A macarthur genius grant fellow, coates has received the national magazine award, the hillman prize for opinion and analysis journalism, and the george polk award. The novel follows hiram hi walker, a 12yearold slave on a virginia plantation ironically named. Coatess book, about a slave who has the ability to vanish from one place and appear in another. The acclaimed writer launched a national book tour for his first novel, the water dancer at new yorks historic apollo theater september 23 as part of a threeyear partnership between coates and. Over the past decade, tanehisi coates has emerged as an important public. Tanehisi coates new novel, set during the era of slavery, follows a young black man who discovers that his memories trigger a mysterious. Tanehisi coates s first novel, the water dancer, will be published in september by one world, an imprint of random house, and now, it has a cover. Hes provided a list of books that shaped his thinking on race in the us while preparing for his article the case for reparations. Tanehisi coatess debut novel mingles history and fantasy. Me was hailed as the contemporary successor to the fire next time. Tanehisi coates on new book the water dancer, inspiration. Tanehisi coatess debut novel mingles history and fantasy the. A recipient of the national book award and a macarthur genius grant, tanehisi coates, 44, has explored the importance of archetypes, especially as they relate to the african american story, in his previous books, the beautiful struggle, between the world and me, and we were eight years in power. Tanehisi coates reading list tnc is one of the most interesting public intellectuals today.