The Colossus of New York

Whitehead is a prominent American author born in New York City in 1969. He was raised in Manhattan and attended Trinity School. He went on to study at Harvard University, graduating in 1991 with a degree in English and comparative literature. After graduating, Whitehead began his professional career working for The Village Voice, a weekly newspaper in New York City. During his time there, he worked as a television critic and later as a general assignment reporter. This experience likely honed his observational skills and his ability to capture the essence of urban life, which are evident in The Colossus of New York. Whitehead was awarded a MacArthur Genius Grant in 2002, at the age of 32.

Whitehead’s background as a native New Yorker and his experiences living and working in the city directly inform his work on The Colossus of New York. The book, published in 2003, is a collection of essays that serve as a love letter to New York City. Whitehead’s intimate knowledge of the city, its rhythms, and its inhabitants allows him to paint an evocative and nuanced portrait of urban life. His ability to capture the essence of New York in all its complexity is deeply rooted in his personal experiences and observations as a lifelong resident.