Colson Whitehead is an American novelist who has won the Pulitzer Prize twice for his works The Underground Railroad (2016) and The Nickel Boys (both 2016). (2021).

Because of the disturbing themes or unforgettable characters he creates, and the way he discusses race and racism in his writings, Whitehead has established himself as an influential figure in American literature.

The Intuitionist, his first bestselling novel, is about an African-American elevator inspector who was blamed by her white coworkers. John Henry Days, his next book, featured the story of a steel-driving man who the author referred to as “the first black superhero I knew.”

Whitehead’s influence extends beyond his books. His reviews, articles, and fiction have appeared in the New York Times, The New Yorker, New York Magazine, and Harper’s Magazine, among other publications.

Colson Whitehead’s Childhood

Colson Whitehead was born on November 6, 1969, in New York City, and attended Trinity School in Manhattan. He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from Harvard University, where he studied English and Comparative Literature. He also took theatrical and African-American studies programs.

Colson Whitehead’s Journey to Literature

Whitehead worked as a reviewer for The Village Voice after graduating from the elite university. During his tenure as a reviewer, he penned an unpublished novel called The Return of the Spook about a Gary Coleman-like child star.

Whitehead’s interest in story-telling was sparked by writing. In fact, The Intuitionist (1999), his first successful work, is the polar opposite of his first.

People have been influenced by the writer’s works on a socio-cultural level. Whitehead has been asked to teach at a number of universities, including Columbia University, Princeton University, Brooklyn College, the University of Houston in Texas, Wesleyan University, and Vassar College, to name a few.

Colson Whitehead’s Wife Shares His Passion for Literature

Yes! For more than a decade, the writer, 52, has lived the life of a married man. He is married to Julie Barer, the joy of his life, with whom he shares a home and a passion for books.

Barer is a literary agent and one of the co-founders of the Book Group, which she created in 2015. The Book Group is a well-known literary agency that represents a diverse group of notable authors, including critically acclaimed and best-selling novels, children’s book authors, historians, food writers, memoirists, and journalists.

She worked as a bookseller at Shakespeare & Company in New York before becoming an agent, according to her agency’s official website.

The writer’s wife specializes in fiction, and her clients have appeared in journals such as The New Yorker, The New York Times, Best American Short Stories, Atlantic Monthly, Tin House, Granta, and others.

Many of Barer’s clients have received numerous accolades and distinctions as a result of her contributions, including funding from the National Endowment for the Arts, the Guggenheim Foundation, the National Book Award Finalist medal, the Barnes & Noble Discover Award, and the Orange Prize, to name a few.

Barer, like her husband, is driven by ambition. During his interview with the Guardian, the author described how his son kept him occupied and busy during his confinement. He also mentioned wanting to devote his complete attention to his family and writing when his children are away.

Beckett, the couple’s kid, is eight years old as of 2021. The Whiteheads are currently residing in East Hampton, Long Island, in their second home.

Colson Whitehead and His First Wife Have a Daughter

The writer’s connection with his first wife is less well-known. But we do know that Whitehead married his first wife, Natasha Stovall, in the year 2000. Madeline Whitehead was born to the couple, and they moved to San Francisco.

The marriage began to break apart once Whitehead began writing for a poker series for his next venture, and they divorced legally in the mid-2000s.