Historical Fiction: Crook Manifesto by Colson Whitehead

Two years ago, two-time Pulitzer Prize winning author Colson Whitehead published Harlem Shuffle, the first book in which readers were introduced to the crooked adventures of Ray Carney. Today's post will discuss the follow-up, Crook Manifesto. Once again, readers will follow Ray around New York City -  primarily Harlem and Manhattan - as the book presents the city as it stood in the 1970s.

The Situation: It is 1971, and Ray Carney is done being a fence. Now, when men show up at his furniture business with goods to unload, he confidently tells them that he is no longer the man who can help them. He has managed to do quite well for himself. The business has expanded, Ray is now a landlord, and he has managed to move his family into nicer dwellings. By 1973, the furniture store is picked by an up and coming director as the setting for a few scenes in a movie. Ray might be doing well, but it is clear that the city is moving in a dangerous direction. More and more buildings are being burned down in mysterious fires, that everyone seems to know are not exactly accidents. Things are about to get worse before they get better, and despite his previous resolve, it is not long before Ray is once again entangled in the business he said he left behind.

The Problem: Ray may have decided to become a legitimate businessman, but when his daughter desperately wants Jackson 5 tickets, he figures one less than legitimate favor is worth making his little girl's dream come true. Unfortunately, one of his old contacts has other ideas. In 1973, when his furniture store is being used for a movie, Ray's old friend, and seasoned crook, Pepper, finds himself surrounded by Hollywood types who do not seem to realize how dangerous he is. And in 1976, as Harlem is literally burning to the ground, Ray figures it is time he and Pepper team up to hopefully, and finally, make someone pay. But there is always someone else watching; always someone who knows more than they are saying; and always someone willing to start another fire.

Genre, Themes, History: This is a historical fiction novel set in 1970s New York City. Much like with Harlem Shuffle, Ray Carney is the center of focus for most of the novel. Told in three separate sections, 1971 finds Ray attempting to give up the crooked life and focus on his family and growing business, only to be drawn back in. In 1973, the focus shifts to Pepper, a straight-faced and seasoned crook put on a mission to find a missing actress. And in 1976, Ray and Pepper must work together to take down one of the city's biggest crooks, as Harlem burns down around them. The book is an exploration of the big city and those that ran it. Betrayal and corruption seem to be the bedrock of nearly every deal, and the worst mistake a crook can make is believing they are untouchable.

My Verdict: From the first few pages, it is clear that Ray's attempt to stay on the straight and narrow is not going to last much longer. It is a theme that will remain throughout the entire novel: this undercurrent of tension and knowing that things can (and will) go south at any moment, and that not everything is as it seems. Possibly the most stable and reliable figure in the book is Pepper, and even he is caught by surprise occasionally, despite his commitment to being observant and aware at all times. It is a setting where anything can and does happen, with all three sections of the book containing unforeseen turns and adventures. Personally, I enjoyed it more than the first book, and was glad to see Ray's story extended as he continues to build his life.

Favorite Moment: There are many, many characters that readers will be eager to see get what they deserve. When it happens, it is never predictable, and almost always a surprise, though it often should not be.

Favorite Character: Zippo (yeah, that is what he likes to be called) is a ridiculous individual. Dressed in snake-skinned pants, a bright yellow blouse, and black and white leather boots the first time the reader meets him, he has a vision for the next big blaxploitation film, and wants to use Ray's furniture store as a location.

Recommended Reading: I know I recommend this book a lot, and I will continue to do so, because The Sellout by Paul Beatty is just that good.

Historical Fiction: Symphony of Secrets by Brendan Slocumb

Last year's The Violin Conspiracy was a thrill-ride that took reader's into the world of classical music, and what can happen when an inherited violin is discovered to be priceless. Author Brendan Slocumb has once again presented a mystery with classical music at its center in Symphony of Secrets. Moving between the present and the 1920s, readers will get to know the story or a struggling composer, and the secret that allowed him to find eventual success.

The Situation: Dr. Bern Hendricks has spent his academic career studying the life and music of Frederic Delaney, America's greatest composer who saw much success in the 1920s, before seemingly running out of steam, even unable to complete his masterpiece, Five Rings of Olympia, for over a decade. To say that Bern is devoted to Delaney's music would be an understatement. He is even one of many who has benefited from the kindness of The Delaney Foundation. Even so, he is surprised to receive an email from the executive director of the foundation, which leads to a request that he temporarily abandon his faculty position and immediately make his way to New York City to assist with an emergency assignment. It is an opportunity to continue working on the music of the man he admires, and possibly present a lost piece of history to the world.

The Problem: From the moment that Bern is asked to surrender his phone and sign a non-disclosure agreement, it is clear that what The Delaney Foundation is asking of him is serious business. If this assignment is what he and the foundation believes it is, it will mean that Delaney's Quintet will be successfully complete. But it is soon clear that Delaney had help composing the music he has received so much praise for. In 1920s New York, Frederic Delaney met Josephine Reed, a socially awkward, but clearly brilliant Black woman who heard music the way no one else did, certainly in a way Delaney could not. What Bern discovers would no doubt jeopardize the Delaney legacy, and the foundation knows it. Things go from mysterious, to tense, to downright hostile, but Bern and his friend Eboni remain intent on revealing the truth.

Genre, Themes, History: This is a historical fiction novel that takes place in both modern-day and 1920s New York City. Bern Hendricks has been hired to get a piece of found music ready for the public, but the discovered hidden history behind the piece changes everything, or at least it would should the public find out. With each chapter focusing on the perspective of either Bern, Delaney, or Josephine Reed, the book moves back and forth between the two time periods, eventually revealing what exactly happened as Delaney was finally finding success as a musician. In the author's note, Slocumb mentions wanting to acknowledge the stories that, for a variety of reasons, are never told, or the voices that are never heard, much like Josephine Reed's. For her, racism certainly plays a role, as well as her being neurodivergent. Add in a struggling musician who is desperate to be seen as a genius, and Josephine's music may finally get the recognition it deserves, even though she may not.

My Verdict: Any book with multiple perspectives, especially one that jumps back and forth between time periods, plays the risk of having one story be much more engaging than the others, or of having one simply not be interesting at all. While I did find myself much more drawn to what was happening between Delaney and Josephine Reed in the 1920s, Bern's story was not without its own captivating and intriguing moments, especially as tensions escalate between him and The Delaney Foundation. At a little over 400 pages, the book manages to cover both Bern and Eboni's situation in the present-day, and the story of Josephine Reed and what happened between her and Delaney, without taking too long with any one point or event. The tension is held without being too much, and every little secret is revealed at a pace that mystery lovers will appreciate.

Favorite Moment: There were many moments when Josephine proved to be smarter, and more capable and clever than those around her ever realized. 

Favorite Character: Josephine Reed is the kind of character we do not see often enough in literature, and I simply could not get enough of her. A neurodivergent Black woman in 1920s New York City, the odds were stacked against her, even if she was a brilliant musician. I could read a book, or even a whole series, just on her alone. And I must admit, I appreciated the character of Frederic Delaney as well, but in a different way and for different reasons. It felt like an honest portrayal of a desperate and fragile human being who has a hard time dealing with his own musical mediocrity. 

Recommended Reading: On a Night of a Thousand Stars by Andrea Yaryura Clark explores a different kind of mystery, set in Argentina, and also moves back and forth between the past and the present. 

Nonfiction: Poverty, by America by Matthew Desmond

In 2017, Matthew Desmond's Evicted: Poverty and Profit in the American City won the Pulitzer Prize for General Nonfiction, so it is understandable why many readers were anticipating this year's Poverty, by America. Desmond once again tackles a tough topic and presents what he found through extensive research, personal experience, and a critical look at this country's history. I am fortunate to have had the opportunity of getting my copy of the book signed by the author while at this year's San Antonio Book Festival, and judging by the size of the crowd that showed up for his session, and the long line at the author signing, it seemed clear that this book also resonated with readers.

Genre, Themes, History: This is a nonfiction book that looks at the poverty situation in the U.S, asking the question of why the richest country on earth has a higher rate of poverty than its counterparts. Desmond begins the book by explaining what poverty is, and what it means when someone in the U.S. falls below that poverty line. Then Desmond explores why it continues to be such a problem in our country, with chapter titles such as "How We Undercut Workers," and "How We Force the Poor to Pay More." As common questions and counter arguments are mentioned along the way, Desmond explores and dispels them, using both history and his own research. The final chapters of the book ultimately provide solutions and ways to get involved in change, while acknowledging that it will not be easy.

My Verdict: What I love most about this book is that Desmond is not at all shy about the message he is trying to present here. This country has a problem with poverty, and there are ways to solve it, but it takes serious involvement and accountability. Throughout the book, Desmond is sure to bring up the common explanations and excuses that are often given for why things are the way they are (arguments such as "people do not want to work" and "immigrants take away our jobs"), as well as the ones people use to explain why they could never change (such as the scarcity narrative), and dismantles these arguments, while also offering answers and solutions. And he is not afraid to call out various companies, states, even a few specific neighborhoods that he feels are contributing to the problem. Sure, parts of it are uncomfortable, but the book is short. It may be worth sitting through that discomfort and wondering why it's there in the first place. 

Favorite Chapter: Chapter 5, "How We Rely on Welfare," pulls apart many of the myths and much of the rhetoric we have all heard in arguments about welfare.

Favorite Quote: "There is a sociological insight here. When the ground feels unstable underfoot, we tend to hunker down and protect our own, growing less willing to consider what we have and more apt to pay mind to what we could lose. Stacks of social psychological evidence confirm that when we feel resources are scarce or could be, when we sense that our status (or that of our racial group) is slipping, we discard our commitments to equal opportunity." - from Chapter 9, "Tear Down the Walls." 

Recommended Reading: Evicted is a compelling read, and I also recommend Caste by Isabel Wilkerson.

Science Fiction: Flux by Jinwoo Chong

It is time for me to once again try my hand at science fiction. This continues to be a genre that I have a hard time getting excited about. But when I read the description for Flux by Jinwoo Chong, I was interested to see where this story would go, as it promised to deal with inter-connected storylines, and the bending of time.

The Situation: It is four days before Christmas, and 28 year-old Brandon just learned that he is out of a job. It seems the magazine he has been working at has been bought out, and he is no longer needed. After making an impulsive purchase with his severance pay, a freak accident puts him in close contact with the woman at the store, as well as with a confident and somewhat ridiculous stranger he is fairly certain is hitting on him. For eight year-old Bo, this is the last morning he will see his mother alive, as she will be tragically hit by a school bus. And for 48 year-old Blue, this is his chance to perhaps reconnect with his ex-wife and daughter, while preparing to appear as a witness in an upcoming high profile trial. 

The Problem: While Brandon is glad to have a new job, he is still not completely comfortable working with the confident stranger, Lev, or the high profile and incredibly charismatic owner of the company he now works for, Flux. The company is making promises that are hard to believe, and Brandon is confident things are not quite as they seem. Meanwhile, blackouts are becoming more common; Brandon feels guilty over his lack of connection with his father and younger brother; and news has just came out that his favorite childhood star from the 80s had a history of abuse against various individuals. As the stories of Brandon, Bo, and Blue continue and become more connected, it is clear that something bigger is occurring, and great risks must be taken to resolve it.

Genre, Themes, History: This is a science fiction novel set closer to the year 2050, which is merely my estimation based on some clues from the story. Of the three characters that are followed in the story, Brandon inhabits the most of it, and is the only first-person narrator, though he is not necessarily talking to the reader. Throughout his story, Brandon will address Antonin Haubert, the actor who played the main character in a show he watched as a child, Raider. At the time that it aired, the show was known for being willing to portray Asian characters, but by the time Brandon is an adult, it is pretty much acknowledged that those portrayals were racist and insensitive. Readers may be reminded of certain news stories from our own reality, mostly involving the revelation of unsettling past behaviors of celebrities many grew up watching and adoring, as well as the exposure of unethical business practices of celebrity CEOs.  

My Verdict: Any story involving any sort of time travel or time bending can be hard to do well. I applaud any author with the courage to take it on and wrestle with it, and Chong certainly did. It is no question that Brandon is an unreliable narrator, something I always enjoy, and this is known from the start when it becomes clear that he is talking to an actor he loved watching as a child, and is still obsessed with the show. Some have made the argument that the story moves slowly, and that the clues take too long to be revealed as do the connections, but as someone who often has a hard time with science fiction, I enjoyed the slower pace. I do wish the connection between the storylines was better explained, and maybe the process explored a little more, but I felt I could fully see the world and the state it is in.

Favorite Moment: There are several moments in this book that are pretty absurd, but my favorite may be the falling-down-an-elevator-shaft incident. 

Favorite Character: Min, the woman Brandon meets at a store after he has been let go from his job, does not show up a whole lot during the story, but I like her general presence and the overall role she has in his life. 

Recommended Reading: For more science fiction that deals with time travel, I recommend Recursion by Blake Crouch.