As a reader, I have a peculiar relationship with Colson Whitehead. I don't yet feel completely save with him, as a reader, having disliked two of his earlier books, "The Intuitionist," and "John Henry Days." When "Sag Harbor" was suggested to me, I thought it might somehow fit into my Brat Pack agenda, and it would be fun to visualize the locales, having actually been to them.
"Sag Harbor" is lushly, and gorgeously written. But Colson does not play it safe, by giving the viewpoint of the affluent Black community. Yes, even as far back as the Forties, Blacks went out to Sag Harbor, who were home owners, not servants!!!!!!!!!!!! The latter were the White college kids, trying to make their way through the Ivies, so they could become neighbors, eventually, in adjoining communities.
Whitehead does a great job of dissing Bayside, Queens, and working in a ice cream parlor. His adolescents are more agreeable, less whiny than those of Bret Easton Ellis, or Jill Eisenstadt. They don't seem to take what they have for granted, because the parents have instilled some kind of consciousness in them. That doesn't mean they don't have fun.
This is probably the best Whitehead I have read, which is like praise, Hallelujah!!!!!!!!! I would add this to the Modern Brat Pack entries, though Whitehead, to give him credit, never rewrites the same material. Rather, he is not afraid to try new topics, whether they succeed, or not!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
"Sag Harbor" may just be the perfect, literary Summer read!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Imagine, reading it, at Sag Harbor!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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