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Colson Whitehead, 'Crook Manifesto'

In-person – Saturday September 23 at 4 pm

       

Succeed2gether's Montclair Literary Festival and Montclair Public Library's Open Book / Open Mind series are delighted to welcome two-time Pulitzer Prize-winning author Colson Whitehead to discuss the latest installment of his Harlem saga, Crook Manifesto, a hugely entertaining novel that summons 1970s New York in all its seedy glory. Colson will be live and in person on Saturday, September 23, at 4 p.m, in conversation with books editor of People magazine, Kate Tuttle.


Crook Manifesto is a darkly funny tale of a city under siege, but also a sneakily searching portrait of the meaning of family. Colson's kaleidoscopic portrait of Harlem is sure to stand as one of the all-time great evocations of a place and a time. 

"Whitehead continues his boisterous, incisive saga of late-20th-century Harlem and of a furniture dealer rarely keeping his criminal side at bay...The adventures of entrepreneur, family man, and sometime fence Ray Carney, which began with Harlem Shuffle (2021), are carried from the Black Citadel's harried-but-hopeful 1960s of that book to the dismal-and-divided '70s shown here...[Crook Manifesto] is not just crime fiction at its craftiest, but shrewdly rendered social history."— Kirkus Reviews

Tickets to hear Colson Whitehead in person cost $35 and include one copy of the book Crook Manifesto (value $29). Unsigned books will be available to be picked up from Library and Festival partner watchung booksellers after the book's publication on Tuesday, July 18, 2023. Signed bookplates (to go in already collected books) and signed books will be available for collection at the event. Unsigned books can not be swapped for signed books. Colson will NOT be signing books after the event.


This event will be held in The Sanctuary of the First Congregational Church, 40 South Fullerton Ave, Montclair, 07042. If you require any special accommodations to attend, please email [email protected] before the event.

Colson Whitehead is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of eleven works of fiction and nonfiction, and is a two-time winner of the Pulitzer Prize, for The Nickel Boys and The Underground Railroad, which also won the National Book Award. A recipient of MacArthur and Guggenheim fellowships, he lives in New York City. Photo credit © Chris Close.


Kate Tuttle is an executive editor at People magazine, covering books. A past president of the National Book Critics Circle, she formerly edited the books pages at the Boston Globe. Her reviews and essays have appeared in the New York Times, Los Angeles Times, Washington Post, and elsewhere.


The Open Book / Open Mind series is presented by the Montclair Public Library with the generous support of The Montclair Public Library Foundation, Watchung Booksellers, Josh Weston, Rosemary Iversen, an anonymous donor, the First Congregational Church, Amanti Vino, and The George Montclair.


Succeed2gether's Montclair Literary Festival organizing committee wishes to thank its primary festival partners – Montclair State University, Watchung Booksellers, Montclair Public Library – festival sponsors, event sponsors, our many community supporters and volunteers.







Any proceeds from this event will be shared by the Montclair Public Library and Montclair-based non-profit Succeed2gether, which offers free after-school one-on-one tutoring and enrichment classes with the aim of closing the education and opportunity gaps in Essex County, NJ.


Please note that there are no refunds for this event. If you would prefer to pay by check, please contact Succeed2gether on 973-746-0553.

How would you like to support?

Updates

Event information for Colson Whitehead event TOMORROW September 23

September 22, 2023

Dear Colson Whitehead fans!


We look forward to seeing you tomorrow (Saturday) for Colson’s book talk. The event will start at 4pm. 

We are expecting many attendees so please be patient while we check you in. We know rain is expected and will do our best to get you in as quickly and smoothly as possible.

***Books can no longer be picked up at Watchung Booksellers. Please come to the talk to collect your book.***

VENUE
This talk will take place in The Sanctuary of the First Congregational Church, 40 South Fullerton Ave, Montclair.

PARKING
There is paid parking at meters and in the nearby parking decks (Crescent, Seymour St, Glenridge Ave). There is also free street parking on Plymouth, Union, and other nearby streets. Please do not block driveways or park illegally. Also, we have been notified that any unauthorized cars parked in the car park behind the United Way building will be towed. So please don't park there! We have attached a map to identify available parking.

DOORS
Doors will open at 3:15 pm (maybe slightly earlier if there is a line and it is rainy!). General Admission will be via the side door, accessed via the ramp, on Plymouth St. Sponsors/VIP entrance will be via the door to the right of the main double doors on South Fullerton Ave. There will be no entry via the main double doors on South Fullerton Ave.

CHECK-IN
If you have already picked up your book from Watchung Booksellers, we will be checking you in on the right as you enter the church.

If you have not picked up your book, we will be checking you in at the tables to the left.

At check-in, please give your name and we will check you in via our ticketing app. If you purchased a ticket for someone else and didn't register their name, please either check in with them or have them know the name of the ticket purchaser so we can search our ticketing platform. 

BOOKS & BOOK PLATES
At check-in, signed books will be handed out to those who haven't already collected them from Watchung Booksellers. We will check our book list when we check you in.  

Signed book plates will be handed out to those who have already collected their book from Watchung Booksellers. Again, this will happen as we check you in.

Additional books will be available to purchase at the event.

INSIDE THE VENUE
Front rows are reserved for Festival sponsors and other guests. Please follow the usher’s instructions when finding a seat. You can also sit upstairs on both sides of the Sanctuary. We will open up the back upstairs balcony if necessary.

Masks are not mandatory but recommended.

VIDEOS
Colson has asked that attendees do not video the discussion. We ask you to respect his request.

BATHROOMS
Bathrooms are located at the front of the venue, on either side of the church foyer. 

Please let us know if you have any questions or require any accommodations to attend. 

We look forward to welcoming you and hearing from Colson on Saturday!

Best,
Succeed2gether's Montclair Literary Festival and Montclair Public Library's Open Book/Open Mind series


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