
The Book of Harlan
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Narrated by:
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Robin Miles
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By:
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Bernice McFadden
About this listen
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.Listeners also enjoyed...
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By: Mary Monroe
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One House Over
- By: Mary Monroe
- Narrated by: Kentra Lynn, James Shippy
- Length: 9 hrs and 3 mins
- Unabridged
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A solid marriage, a thriving business, and the esteem of their close-knit Alabama community - Joyce and Odell Watson have every reason to count their blessings. Their marriage has given well-off Joyce a chance at the family she's always wanted - and granted Odell a once-in-a-lifetime shot to escape grinding poverty. But all that respectability and status comes at a cost. Just once, Joyce and Odell want to break loose and taste life's wild side, without consequences.
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Cliff Hanger
- By M. Mitchell on 04-03-18
By: Mary Monroe
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Loving Donovan
- By: Bernice L. McFadden, Terry McMillan - introduction
- Narrated by: Robin Miles
- Length: 6 hrs and 50 mins
- Unabridged
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Two-time Hurston/Wright Legacy Award finalist Bernice L. McFadden has also been twice honored by the Black Caucus of the American Library Association. One of Library Journal's 25 Key Indie Fiction Titles, this heartbreaking tale follows two damaged but hopeful souls as they struggle to find love despite the ravages of their pasts.
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Beautiful emotional novel
- By Candace Reynolds on 09-09-16
By: Bernice L. McFadden, and others
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Gathering of Waters
- By: Bernice L. McFadden
- Narrated by: Robin Miles
- Length: 6 hrs and 9 mins
- Unabridged
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Gathering of Waters is a deeply engrossing tale narrated by the town of Money, Mississippi - a site both significant and infamous in our collective story as a nation. Money is personified in this haunting story, which chronicles its troubled history following the arrival of the Hilson and Bryant families. Tass Hilson and Emmett Till were young and in love when Emmett was brutally murdered in 1955. Anxious to escape the town, Tass marries Maximillian May and relocates to Detroit
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Loved it!!
- By Dr. Allen on 07-26-16
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Deliver Me from Evil
- By: Mary Monroe
- Narrated by: Patricia Floyd
- Length: 11 hrs and 8 mins
- Unabridged
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Demonstrating the same verve for storytelling that rocketed her previous novels onto the best seller lists, Deliver Me from Evil introduces Christine Thurman, a vivacious 31-year-old about to enter a dangerous new phase in her life.
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Highly Recommended
- By Andra D. Johnson on 07-25-08
By: Mary Monroe
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The Upper Room
- By: Mary Monroe
- Narrated by: Kevin Free
- Length: 9 hrs and 30 mins
- Unabridged
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Nationally best-selling author Mary Monroe createsan unforgettable cast of characters in The Upper Room. Mama Ruby stole her best friend's baby girl, ran off to Florida, and raised her as her own. Maureen is the center of Mama Ruby's world, and she will do anything to protect her and their life together. Now Maureen wants to know what the rest of the world is like. She is determined to find out, but escaping Mama Ruby won't be easy.
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Good story, but..................
- By Ebony on 09-26-16
By: Mary Monroe
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Every Woman's Dream
- By: Mary Monroe
- Narrated by: Sean Crisden, Robin Eller, Lisa Renee Pitts
- Length: 12 hrs and 7 mins
- Unabridged
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He's successful, kind, and sensitive - the type of man every woman wants. And truck driver Calvin Ramsey just loves women - especially the lonely, unappreciated ones he meets online, like Lola Poole. His deceitful ex-wife taught him that women really appreciate someone who cares about their deepest feelings and problems.
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Disappointing
- By LaFaye on 07-30-16
By: Mary Monroe
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The Stolen Daughter
- By: ReShonda Tate Billingsley
- Narrated by: Carra Patterson
- Length: 8 hrs and 47 mins
- Unabridged
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Raised by a widowed mother, Jill Reed has come a long way from her difficult youth. But while she may not have had money, Jill never doubted she was rich in love. Her mother, Connie, made Jill the center of her world. Now, even though she has a young family of her own, it’s Jill’s turn to care for her ailing mother. When early dementia begins to set in, Connie starts talking about Jill’s “other life.” Jill assumes it’s just rambling confusion. Still, Connie’s stories about Jill’s childhood, and her father’s early death, never quite added up.
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This was an amazing book!
- By Latoya Foreman on 09-12-20
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Pet
- By: Akwaeke Emezi
- Narrated by: Christopher Myers
- Length: 5 hrs and 33 mins
- Unabridged
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There are no monsters anymore, or so the children in the city of Lucille are taught. Jam and her best friend, Redemption, have grown up with this lesson all their life. But when Jam meets Pet, a creature made of horns and colors and claws, who emerges from one of her mother's paintings and a drop of Jam's blood, she must reconsider what she's been told. Pet has come to hunt a monster, and the shadow of something grim lurks in Redemption's house. Jam must fight not only to protect her best friend, but also to uncover the truth.
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BLACKITY BLACK ASS BRILLIANCE
- By Jameelah Jones on 11-09-19
By: Akwaeke Emezi
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Her Secret Life
- By: Tiffany L. Warren
- Narrated by: Cherise Boothe
- Length: 8 hrs and 57 mins
- Unabridged
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Scarred by poverty and life with a crackhead mother, Onika Lewis had a rough start. Still, thanks to her sharp mind, and hard work, she graduated with honors from a prestigious college. But her achievements weren't enough to earn her the elite status she craved. So she leveraged her gorgeous looks to become a rich man's trophy. And was eventually dumped for a younger model. Now Onika is unemployed, broke - and homeless.
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From an 8 to a 3
- By PB on 05-01-17
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Little Black Girl Lost
- By: Keith Lee Johnson
- Narrated by: Beresford Bennett
- Length: 9 hrs and 34 mins
- Unabridged
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Set in 1950s New Orleans, Little Black Girl Lost is a powerful tale filled with sex, greed, and the explosive political and social climates of an America long gone. Fifteen-year-old beauty Johnnie Wise lives her life devoted to God. But her innocence is shattered when her mother, who has been a prostitute for years, sells Johnnie's body to lecherous insurance man Earl Shamus.
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The Power of the P!
- By Kelly on 02-09-07
What listeners say about The Book of Harlan
Highly rated for:
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- Jenn
- 11-16-20
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.
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1 person found this helpful
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- R and D Alexander
- 09-28-20
A Sad Story of Beautiful Creativity
McFadden’s ingenious way of keeping the story woven with factual information was a treasure to witness unfold.
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1 person found this helpful
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- Abra Fortson
- 09-25-20
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 .....
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- nova
- 03-14-17
what a Life
a heart breaking survival story of strength and courage. beautifully read. will read more of authors' books
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- Kindle Customer
- 03-28-17
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!
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- Linda
- 05-23-21
Tops
I could listen to this narrator forever the story is fascinating therefore it must be true thank you Bernice
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- James Williams II
- 09-06-22
Enjoyed.
I am a truck driver who likes when I come across a good audiobook and this is one of them. I’d recommend the book to anyone pondering giving it a listen.
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- sugarsnap
- 03-21-24
Outstanding
Great story. One that will stick with me. Heartbreaking moments and I really enjoyed the narration.
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- Isaiah Moses-Samuels
- 03-06-24
The depth
This was such a good book because we often don’t hear any accounts of Black people who endured the holocaust
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- Aricka
- 03-31-25
Moving Story
I enjoyed this novel to the fullest! The character development was perfection. I highly recommend to anyone who enjoys historical fiction.
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