Welcome to Litsy!

New episode just dropped! We begin by discussing Matt's recent reads, courtesy of his losing sports teams. Then we dive into another installment of nominating and selecting new books to add to our TBR. Lots of serious literary choices this time around. Also discussed; Sally Rooney, NYC bookstores, and twitter feuds. Thanks for listening. Enjoy!

https://open.spotify.com/episode/6CUyLxtnLk53hppTEWcCpP

Not quite 3 stars for Harlem Shuffle but thought I might like Crook Manifesto better. I didn‘t dislike either, just didn‘t really like them. I‘ll probably try the sequel again later.

Donate. I'm 0 for 2 of reading my picks! #readordonate @julieclair

I am posting one book per day from my extensive to-be-read collection. No description and providing no reason for wanting to read it, I just do. Some will be old, some will be new. Don‘t judge me - I have a lot of books. Join in if you want!

#ABookADay2023

I both read and listened to the story of bent, but not crooked Ray Carney. Ray is an entrepreneur. He owns a furniture store that caters to his Harlem neighbors. Cash is tight so he sometimes needs to sell gently used items or move other merchandise. Ray has his own family, but he often has to cover for his cousin Freddie‘s misdeeds. HS is a love letter to Harlem, furniture and reminds us what it means to take care of family. A pick with ⭐️⭐️⭐️+

“…and looking at the stars didn‘t make Carney feel small or insignificant, the stars made him feel recognized. They had their place and he had his. “

“Good old American know-how on display: We do marvels, we do injustice, and our hands were always busy. “

My choice for September bookclub. Like that Colson Whitehead writes in a different voice with each book. Some I really love others not so much. But there is no question he is a wonderful writer.

Excellent, have just put a hold on "Crook Manifesto" at my local library. Can't wait to continue the Ray Carney story.

I read this for a library book discussion and I‘m putting it as a so so til I can digest it and decide if it‘s a pick. I disliked Whitehead‘s Underground Railroad and haven‘t yet read Nickel Boys. I cared about the MC. I could visualize the book. But there seemed to be something in the writing that held me at arm‘s length. Trying to decide if that was purposeful.

Just as good the second time

This was a book club pick that I was actually super pumped about and was disappointed ☹️ I listened on audiobook and loved the narrator and the writing but I just could not get into the plot or the characters till 4/5 through the book when it actually felt like things were getting relevant. It was often repetitive and just felt like most of the book didn‘t need to be there.

I found this story an interesting view of life in Harlem in 1959. Unfortunately, I was underwhelmed by the characters and the story. The characters‘ struggles were predictable. Ray Carney went to Queens College and desperately tries to leave his relationship with the crime world behind. He runs a legitimate business or that‘s his intention. It seems that being “bent” is different than being “crooked.”

This was an IRL Book Club choice. I attended a Colson Whitehead author talk a few years ago and fell in love with Colson,the man, so I was looking forward to this book. At first, I wasn‘t sure if this was for me. It seemed to appeal to “the guys”. But, as I continued, I relaxed into the snippets of humor,the gorgeous sentences that caused me to pause, and the love of mid century modern furniture! Gangsters,family and race dynamics, NYC love.

Current audiobook. IRL Book Club discussion in November.

Well, here‘s my IRL book club “forcing” me to read a book that wasn‘t on my “of interest to me” mental list. Let‘s see what I think of it. 😆

Thank goodness for book clubs that force you out of your reading ruts!

Spent the afternoon discussing my book club‘s August read while we all relaxed poolside with boozy popsicles. A nice day.

I really enjoyed the characters in this one — including the character of Harlem itself — and Whitehead is an absolute artist of word and phrase.

Harlem Shuffle felt like a Great American Novel; or, like a play with a marked emphasis on set. Unfortunately (for me), it also felt very masculine. I found myself wishing there‘d been another perspective offered: Elizabeth‘s, Marie‘s, or Miss Laura‘s. The writing is top-notch, as is the commentary about classism, racism, consumerism, & capitalism. Still, I lost interest in the specific, behind-the-scenes details of jobs & heists. A reserved pick.

While I love Summer, it‘s never the wrong time for Halloween kitsch. Enjoyed a boo-berry muffin this morning while struggling through my latest book club read.

Still spinning to work through my BOTM backlog! I‘m a little embarrassed to admit this is my first Colson Whitehead book. 😳

#BOTM #random #chance #historical #backlist

I went into this #LPMBC #GroupB choice with very low expectations. I had already bailed on the audiobook, but I was very pleasantly surprised to love it in print! Ray Carney is just the kind of morally ambiguous character I like, and Whitehead‘s descriptive writing just added to the fun. Definitely a pick! #botm

New month, new book. Please join us in reading this month. The Zoom link will be posted later in the month.

Right now I am enjoying the peacefulness of reading the tagged book while listening to the rain outside on a not too hot and not too cold day, but I look forward to these summer days ahead.

Painting by John Michael Carter

🔸Physical Book
🔸3.5 stars at 100 pages in
🔸Not normally, but this is for #LMPBC so I‘m highlighting and writing in it!

#ThoughtfulThursday

Found this one really slow going. Maybe it‘s because it‘s so similar to S.A. Cosby‘s work. Whitehead is the stronger writer; he can seriously turn a phrase, and I enjoyed some of the sly humor. But both Blacktop Wasteland and Razorblade Tears moved at a much more interesting pace, and I slogged through this. Whitehead‘s other works are much fresher than Harlem Shuffle.

✨Gardening essentials.✨

I ended up really enjoying this one. It took me a while to get into it but I loved it in the end. This is the third Colson Whitehead book I‘ve read. All three have been set in different eras of American history. This one is set in Harlem in the late 50s- mid 60s. I got totally absorbed in the setting and his characters, as always, were brilliantly written. He has definitely become one of my ‘go to‘ authors.

I like Colson Whitehead‘s other books but I wasn‘t crazy about this book. I had a hard time getting into it.

This was a slow burning novel, but I enjoyed the smoldering story. Set in late50s to early 60s Harlem, it gives a perspective I don‘t think I‘ve ever read before in fiction.

My Friday plans.

I‘m sorry, but I‘m just not in the mood for this book at the moment. After 50p, I don‘t care what happens with any of the characters.

I‘m going to hear Whitehead speak in May about this book, so I hope that will inspire me to try this again.anyway, I think It will be great hearing Whitehead speak, unless it‘s canceled again.

This book was entertaining - good character development and setting descriptions. There are a lot of characters which I found a bit confusing. While I liked Underground Railroad and The Nickel Boys better, I still enjoyed the novel due to the excellent writing. I also wonder how close to actual events the plot was.

This is more historical fiction than mystery / thriller. Which shouldn‘t be surprising coming from Whitehead. As always, the writing is stellar with thought-provoking themes. Read with my IRL book group and it lends itself to discussion. I will always be a fan, but this isn‘t as good as his last two.

Full review https://www.TheBibliophage.com
#thebibliophage2022

I enjoyed this one, my first book competed in 2022!

First books of 2022 and I love it! He is such a good writer. Such a cool look into 1960s Harlem. Good story with likeable characters, but the way he turns a sentence is so beautiful

Well, the search for my 1st 5🌟 read is still ongoing 😩! I feel like I‘m being super picky this year for some reason. This story was just ok. I feel like the main character was just pretending to want to be on the straight and narrow instead of actually struggling with his choices. And the plot seemed to shift around too much without that much actually happening. Really liked the narrator though! 🌟🌟🌟

My #July choice for #12Booksof2021 is Harlem Shuffle. A book that has well and truly stayed with me 5 months later, a sign of a great book. Due to #AuthoraMonth in 2020 he has become a favourite author of mine. Thoroughly recommended and am in great company as Barack Obama named it as one of his books of the year.
#7thBookof2021

Also notable nominations for Baby It‘s Cold Outside by Emily Bell and Celebrations at the Chateau by Jo Thomas.

Loved this one! Set in early 1960s Harlem, Ray has a family and owns a furniture store and is trying to live a life mostly on the straight and narrow, if not for the legacy of his criminal father and the antics of his up-to-no-good cousin. Whitehead is a brilliant writer.

I know this book is on just about every best of fiction for this dwindling year but I have mixed emotions. I liked the main character Raymond Carney as well as other assorted characters most of whom are of the criminal element. But still, I found it hard to get into the rhythm of the novel which takes place in the late 50s-early 60s. I had to start it twice and almost gave up one-quarter thru on the second go round bit I did finish it.

I got so caught up in Dion Graham's performance, I was shocked when he said, "This is Dion Graham..." Great writing and great reading.

Bit of family reading time this morning

Oh wow - I‘ve been super slack in 2021 ! Haven‘t read one of these! Flip side - gives me more to read on 2022!

https://bookmarks.reviews/the-best-reviewed-books-of-2021-mystery-and-crime/?utm...

#audiobook Great narrator and very good story.

I went to the library to pick up my hold, The Inheritance of Orquidea Divination, and found all of these books on the New shelf! So excited!

This is my first Colton Whitehead book and I‘ve heard mixed reviews.

This one wasn‘t for me. There were too many characters and a lot going on but, at the same time, nothing really happened.

I can‘t say I‘ve loved any of Whitehead‘s books that I‘ve read so far; maybe I should give up now! liked Nickel Boys but not Underground Railroad. #unpopularopinion

This is definitely my least favourite of the #ToB longlist so far.

I‘m kind of surprised by the very mixed reviews I‘ve been seeing for this book… but I‘m also surprised by how much I loved it, when I only really expected to like it. 🤷🏻‍♀️

Full review on my blog: https://sprainedbrain.blog/2021/11/25/review-harlem-shuffle-by-colson-whitehead/

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

This is a tough one, but I have to be honest. I was so excited for this book. Unfortunately it was very meh for me. The setting was beautiful. I love Harlem, and New York historical fiction. I just did not connect at all to these characters. There were too many, most of them one dimensional. I cared about Carney in the beginning, but by the end I didn‘t. The story and characters overall lacked the electricity that his Pulitzer winning books have.

Carney‘s attempts to be a bridge- be both straight and crooked in Harlem is so engaging. I loved every minute of this novel. It‘s a mystery…not that it‘s a whodunnit, but if he will actually pull off being a fence. Colson Whitehead is so talented- characters are vibrant and the pace perfect.