Harlem ShuffleHarlem Shuffle
What it's about
In Harlem in 1959, Ray Carney sells furniture, is married with a child on the way, and is only slightly crooked, fencing a few stolen goods on the side. Then his cousin Freddie gets him involved in a plan to rob the famous Hotel Theresa, and Ray is pulled into the city's underworld of gangsters, crooked cops and corrupt bankers.
Why it's worth reading
It was a finalist for the National Book Critics Circle Award and the Goodreads Choice Award. It's a stylish, funny crime novel from the two-time Pulitzer winner.
You'll love it if you liked
The Nickel Boys
The Underground Railroad
Motherless BrooklynGood to know
It's episodic, in three parts set years apart. There's violence. A sequel, Crook Manifesto, continues it.
By the numbers
- Readers2 out of 100 · counts 42%
- Critics41 out of 100 · counts 14%
- Bestseller47 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
- Buzz51 out of 100 · counts 10%
Critics and Bestseller are two ways to earn a place: a book's stronger one counts more. Buzz rewards recent bestseller weeks and prizes, so older books start at zero. The parts combine into the Must-Read Score, shown on a scale where the best book we found scores 99 and the last book to make the ranking scores 50.
Where it ranks
- #106 of the 116 historical novels we rank
- #256 of the 309 literary novels we rank
- #380 of the 481 new books we rank
- #2229 of the 2,816 books we rank
Why it made the list
Reads as
Moving
More by Colson Whitehead
The Nickel BoysThe Underground RailroadIf you like this, read next
James
Demon Copperhead
The Women
My Friends
The Safekeep
The Frozen RiverExplore the best-of lists
All 36 best-of lists →
Quick answers
Is Harlem Shuffle worth reading?
Yes. It was a finalist for the National Book Critics Circle Award and the Goodreads Choice Award. It ranks #2,229 of the 2,816 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 61.5 (the best book we found scores 99).
What is Harlem Shuffle about?
In Harlem in 1959, Ray Carney sells furniture, is married with a child on the way, and is only slightly crooked, fencing a few stolen goods on the side. Then his cousin Freddie gets him involved in a plan to rob the famous Hotel Theresa, and Ray is pulled into the city's underworld of gangsters, crooked cops and corrupt bankers.
How long does it take to read Harlem Shuffle?
About 8 hours (337 pages), or about 2 weeks at 30 minutes a day.
What should I read after Harlem Shuffle?
If you liked it, try The Nickel Boys by Colson Whitehead, The Underground Railroad by Colson Whitehead or Motherless Brooklyn by Jonathan Lethem.