Colson Whitehead Biography
Colson Whitehead is an eminent American novelist who has written nine novels. He won the 2016 National Book Award for Fiction through his novel The Intuitionist and the 2017 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction. Whitehead only has two nonfiction books published. He received a MacArthur fellowship in 2002 and joined The New York Times Magazine to write a column on language in 2015. Additionally, he has instructed in a few colleges and is an essayist in residence.
Colson Whitehead’s Facts
| Parents: | Arch and Mary Anne Whitehead |
| Marriage: | Julie Barer |
| Age: | 54 years |
| First Wife: | Natasha Stovall |
| Height: | 6 ft 1 in or 1.85m |
Colson Whitehead Family
Colson Whitehead was born on November 6, 1969, in New York City, United States, and grew up in Manhattan under the care of his devoted parents. His parents Arch and Mary Anne Whitehead were successful entrepreneurs running an executive recruiting firm. During his childhood, Whitehead enjoyed reading science fiction and fantasy as well as watching horror films. He has two older sisters and a younger brother who was 10 months his junior.
Colson Whitehead Marriage
Whitehead is married to Julie Barer, who currently works as a literary agent at The Book Group. Previously, she worked as a bookseller at Shakespeare & Company in New York. They have been married for quite some time and have two children, a daughter and a son. The family lives in Manhattan and also owns a home in Sag Harbor on Long Island.
Colson Whitehead Julie Barer Wedding
Whitehead traded his promises with his present spouse Julie Barer in a wedding attended by near companions and family. The couple kept their wedding details away from the public.
Colson Whitehead First Wife
Whitehead was first married to Natasha Stovall in 2000. The two first met at The Village Voice and they later divorced in the mid 2000’s. Natasha and Whitehead share a daughter Madeline.
Colson Whitehead Brother
Whitehead grew up with his younger brother, Clarke Whitehead, who was ten months younger. Clarke was a public school teacher in New York City and spent summers in Sag Harbor. He passed away on December 8, 2018, at the age of 48 after experiencing heart failure at his residence in Brooklyn.
Education
He received his high school diploma from Trinity School in Manhattan and later enrolled at Harvard University. Whitehead graduated with his degree in 1991. During his time, he was a companion to poet Kevin Young.
Author
Whitehead began drafting his books while he was working at the Voice. Since then, he has delivered 11 book-length works, nine books, and two nonfiction works. The Intuitionist was named the best, to begin with, novel of the year by Esquire magazine. GQ called the novel one of the “books of the millennium”. Moreover, his nonfiction, essays, and reviews have appeared in The New Yorker, Granta, Harper’s, and The New York Times.
Colson Whitehead Books
Whitehead has written nine novels which are categorized into two groups. The books in order include:
Fiction
- The Intuitionist (1999).
- John Henry Days (2001).
- Apex Hides the Hurt (2006).
- Sag Harbor (2009).
- Zone One (2011).
- The Underground Railroad (2016).
- The Nickel Boys (2019).
- Harlem Shuffle (2021).
- Crook Manifesto (2023).
Non-fiction
- The Colossus of New York (2003).
- The Noble Hustle: Poker, Beef Jerky & Death (2014).
Harlem Trilogy
He has authored two books which belong to the Harlem Trilogy. Harlem Suffle was the first book published in the fall of 2021 and then Crook Manifesto was published on July 18, 2023.
Awards
He has earned numerous awards mostly from his books. Some of the awards include:
- Whiting Award in 2000.
- Quality Paperback Book Club New Voices Award for The Intuitionist.
- Young Lions Fiction Award.
- Anisfield-Wolf Book Award for John Henry Days.
- PEN Oakland/Josephine Miles Literary Award for Apex Hides the Hurt.
- PEN/Faulkner Award for Fiction finalist for Sag Harbor.
- Hurston-Wright Legacy Award finalist for Zone One.
- Arthur C. Clarke Award in 2017 for The Underground Railroad.
- International Dublin Literary Award in 2018 for The Underground Railroad.
- National Book Award in 2019.
Pulitzer
He has won three Fiction Prize Pulitzer awards in 2002, 2017, and 2020.
New Book
Whitehead’s most recent book is Crook Manifesto which was published in 2023. The book is a work of crime fiction and a family adventure that takes Harlem between 1971, 1973, and 1976. It is the second book released after Harlem Shuffle and is said to be Crime fiction and detective fiction.
The Underground Railroad
In 2016, Whitehead released a historical fiction novel The Underground Railroad. The novel takes after the story of Cora, a slave in the Antebellum South in the 19th century, who makes an offer for the opportunity from her Georgia ranch by taking after the Underground Railroad. The Underground Railroad has won several awards including the National Book Award for Fiction, the Arthur C. Clarke Award, the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction, and the 2017 Andrew Carnegie Medal for Excellence.
Zone One
Whitehead is the author of the New York Times bestselling book Zone One published in October 2011. The book blends elements of genre fiction and literary fiction. Whitehead shared that Zone One was partly an attempt to return to his adolescent fascination with horror writer Stephen King and science fiction icon Isaac Asimov. The book has 322 pages on paperback and 259 on hardback.
Sag Harbor
Sag Harbor is a novel published in 2009, and it takes place in Sag Harbor, a small town in the upscale Hamptons on the eastern end of New York’s Long Island. The book’s themes are race, class, and consumer culture.
Intuitionist
The Intuitionist is a novel by Whitehead, first published in 1999, set in a city filled with high-rises and other buildings that rely on vertical transportation, particularly elevators. The story opens with the dramatic failure of an elevator that Watson had inspected just days earlier. It’s worth noting that the book has 272 editions.
Quotes
Some of the quotes he has used in his works include:
- “Not beyond any doubt race issue in America will be solved.”
- “One cannot rush inspiration.”
- “Horror movies and science fiction inspired me to be a writer.”
- “Just a little clue or hint to know how I’m supposed to feel about things.”
- “I enjoy questions that tee me up to make weird jokes.”
- “I’m trying to switch voices and genres.”
Interview
In July 2023, during an interview with Vox, he revealed that he was using his Harlem Shuffle trilogy to narrate the history of New York.
Net Worth
He has worked as an author, writer-in-residence, and instructor for a few years. From his career as a novelist, he has accomplished conventional fortune. Whitehead’s net worth is $10 Million.
Frequently Asked Questions
What Did Colson Whitehead Win The Pulitzer Prize For Fiction?
Whitehead won the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction in 2017 for his work in The Underground Railroad.
How Old Is Colson Whitehead?
Whitehead is 54 years old born on November 6, 1969, in New York City, New York, United States.
Who Is Colson Whitehead?
Whitehead is a 54-year-old novelist who has authored nine novels. He won the 2016 National Book Award for Fiction through his novel The Intuitionist. Whitehead joined The New York Times Magazine to write a column on language in 2015.