Blending the truth of american history with the fruits of imagination, this is the story of easter venetta bartlett, a fictional harlem renaissance writer whose tumultuous path to success, ruin, and revival offers a candid portrait of the american experience in all its beauty and cruelty. Mcfadden, in her powerful seventh novel, tells the story of easter bartlett as she journeys from the violent jim crow south to the promise of the harlem renaissance and the civil rights movement. Ten years ago, after the publication of her first book, sugar, pat neblett interviewed bernice mcfadden for mosaic. She is a two time hurstonwright award fiction finalist as well as the recipient of two fiction honor awards from the bcala. Glorious is set against the backdrops of the jim crow south, the harlem r. Mcfadden, in her powerful seventh novel, tells the story of easter bartlett as she journeys from the violent jim crow south to the promise of the. Each month we will focus on a new title, but always feel free to share what great book youve just read. Twelve books later, bernice remains an important voice in american literature. Mcfadden is the author of eight critically acclaimed novels including the classic sugar, gathering of waters, and glorious, which was featured in o, the oprah magazine, selected as the debut title for the one book, one harlem program, and was a finalist for the naacp image award.
Here are my thoughts on glorious by bernice mcfadden. The book centers on abeo kata, the privileged daughter of a government employee and a stayathome mother in west africa whose happy life changes dramatically after shes placed in a shrine as an offering. Set against the backdrops of the jim crow south, the harlem renaissance, and the civil rights era. Blogger on books v glorious by bernice mcfadden jhohadli. Six critically acclaimed, award winning novels later, bernice mcfadden is back with glorious her most thought provoking novel yet. Blending the truth of american history with the fruits of bernice mcfaddens rich imagination, this is the story of easter venetta bartlett, a fictional harlem renaissance writer whose tumultuous. Glorious by bernice mcfadden book 47 of 2010 five more books to go after this one. Book is important thing to incorporate you knowledge, except your teacher or lecturer.
We personally assess every books quality and offer rare, outofprint treasures. Mcfadden pulitzer prize nominated writer, bernice l. The seeming inevitability of cruel fate juxtaposes the triumph of the spirit in this remarkably rich and powerful novel, glorious. This is the story of easter venetta bartlett, a fictional harlem ren. This is the story of easter venetta bartlett, a fictional harlem renaissance writer whose tumultuous path out of waycross, georgia, to success, ruin, and revival offers a candid portrait of the american. The novel about a black woman writer at the beginning of the harlem renaissance is tremendous. A trip to ghana with the national book club association in 2007 was the inspiration for this novel, when friends told mcfadden about the rehabilitation center they. Bernice mcfadden continues her upward trajectory in becoming one of.
Academy award nominee alfre woodard narrates glorious, by bernice l. Join us for this fun and laidback program and lets chat about books. Sadly this will be my last piece of womens or africanamerican fiction for the year, but man, are we ending with a winner. Mcfadden collection features four novels from the threetime hurstonwright legacy award finalist. Still, there were times when i was reading bernice l. Mcfadden is the author of six critically acclaimed novels, including the classic sugar and nowhere is a place, which was a washington post best fiction title for 2006.
Gathering of waters a new york times editors choice and one of the 100 notable books of 2012, glorious 2010, nowhere is a place 2006, and the warmest december 2001. Its the story of a black woman born in the south who becomes, briefly, one of the central figures of the harlem renaissance. The seeming inevitability of cruel fate juxtaposes the triumph of the spirit in this remarkably rich and powerful novel. At the end of the book though, when easter has given up writing, does this. Glorious the seeming inevitability of cruel fate juxtaposes the triumph of the spirit in this remarkably rich and powerful novel, glorious. Glorious is the story of easter bartlett, a young black woman whose life is riddled with one tragedy after another. Glorious is set against the backdrops of the jim crow south, the harlem renaissance, and the civil rights era. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading glorious. Author bernice mcfadden uses sparse language yet still manages to create searing images for the reader. Mcfadden, discusses her past and future work, as well as her style and. Glorious book lawrence public library bibliocommons. Glorious book by bernice l mcfadden 1 available editions. You see good news or update in relation to something by book. Glorious is ultimately an audacious exploration into the nature of selfhatred, love, possession, ego, betrayal, and, finally, redemption.
Bernice mcfaddens fully realized characters are complicated, imperfect beings, but if ever a character were worthy of love and honor, it is her easter. Mcfadden is the author of nine critically acclaimed novels including sugar, loving donovan, nowhere is a place, the warmest december, gathering of waters a new york times editors choice and one of the 100 notable books of 2012, and glorious, which was featured in o, the oprah magazine and was a finalist for the naacp image award. On a rainy spring evening photographer marcia wilson and i visited the authors home in brooklyn, ny to document an exclusive reading from her new book glorious. Mcfadden has written a glorious story that is a wonderful juxtaposition of the present and the past, the truth and fiction. Glorious by bernice mcfadden grabbed me by the throat from the very first page and would not let me go until i was done. Glorious is an audacious exploration into the nature of selfhatred, love, possession, ego, betrayal, and, finally, redemption. Many kinds of books that can you go onto be your object. Blending the truth of american history with the fruits of bernice l. Mcfadden is the author of nine critically acclaimed novels including sugar, loving donovan, nowhere is a place, the warmest december, gathering of waters a new york times editors choice and one of the 100 notable books of 2012, and glorious, which was featured in o, the oprah magazine and was. Its the story of a black woman born in the south who becomes, briefly, one of the central. Mcfadden is the author of seven critically acclaimed novels, including the classic sugar, nowhere is a place, a 2006 washington post best fiction title, and gathering of waters in 2012. Mcfadden s rich imagination, this is the story of easter venetta bartlett, a fictional harlem renaissance writer whose tumultuous path to success, ruin, and revival offers a candid portrait of the american experience in all its beauty and cruelty.
Mcfaddens glorious when i felt like the span of the novel was problematic, like it was trying to do too much, there were so many individual stories of a single life wrapped up in this one, actually quite averagesized book. Mcfaddens novel glorious, which starts with a bangup prologue, has a strong main character based in part on zora neale hurston, harddriving. The book opens with the young heroine easter witnessing a brutal lynching in post reconstruction south. Its the story of a black woman born in the south who becomes, briefly, one of. Bernice mcfaddens fully realized characters are complicated, imperfect beings, but if ever a character were worthy of love and honor, it is her easter bartlett. Mcfadden is the author of nine critically acclaimed novels including sugar, loving donovan, nowhere is a place, the warmest december, gathering of waters a new york times editors choice and one of the 100 notable books of 2012, glorious, and the book of harlan winner of a 2017 american book award and the naacp image award for outstanding literary work, fiction. Get the reading group guide for glorious by bernice l. Thriftbooks sells millions of used books at the lowest everyday prices.
At the end of the book though, when easter has given up writing, does this mean that she has also given up on life. Twelve books later, bernice remains an important voice in. Book chat glorious by bernice mcfadden cobb county. I continued to sit the book aside, because i did not want it to end too soon. Mcfadden burst on the literary scene with her awardwinning debut sugar, which touched the hearts of thousands. Glorious has 1 available editions to buy at half price books marketplace.