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October 6, 2007
Borough of Writers: Q & A: Colson Whitehead
Brooklyn Daily Eagle
Brad Lockwood interviews author Colson Whitehead, who describes the beginnings of Brooklyn's creative brain drain:
To paraphrase one of your pieces, ‘Where is that crack house I should have bought?’
Right now it’s next to Atlantic Yards. So I guess Ratner should have bought it for a lot of money [laughs]. In ’93, at that point, there was a sort of mystique about black Fort Greene, bohemian center of writers and artists, Spike Lee, you know? And it was cheaper than Manhattan, so I went and I stayed. That’s where I came of age as a writer.How do you think development will impact Brooklyn’s literary scene?
I think people are writing and living in Brooklyn because it’s cheaper than Manhattan. But Park Slope’s now a very expensive place to live. Williamsburg is expensive. So, if I were starting out, where would I move? Sunset Park? Queens? The Bronx? Because the city is so expensive, it will determine where the next generation sets up shop.
Posted by amy at October 6, 2007 10:53 AM