Book Summary and Reviews of Harlem Rhapsody by Victoria Christopher Murray

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Laurie F. (Brookline, MA)

Fabulous Novel! Great Read!
Hands down, this is one of the best books I have reviewed in the many years I have been a member of Book Browse! Not only is the story, plot line, and characters mesmerizing, but the historical education of the Harlem Renaissance was spellbounding. There is so much we don't know until reading such a well-documented novel as this. I am motivated to read more and cannot wait until Victoria Christopher Murray's next book! P.S. I am thrilled she collaborates with one of my favorite historical fiction authors - Marie Benedict.

Janice A. (Colfax, WI)

Harlem Rhapsody
For me, Victoria Christopher Murray's Harlem Rhapsody is the quintessential historical novel. It is based on true events, is entertaining and provided a learning opportunity. I enjoyed reading this book that centered on Jessie Redmon Fauset, the literary editor of The Crisis - the magazine created and edited by Dr. W. E. B. Du Bois, a civil rights activist. The struggle of Fauset to be seen as a talented writer, editor and activist in her own right was hampered by her on and off again affair with De Bois. The events unfold during the early nineteenth century and Christopher Murray emphasis the struggle for racial equality, yet interweaves women's fight for equality. I learned much about the early fight for African-American equality, the activists involved, and the early development of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP). I highly recommend this book.

Joanne V. (Phoenix, AZ)

Harlem Renaissance
Firstly, thanks to Book Browse and Net Galley for this ARC! I enjoyed Victoria Christoper Murray and Marie Benedict's "The Personal Librarian" and looked forward to Ms. Murray's book, which she had mentioned briefly in an earlier interview with Marie Benedict. I admit to not knowing anything about Jessie Redmon Fauset or the Harlem Renaissance for that matter, so thank you for this enlightening and interesting read. I loved it and learned so much about the time period, the characters' and especially Jessie Fauset's influence on writer's that were so important to the Harlem Renaissance. Ms. Murray's research is impeccable and her notes at the end of the book were so interesting. This book should be highly recommended to Book Clubs and read by all women who are still, after all these years, struggling with all -isms in the workplace and in society. The book has opened up so many avenues for more reading for me - I especially want to read more about W.E.B Dubois, who was so influential at that time, but seemed to me to be a bit of a jerk. Thank you Victoria for this book!!

Dianne S. (East Meadow, NY)

Harlem Renaissance
Harlem Rhapsody by Victoria Christopher Murray recounts the story of Jessie Redmon Faust, the literary editor of The Crisis. This magazine, established by her mentor and lover, W.E.B. Dubois, under Faust's leadership becomes the preeminent voice of promising young black writers. The Crisis is both a literary and financial success.
Faust's success in her chosen field is always shadowed by her tumultuous relationship with the much older Dubois who alternately encourages and hinders her professional development. Her mother strongly disapproves of her daughter's affair, seeing it as immoral and a stain on her daughter's brilliance.

This is a wonderful overview of the literary accomplishments nurtured during the Harlem Renaissance. The Crisis provided these very talented black writers with their only hope of being published after being rejected by the white publishing community. Faust is depicted as a very talented writer who also is able to uncover and nurture the talent in her own literary circles. Yer despite her own many professional accolades, she is left conflicted by her affair with Dubois. The scenes when she is with his wife are fraught with the guilt Faust feels. Ultimately, her decision to end the affair feels like the best and only way for Faust to lead a happy life.

The book is therefore both a window into the immense talent nurtured during the Harlem Renaissance and a smaller, but equally important story of how one talented woman must leave a relationship to fulfill her own potential.

Mary S. (Bow, NH)

Midwife of the Harlem Renaissance
Victoria Christopher Murray has done it again. She has found yet another remarkable, but probably unknown to most, woman and celebrated her life in this well written piece of historical fiction. In this book, Harlem Rhapsody, the focus is on a woman who should be recognized by all, Jessie Redmon Fauset. Fauset introduced the world to such luminaries as Langston Hughes, Countee Cullen and Nella Larsen; and those are only a few of the more famous names that she discovered and published.

Jessie Redmon Fauset was a women ahead of her time. Highly educated - a graduate of Cornell and the Sorbonne (and the first Black woman elected to Phi Beta Kappa) - Fauset was working as a school teacher in Washington, DC. However, in 1919 she moved to New York City to become the literary editor of The Crisis, the magazine published by the then 10 year old NAACP. She was named as literary editor by the founder and editor-in-chief, Dr. W.E.B. Du Bois. Fauset was determined to be a novelist, editor and publisher; in short, a career woman, and unlike most women of her time, had no interest in being married and giving up her career. However, she was not above taking a lover - no other than the married Dr. Du Bois. Their relationship provides a tension to the book that keeps the reader on edge leaving you with questions like: will their relationship be discovered by his wife; will Du Bois fire Fauset from her position if she ends the affair; and, what will happen if someone on the NAACP board discovers them?

That tension remains in the background, while the reader is exposed to how Fauset finds, influences, and shapes the lives and works of her luminary stars. She also finds time to write a novel which is met with acclaim. She is truly is a remarkable woman and one that I hope the world will celebrate when Harlem Rhapsody hits the shelves and gets the readership it deserves.

Vivian H. (Winchester, VA)

A Beautiful Story
Until I read this book I was unfamiliar with Jessie Redmon Fauset. Her trajectory during the Harlem Renaissance touched the core of my soul. This amazing woman overcame prejudice based on sex and race to promote the fledgling careers a brilliant black writers of the early 20th century. She was fearless,brave, talented, independent, brilliant and at heart a flawed human being like most of us. But, oh…what an insightful editor to bring to the public the poets and authors she discovered. Thank you, BookBrowse, for the opportunity to review such a seminal work.

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