Craig Pittman

Craig Pittman asked Colson Whitehead:

Why do you think there are so many slavery-themed novels and movies being produced these days? In addition to your book we've gotten "The Good Lord Bird," "The House Girl," "The Invention of Wings," the movies "Django Unchained" and "12 Years A Slave" and so forth. Is it connected with the election (and re-election) of Barack Obama as president?

Colson Whitehead I don't know - as someone inside the process, I can't step outside for a proper perspective. The more African American writers we have, in books and TV and film, the more voices we add to the chorus. Black writers tackle many different subjects -- our American history is one, and the more people we have investigating, the more accounts/versions we add...

More Answered Questions

Susan

Susan asked Colson Whitehead:

Hi,Colson...You Always Always Think outside The "Trunk" ;) I imagine your research came from various sources, most importantly Your Mind... Which reveals so much about you... Are you surprised by all the Great Attention "The Underground Railroad" is getting?(We're not:) When I read "Sag Harbor" we really did get a peek inside your life...Thanks Colson

Alex

Alex asked Colson Whitehead:

I thought your time blending a really interesting technique, especially inserting the Booker T v WEB DuBois debates into the slave period. Why did you decide to use this technique as Cora's journey north progressed?

Evelyn

Evelyn asked Colson Whitehead:

Are you more impressed by the fact that Oprah has read your book, or that it's on President Obama's summer reading list?

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Colson Whitehead

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