FreshAirArchive.org. | To access bonus episodes and sponsor-free listening and to support public radio, become a NPR+ supporter at plus.npr.org See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences. NPR Privacy Policy