The Book of Harlan [Paperback]

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 countrywhether 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 mans extraordinary bravery in the face of pure evil. 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. McFaddens impressive achievement offers us a window into the often very difficult lives of African Americans from the Jim Crow era up to the presentand, unexpectedly, in wartime Germany. Highly recommended for showing us that however badly black citizens have historically been treated, black lives matter. Another one of Bernice L. McFaddens masterpieces . . . McFadden took me on a melodious literary journey through time and place  complex, real, beautifully raw, and necessary . . . McFaddens prose lingers, giving me courage to stay committed to telling authentic stories that, while revealing of unspeakable truths, serve to unite us all.