Novelist Colson Whitehead’s New York State of Mind
Summary
Sam Fragoso interviews two-time Pulitzer winner Colson Whitehead about his latest novel, The Cool Machine, the final installment in his Harlem crime trilogy. They discuss the book’s protagonist, Whitehead’s shifting literary tones, and his personal history growing up in New York City. The conversation also covers the influence of Toni Morrison, his "psychotronic" childhood, and his skeptical views on AI and the future of reading.
Topics discussed
Intro: Civilization decline, AI, and Colson Whitehead's new book
The Cool Machine: Completing the Harlem crime trilogy
Ray Carney's middle-aged disquiet and genre conventions
New York City as a character: Harlem, zombies, and memory
Psychotronic childhood: Horror movies and coming of age
Video store culture and Escape from New York
Sponsors: Article, Quince, Zenni, and Airbnb
Sag Harbor: Personal archaeology and surviving a difficult home
Solo trip to Brazil and the start of his writing career
Early career, father's influence, and finding his voice
Meeting Toni Morrison and the weight of literary legacy
Sponsor: Bull & Branch bedding
The end of reading, AI, and why he keeps writing
New York's resilience and the changing city
Reflections on 9/11, memory, and the Twin Towers
Brother Clark, finding wholeness, and the purpose of art
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