The Book of Harlan by Bernice L. McFadden

'Sought-after books included Bernice McFadden's The Book of Harlan, about two African American musicians imprisoned at the Buchenwald concentration camp, so eye-opening that people came up hours before and days after the one-time giveaway begging for copies.'

Included in Barbara Hoffert's ALA Buzz Books Roundup: 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. 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. Publishers Weekly, Spring 2016 Announcements 'During WWII, two African-American musicians are captured by the Nazis in Paris and imprisoned at the Buchenwald concentration camp, in the latest from the author of Sugar and Loving Donovan.' '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.' 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.' 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. 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. One of the Washington Post's Best Books of 2016 So Far

The Book of Harlan by Bernice L. McFadden