The Book of Harlan

By: Bernice McFadden

Narrated by: Robin Miles

The Book of Harlan opens with the courtship of Harlan's parents and his 1917 birth in Macon, Georgia. After his prominent minister grandfather dies, Harlan and his parents move to Harlem, where he eventually becomes a professional musician. When Harlan and his best friend, trumpeter Lizard Robbins, are invited to perform at a popular cabaret in the Parisian enclave of Montmartre - affectionately referred to as "the Harlem of Paris" by black American musicians - Harlan jumps at the opportunity, convincing Lizard to join him.

But after the City of Light falls under Nazi occupation, Harlan and Lizard are thrown into Buchenwald - the notorious concentration camp in Weimar, Germany - irreparably changing the course of Harlan's life.

Based on exhaustive research and told in McFadden's mesmeric prose, The Book of Harlan skillfully blends the stories of McFadden's familial ancestors with those of real and imagined characters.

©2016 Bernice L. McFadden (P)2016 Audible, Inc.

Critic reviews

"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." ( Booklist)

"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)

A Good Read!!!

I have looked through soo many books and finally found this one and LOVE it! It’s a good story with easy to understand language for example the words are written the way we would speak to each other. It’s kept my attention and has good taste.

A Sad Story of Beautiful Creativity

McFadden’s ingenious way of keeping the story woven with factual information was a treasure to witness unfold.

Hard , Hurtful Life for Harlan

This was a hard one to endure, how could an individual lead such a charmed yet cursed life. Lessons learned relationships un explored but yet a life lived that one wouldn’t believe unless they read about it ! This was a great read !!! Kudos to the author for this vivid tragic beautiful redemption story .....

what a Life

a heart breaking survival story of strength and courage. beautifully read. will read more of authors' books

A beautiful Epic

what a life story! very interesting and really kept me listening. beautifully performed and written. the characters are well built. a really good book. I'd listen to it all again! and that's a commitment at 100+ chapters!