Colson Whitehead's 'Crook Manifesto' wins $50,000 Gotham Prize for outstanding book about NYC

Colson Whitehead won the Gotham Book Prize for his book "Crook Manifesto," a crime story set in 1970s Harlem. The prize is $50,000 and was created four years ago by Bradley Tusk and Howard Wolfson. Whitehead, a New Yorker, said the book captures the spirit of his city. The Gotham Prize aims to celebrate books that show the complexity of New York City. Previous winners include Andrea Elliott's "Invisible Child" and James McBride's "Deacon King Kong." Colson Whitehead is a well-known author who has won two Pulitzer Prizes. His other works include "The Underground Railroad" and "The Nickel Boys." He considers "Crook Manifesto" as the second book in a trilogy about Harlem, following "Harlem Shuffle" from 2021.