Harlem Rhapsody

(Hardback)

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She found the literary voices that would inspire the world.... The extraordinary story of the woman who ignited the Harlem Renaissance, written by Victoria Christopher Murray, New York Times bestselling coauthor of The Personal Librarian. She found the literary voices that would inspire the world.... The extraordinary story of the woman who ignited the Harlem Renaissance, written by Victoria Christopher Murray, New York Times bestselling coauthor of The Personal Librarian. In 1919, a high school teacher from Washington, D.C arrives in Harlem excited to realize her lifelong dream. Jessie Redmon Fauset has been named the literary editor of The Crisis. The first Black woman to hold this position at a preeminent Negro magazine, Jessie is poised to achieve literary greatness. But she holds a secret that jeopardizes it all. W. E. B. Du Bois, the founder of The Crisis, is not only Jessie's boss, he's her lover. And neither his wife, nor their fourteen-year-age difference can keep the two apart. Amidst rumors of their tumultuous affair, Jessie is determined to prove herself. She attacks the challenge of discovering young writers with fervor, finding sixteen-year-old Countee Cullen, seventeen-year-old Langston Hughes, and Nella Larsen, who becomes one of her best friends. Under Jessie's leadership, The Crisis thrives...every African American writer in the country wants their work published there. When her first novel is released to great acclaim, it's clear that Jessie is at the heart of a renaissance in Black music, theater, and the arts. She has shaped a generation of literary legends, but as she strives to preserve her legacy, she'll discover the high cost of her unparalleled success.

Reviews

Major kudos to Murray for resurrecting the memory of Jessie Redmon Fauset, the strong-willed literary editor who discovered and encouraged the great writers of the Harlem Renaissance An exquisite rendering of Fausets struggles and triumphs as a woman and an artist. Not to be missed.
Fiona Davis, New York Times bestselling author of The Stolen Queen

"A strong contender for the best book I've read all year. This is a tale of love, of literature, of a time when a woman, despiteracism and sexism, continued to fight for her place in the world, a place she deserved more than anyone. What a magnificent novel; it belongs on everyone's bookshelves."
Natasha Lester, New York Times bestselling author of The Paris Orphan

Victoria Christopher Murray plumbs the depths of Jessies heart to explore her complicated and fascinating relationship with W. E. B. Du Bois, her white stepmother, and the many young writers she made famous. I rooted for her to the end, and I am thrilled that a new generation of readers will celebrate Jessie because of Murrays gorgeous and captivating Harlem Rhapsody.
Kerri Maher, USA Today bestselling author of The Paris Bookseller

Murray skillfully parses Jessies life showing her as a pioneering editor, a passionate lover, and a prescient career woman. The emotional tension of Jessies strugglesliving outside her familys approval, surviving an illicit affair,while chasing her professional dreamsis palpable. Harlem Rhapsody is an essential read for writers and career women wrestling with their ambition and a quest to define their place in the sun.
Vanessa Riley, Award Winning Author of Island Queen and Sister Mother Warrior

An unforgettable novel with dazzling prose and historical insight. Murray masterfully illuminates Jessie Redmon Fausets dedication to shaping the legacies of our most cherished literary icons. With richly painted scenes that transport you to the heart of Harlem, Harlem Rhapsody is more than a novelits a celebration of history, culture, and resilience. This is a book that belongs in every literary collectionan absolute must-read.
ReShonda Tate, National bestselling author of The Queen of Sugar Hill

Praise for the coauthored novels of Victoria Christopher Murray

Historical fiction at its best!
Good Morning America

The book's narrative is seamless.... I became hooked.
NPR

Benedict and Murray bring their knack for historical fiction to a story of the women's unlikely alliance and the ways their bond and efforts forged the beginnings of the modern civil rights movement.
Entertainment Weekly

A compelling and important story.
Therese Anne Fowler, New York Times bestselling author of A Good Neighborhood

This book will expand your perspective and keep you reading late into the night.
Dolen Perkins-Valdez, New York Times bestselling author of Take My Hand

An utter joy.... The First Ladies is a wonder!
Kate Quinn, New York Times bestselling author of The Diamond Eye

A timely story...of when two strong minds come together in the name of justice and equality.
Sadeqa Johnson, New York Times bestselling author of The House of Eve

A powerful and unforgettable story of female strength and the triumph of the human spirit.
Pam Jenoff, New York Times bestselling author of The Woman with the Blue Star

A novel abundant with culture, art, literature, and romancethe beauty and recklessness of love are revealed with astonishing clarity.
Patti Callahan Henry, New York Times bestselling author of The Secret Book of Flora Lea

A fascinating story!
Real Simple

Author Bio

Victoria Christopher Murray is a New York Times bestselling author of more than thirty novels, including The Personal Librarian, a Good Morning America book club pick, and The First Ladies, Target's 2023 Book of the Year, both of which she coauthored with Marie Benedict. She is a NAACP Image Award Winner for Outstanding Literary Work for her novel Stand Your Ground, which was also a Library Journal Best Book of the Year. She holds an MBA from the NYU Stern School of Business.