Crook Manifesto by Colson Whitehead

The author is basically saying that he liked being in the world and the time of Harlem Shuffle that he had to keep writing about it. Who can blame him? After watching Summer of Soul, I , too, wanted to be in Harlem in the late 1960's and early 1970's to experience it--it probably would not have gone as well as I might hope, but I loved the music and the vibe so much. So here we have round 2 with Ray Carney. Ray is a hustler of stolen goods who threads his way through New York's yesteryear in a sometimes heroic, sometimes tragicomic attempt to figure out life, fatherhood, and identity. What is changing from one book to the next? A generational shift is afoot, and it's not just happening to Ray. Black culture, socioeconomic hardship, institutional racism, and New York City itself are morphing rapidly. Staying on top of it is like tiptoeing on quicksand. In true Ray fashion, he makes an ill-advised request of Munson, a less-than-up-and-up cop, who agrees to help Ray get some concert tickets; It's a desperate, unforced error done for the noblest impulses, which has long been one of Ray's biggest charms and biggest flaws. Naturally, he gets sucked into a web of capers, coincidences and catastrophes that would be funny if they weren't so deadly. If you liked Harlem Shuffle (and yes, you should read that first), you will undoubtedly enjoy this.