Colson Whitehead

b. 1969

1 series 5 books in order 2 standalone books

Arch Colson Chipp Whitehead was born on November 6, 1969. He is an American novelist known for his works including The Intuitionist, his 1999 debut. His novel The Underground Railroad (2016) earned him the 2016 National Book Award for Fiction and the 2017 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction. He won the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction again in 2020 for The Nickel Boys, making him one of only four writers to win the prize twice. Whitehead has also written two books of nonfiction. In 2002, he was awarded a MacArthur Fellowship.

Born: 1969
Known for: The Harlem Trilogy

Series by Colson Whitehead

The Harlem Trilogy

3 books in order · 2021–2026

Harlem Shuffle

2021 · Colson Whitehead

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • From the two-time Pulitzer Prize-winning author of The Underground Railroad and The Nickel Boys, this gloriously…
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Crook Manifesto

2023 · Colson Whitehead

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • The two-time Pulitzer Prize winner and bestselling author of Harlem Shuffle continues his Harlem saga in a powerful and…
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Cool Machine

2026 · Colson Whitehead

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • From #1 New York Times bestselling author and two-time Pulitzer winner Colson Whitehead, an exuberantly entertaining…
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Standalone books

The Underground Railroad

2021
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Apex hides the hurt

2006
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Frequently asked questions

How many books has Colson Whitehead written?

We list 5 books by Colson Whitehead across 1 series, published between 2006–2026 — each shown in full reading order.

What order should I read Colson Whitehead's books?

Read each series in publication order. A good place to start is “Harlem Shuffle.” Open any series above for its complete numbered reading order.

Where can I buy Colson Whitehead's books?

Every title links to Amazon from its series page — see our affiliate disclosure in the footer for how that supports the site.

Reading order compiled from author/publisher guidance and verified bibliographic data. Spotted a wrong order, a missing book, or any other mistake? and we'll correct it.