The Book of Harlan by Bernice L. McFadden

Partly set in the Jim Crow South, the novel succeeds in showing the prevalence of racism all across the country-whether implemented through institutionalized mechanisms or otherwise. 'McFadden packs a powerful punch with tight prose and short chapters that bear witness to key events in early twentieth-century history: both World Wars, the Great Depression, and the Great Migration. Historical Novels Review, Editors' Choice This fictional narrative of Harlan Elliot's life is firmly grounded amidst real people and places-prime historical fiction, and the best book I have read this year.' Her spare prose is rich in details that convey deep emotions and draw the reader in. Bernice McFadden.has created an amazing novel that speaks to lesser known aspects of the African-American experience and illuminates the human heart and spirit. ' The Book of Harlan is an incredible read. The perspective of a black man in a concentration camp is unique and harrowing and this is a riveting, worthwhile read.' 'McFadden's writing breaks the heart-and then heals it again. Literary Hub, one of Nicole Dennis-Benn's 26 Books From the Last Decade that More People Should Read The Book of Harlan brilliantly explores questions about agency, purpose, freedom, and survival.'

It's complex, real, and raw.McFadden intricately and purposefully weaves history as a backdrop in her fiction.

McFadden took me on a melodious literary journey through time and place in her masterpiece, The Book of Harlan. This is a story about the triumph of the human spirit over bigotry, intolerance and cruelty, and at the center of The Book of Harlan is the restorative force that is music.' 'Simply miraculous.As her saga becomes ever more spellbinding, so does the reader's astonishment at the magic she creates. 'McFadden uses the experiences of her own ancestors as loose inspiration for the life of Harlan, whom she portrays from his childhood in Harlem through imprisonment in a Nazi concentration camp and his struggles afterward to put his life back together.' WINNER of the NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Literary Work (Fiction)Ģ017 Hurston/Wright Legacy Award Nominee (Fiction)! McFadden has been named the Go On Girl! Book Club's 2018 Author of the Year

The Book of Harlan by Bernice L. McFadden