Colson Whitehead is a famous American writer who won the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction in 2017 and 2020. The future author was born on November 6, 1969, in Manhattan, one of New York City’s boroughs. His novel, “The Underground Railroad,” brought him huge fame. Let’s take a closer look at his biography and writing style, as well as the impressive list of achievements and awards that Whitehead has received at i-manhattan.
Childhood, education and development of the future writer
As mentioned above, Colson was born in Manhattan. He spent his entire childhood here and received his secondary education at the prestigious Trinity School (Trinity, Manhattan). Whitehead then continued his studies at Harvard University, after which he taught at Princeton and New York University. His first prose work in the genre of fiction was written when he worked at the weekly newspaper The Village Voice, where he ran a column on pop culture.
In 1999, Whitehead published his debut detective novel “The Intuitionist.” The book’s plot revolves around inspector Lila Mae Watson, who investigates the mysterious case of the fall of the elevator.
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In 2001, Colson presented his new novel “John Henry Days.” The book tells the story of a railroad worker and folk hero, John Henry, who, competing against a steam engine, died from exhaustion. The events of the novel take place 150 years ago. In this novel, Whitehead makes a comparative analogy between the era of 19th-century industrialization and the rapid development of digital technologies in the 21st century.
In 2006, the author presented the world with the book “Apex Hides the Hurt,” which tells about a humorous incident regarding the renaming of a town. In the novel “Sag Harbor,” Whitehead addresses the theme of racial inequality for the first time. In “Zone One” (2011), he describes a zombie apocalypse.
As the author of seven novels, Whitehead is a two-time winner of the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction. He received a MacArthur Fellowship in 2002, and in 2019, Time magazine named him “The Storyteller of America.”
Librarian of Congress Carla Hayden chose Whitehead among all candidates, including more than 60 prominent literary figures, former award winners, well-known authors, and literary critics from around the world. Whitehead’s work lies in an exploration of the human condition and empathy for those struggling with life’s painful whims. This is what Carla said about the writer while announcing his prize.
In novels like “The Nickel Boys” and “The Underground Railroad,” the author expands the boundaries of historical events, transforming them into metaphors for modern world.
Recognition of the author’s talent and numerous awards
“The Intuitionist” (1999) was named the best first novel of the year by Esquire magazine, while his second, “John Henry Days” (2001), received the Young Lions Fiction Award and the Anisfield-Wolf Book Awards. “The Underground Railroad” (2016) was selected for Oprah’s Book Club 2.0 and included in President Obama’s summer reading list. Pulitzer judges described the novel as a smart blend of realism and allegory that combines the violence of slavery with the drama of escape directed at contemporary America.
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As for “The Nickel Boys,” the judges said that it is a devastating exploration of brutal treatment in a Florida reform school during the Jim Crow era and is a strong story of human perseverance, dignity and redemption.
Whitehead is also the author of two nonfiction books: “The Colossus of New York” and “The Noble Hustle: Poker, Beef Jerky, and Death.” His works have been published in outlets such as The New York Times, The New Yorker and Harper’s.
The main message in his work
From a young age, Whitehead was always captivated by visiting the grand libraries of New York, such as Schomburg or Mid-Manhattan. Whether it was for school assignments or excursions, he felt a deep sense of awe as if he had found a sacred corner of the city. In sharing his journey to success, Colson always hopes that somewhere, a small child like him will hear his story and understand that the Library of Congress recognizes black artists and feels the urge to pursue their own vision and find their own sacred places of inspiration.
Whitehead is married to literary agent Julie Barer and lives in New York. Since 2015, he has been a columnist on language for The New York Times.