To what audience would you recommend Harlem Rhapsody? Is there another book or author you feel addresses related themes or who writes in a similar style?

Book Clubs Harlem Rhapsody Discussion
1

To what audience would you recommend Harlem Rhapsody? Is there another book or author you feel addresses related themes or who writes in a similar style?

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This is a good book for anyone who’s interested in learning more about significant African American writers during the early 19th century. Because it’s historical fiction the author is able to bring them to life as ordinary people early in their careers.

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I would recommend this book to YA and adult readers. I learned a lot from this book. While, I was aware of and somewhat knowledgeable about some of the characters, it gave me an opportunity to learn more about that time period and people she included in the book. It gave me an opportunity to “go down the rabbit hole” to learn more.

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4

I think this book would appeal to anyone interested in the history of this time. It was very interesting the different views of some of the writers’ not wanting to be known as black, not wanting to be separated and praised for being such a good black writer; preferring to be grouped with all writers.

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5

This is a great book for anyone who enjoys historical fiction and particularly, Black influence in our country.

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6

I would recommend it to anyone interested in expanding their knowledge of the history of our country. It mentions many events that are rarely covered in our history books, including the Tulsa race massacre, lynchings, NAACP, limited opportunities for people of color, and the Pan-African Congress.

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7

I would recommend this book to readers who like well written historical ficdtion.

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8

I would recommend this book to everyone. One because it was a real page turner that I couldn’t wait to pick up everytime I had to put it down. Second, because there is something for everyone to learn in this book if you slow down and luxuriate in reading it. I circled and looked up so many things while reading that I had questions about and that made it such a delightful read. You also know it’s going to be a great read when it shows up as a book that a study guide was also written for! Last of all, I really enjoyed how the book accurately portrayed African Americans who were well educated, extremely smart, cultured and meticulously attired, and socially active. I do believe we need more movies and books that break down the strong tendency to portrait African Americans in a negative light when in reality, behavior is color blind. Character traits are color blind in the end. Good and bad people come in all shades and lifestyle is a matter of access only. Seeing that clearly will go a long way in bridging the gap in understanding what the expression “white privilege” refers to and to recognizing the preconceived assumptions people bring to the table about people who look different than they do. I enjoyed this book on so many levels and believe it’s a great read for people of all ages.

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Anyone wanting to know about Civil Rights and the start of the NAACP would like this book.