Cool Machine by Colson Whitehead: a fitting end to the Harlem trilogy that is sure to make it a classic of New York fiction

This article contains spoilers for the first two books in the Harlem Trilogy Cool Machine is the last book in Colson Whitehead’s Harlem Trilogy. Across three decades, the series has followed the furniture dealer and family man Ray Carney as he navigates the changing cultural and political landscapes of New York City. We meet Carney in Harlem Shuffle, which is set in the late 50s and early 60s. At this point, Carney is trying to stay straight in a world that turned many of his family members…