Talking Volumes with Colson Whitehead

Twenty-seven seasons in, Talking Volumes — presented by MPR News and the Minnesota Star Tribune — remains one of the region’s most anticipated literary event series. This fall, five bestselling authors sit down with award-winning journalists Kerri Miller and Catharine Richert for deep conversations about their books, their lives, and the ideas shaping our world. And we’ll do it all in a welcoming new home: The O’Shaughnessy Auditorium at St. Catherine University.
Join Talking Volumes for a live conversation with two-time Pulitzer Prize winner and #1 New York Times bestselling author Colson Whitehead. Whitehead will join MPR News journalist Catharine Richert to discuss Cool Machine, the electrifying conclusion to his acclaimed Harlem Trilogy. Spanning 1981 to 1986, the novel paints a pitch-perfect portrait of a transforming New York City gripped by Reagan-era capitalism and a booming art scene. Follow beloved furniture dealer and master fence Ray Carney and his fierce partner, Pepper, as they navigate one last high-stakes heist, the violent underbelly of the East Village, and a dangerous rescue mission. Don’t miss this evening of dazzling storytelling and insightful conversation at The O’Shaughnessy Auditorium about a city in transition and the truths beneath its surface.