Bernice L. McFadden is the author of nine critically acclaimed novels including Sugar, Loving Donovan, Nowhere Is a Place, The Warmest December, Gathering of Waters (a New York Times Editors' Choice and one of the 100 Notable Books of 2012), and Glorious, which was featured in O, The Oprah Magazine and was a finalist for the NAACP Image Award. She is a three-time Hurston/Wright Legacy Award finalist, as well as the recipient of three awards from the BCALA. McFadden lives in Brooklyn, New York.
Bernice L. McFadden has been named the Go On Girl! Book Club's 2018
Author of the Year!
WINNER of the 2017 American Book Award!
WINNER of the NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Literary Work
(Fiction)!
"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."-Library Journal, included in a collection development
section dedicated to 20th century historical fiction
"Simply miraculous . . . As her saga becomes ever more
spellbinding, so does the reader's astonishment at the magic she
creates. 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."-Washington Post
"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. 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.
Playing with themes of divine justice and the suffering of the
righteous, McFadden presents a remarkably crisp portrait of one
average man's extraordinary bravery in the face of pure
evil."-Booklist, Starred review
"Bernice L. McFadden took me on a melodious literary journey
through time and place in her masterpiece, The Book of Harlan. It's
complex, real, and raw . . . McFadden intricately and purposefully
weaves history as a backdrop in her fiction. The Book of Harlan
brilliantly explores questions about agency, purpose, freedom, and
survival."-Literary Hub, one of Nicole Dennis-Benn's 26 Books From
the Last Decade that More People Should Read
"Until fate throws him squarely in the path of evil, Harlan Elliott
leads a pretty routine existence as a young black man coming of age
in 1920s Jazz Age Harlem. But when Harlan and his close friend are
invited to perform in Paris, they get sucked into the maelstrom of
horrific world events."-Booklist, Editors' Choice list of Adult
Books for Young Readers
"The Book of Harlan is an incredible read. 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. Her spare prose is rich in details that convey deep
emotions and draw the reader in. 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."-Historical Novels Review, Editors' Choice
"Through this character portrait of Harlan, McFadden has
constructed a vivid, compelling narrative that makes historical
fiction an accessible, literary window into the African-American
past and some of the contemporary dilemmas of the
present."-Publishers Weekly
"McFadden's thorough research and passion for her subject creates a
brilliant novel."-Oak Ridger, selected in the Reader's Guide
roundup
"Journey into the extraordinary story of a man who was born
December 24, 1917-and lived a vivid life . . . Excellent . . .
History and music enthusiasts will adore this book."-Coffee Breaks
and Bookmarks
"This book is exceptional. It is a great read well worth your
time."-Book Referees
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