Photo Courtesy of the Choate Instagram
On October 5, Pulitzer Prize-winning author Colson Whitehead spoke to the Choate community through a school-wide webinar.
The School invited Mr. Whitehead to provide insights on his latest work, The Nickel Boys, this year’s required summer reading book.
While such an event would typically be held in Colony Hall during School Meeting, the ongoing pandemic forced a virtual approach.
Rather than diving straight into the book, Mr. Whitehead opened the talk with some amusing anecdotes of the inspiration behind his work.
“I was definitely surprised that he didn’t focus strictly on The Nickel Boys,” Ula Lucas ’21 noted. “He took some liberties to talk a little bit more about himself as a writer.”
Dr. Matthew Bardoe, the head of the Mathematics and Computer Science Department, said that, compared to focusing on and hearing only about the book, “it is more edifying and useful to hear about [the author’s] personal story, and in that way understand the life that leads to the book.”
Many saw Mr. Whitehead’s bright energy as a stark contrast to the gravity of his novel, which details years of race-based trauma at a fictional reform school in north Florida. (The novel is based on the real-life Dozier School for Boys, which operated for decades in the Florida panhandle; the school closed in 2011.)
“He was so self-deprecating and humorous that at the moment I was focused primarily on the humor of his talk,” Dr. Bardoe said. “But, in reflecting, there were many important lessons from his personal story of how he became a writer.”
Mr. Whitehead revealed that he works painstakingly on every story to incorporate history as accurately as possible into his fictional scenes. “With the extensive research Colson Whitehead has put into his work, his niche knowledge only made the webinar more engaging,” said Zora DeRham ’23.
A poor internet connection in the beginning detracted from the experience for some. Eva Li ’24, who enjoyed hearing Mr. Whitehead speak about his writing process, was “quite disappointed by the audio quality.”
While the virtual format posed various challenges, it did not prevent students and faculty from gaining insightful information. “I really appreciated that he was a good sport about the connection,” Lucas said. “I think we all can relate to things like shaky Wi-Fi. I enjoyed what I could hear, nonetheless.”
Despite the physical distance and technical difficulties, Mr. Whitehead excited students and faculty members alike. Through his hour-long talk, he allowed the Choate community to peek inside the head of a contemporary writer working at the top of his game.
