
Harlem Rhapsody
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Narrated by:
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Robin Miles
About this listen
“A gripping narrative, don't miss this historical fiction about the woman who kicked off the Harlem Renaissance.”—People Magazine
“A page turner and history lesson at once, Harlem Rhapsody reminds us that our stories are our generational wealth.”—Tayari Jones, New York Times bestselling author of An American Marriage (Oprah’s Book Club Pick)
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.
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Critic reviews
“Murray's meticulous research brings this exciting period in American literary and artistic history into the spotlight and sheds a welcome light on an important and intriguing figure whose influence often goes unmentioned.”
—Booklist (starred review)
“A winning portrait of Harlem Renaissance figure Jessie Redmon Fauset... Historical fiction fans will want to snatch this up.”
—Publishers Weekly
"If you like to learn something while lost in a gripping narrative, don't miss this historical fiction about the woman who kicked off the Harlem Renaissance. Jessie Redmon Fauset was the first Black woman to helm the Black literary powerhouse The Crisis, and was also founder W. E. B. Du Bois' lover. She's responsible for launching names like Langston Hughes, Countee Cullen and others, even as her success (and theirs) comes at a cost."
—People
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Story
On her second birthday in 1967, Bernice McFadden died in a car crash near Detroit, only to be resuscitated after her mother pulled her from the flaming wreckage. Firstborn Girls traces her remarkable life from that moment up to the publication of her first novel, Sugar. Growing up in 1980s Brooklyn, Bernice finds solace in books, summer trips to Barbados, and boarding school to escape her alcoholic father. Discovering the works of Alice Walker and Toni Morrison, she finally sees herself and her loved ones reflected in their stories of “messy, beautiful, joyful Black people.”
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First Born Girls
- By Lula Fantroy on 04-14-25
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Red Clay
- By: Charles B. Fancher
- Narrated by: Dion Graham
- Length: 10 hrs and 34 mins
- Unabridged
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In 1943, when a frail old white woman shows up in Red Clay, Alabama, at the home of a Black former slave—on the morning following his funeral—his family hardly knows what to expect after she utters the words “… a lifetime ago, my family owned yours.” Adelaide Parker has a story to tell—one of ambition, betrayal, violence, and redemption—that shaped both the fate of her family and that of the late Felix H. Parker. But there are gaps in her knowledge, and she’s come to Red Clay seeking answers from a family with whom she shares a name and a history that neither knows in full.
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Loved every minute
- By Anne Hamme on 03-29-25
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Zeal
- A Novel
- By: Morgan Jerkins
- Narrated by: January LaVoy, Shayna Small
- Length: 13 hrs and 22 mins
- Unabridged
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Spanning over a hundred and fifty years, Morgan Jerkins’s extraordinary novel intertwines the stories of these star-crossed lovers and their descendants. As Tirzah's family moves across the country during the Great Migration, they challenge authority with devastating consequences, while of the legacy of heartbreak and loss continues on in the lives of Harrison's progeny.
By: Morgan Jerkins
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The Filling Station
- A Novel
- By: Vanessa Miller
- Narrated by: Angel Pean
- Length: 10 hrs and 19 mins
- Unabridged
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Sisters Margaret and Evelyn Justice have grown up in the prosperous Greenwood District of Tulsa, Oklahoma--also known as Black Wall Street. In Greenwood, the Justice sisters had it all--movie theaters and entertainment venues, beauty shops and clothing stores, high-profile businesses like law offices, medical clinics, and banks. While Evelyn aspires to head off to the East Coast to study fashion design, recent college grad Margaret plans to settle in Greenwood, teaching at the local high school and eventually raising a family.
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The historical insight that Vanessa Miller so carefully brought to light. A story rarely told.
- By Joyce Brown on 04-03-25
By: Vanessa Miller
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We Rip the World Apart
- By: Charlene Carr
- Narrated by: Tebby Fisher
- Length: 13 hrs and 6 mins
- Unabridged
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When 24-year-old Kareela discovers she's pregnant with a child she isn't sure she wants, her struggle to understand her place in the world as a person who is half-Black, half-white—yet feels neither—is amplified. Her mother, Evelyn, fled to Canada with her husband and their first-born child during the politically charged Jamaican exodus in the 1980s, only to realize they'd come to a place where Black men are viewed with suspicion—a constant and pernicious reality Evelyn watches her husband and son navigate daily. Years later, Evelyn's mother-in-law, Violet, moves in.
By: Charlene Carr
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Happy Land
- By: Dolen Perkins-Valdez
- Narrated by: Bahni Turpin, Ashley J. Hobbs
- Length: 10 hrs and 19 mins
- Unabridged
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Nikki hasn’t seen her grandmother in years. So when the elder calls out of the blue with an urgent request for Nikki to visit her in the hills of western North Carolina, Nikki hesitates only for a moment. After years of silence in her family, due to a mysterious estrangement between her mother and grandmother, she’s determined to learn the truth while she still can. But instead of answers about the recent past, Mother Rita tells Nikki an incredible story of a kingdom on this very mountain, and of her great-great-great grandmother, Luella, who would become its queen.
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Amazing historical details!
- By Shauna Y on 04-18-25
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Let Us March On
- A Novel
- By: Shara Moon
- Narrated by: Karen Chilton
- Length: 9 hrs and 41 mins
- Unabridged
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When Lizzie McDuffie, maid to Eleanor and Franklin D. Roosevelt, boldly proclaimed herself FDR’s “Secretary-On-Colored-People’s-Affairs,” she became more than just a maid—she became the President’s eyes and ears into the Black community. After joining the White House to work alongside her husband, FDR’s personal valet, Lizzie managed to become completely indispensable to the Roosevelt family. Never shy about pointing out injustices, she advocated for the needs and rights of her fellow African Americans when those in the White House blocked access to the President.
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What 1 person can do to make a difference
- By Ilene M. Vinikoor on 03-01-25
By: Shara Moon
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The Personal Librarian
- By: Marie Benedict, Victoria Christopher Murray
- Narrated by: Robin Miles
- Length: 12 hrs and 23 mins
- Unabridged
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In her twenties, Belle da Costa Greene is hired by J. P. Morgan to curate a collection of rare manuscripts, books, and artwork for his newly built Pierpont Morgan Library. Belle becomes a fixture in New York City society and one of the most powerful people in the art and book world, known for her impeccable taste and shrewd negotiating for critical works as she helps create a world-class collection.
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A Treat For This Academic Librarian!
- By AlTonya on 07-14-21
By: Marie Benedict, and others
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Needy Little Things
- By: Channelle Desamours
- Narrated by: Alaska Jackson
- Length: 8 hrs and 6 mins
- Unabridged
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Sariyah Lee Bryant can hear what people need—tangible things, like a pencil, a hair tie, a phone charger—an ability only her family and her best friend, Malcolm, know the truth about. But when she fulfills a need for her friend Deja who vanishes shortly after, Sariyah is left wondering if her ability is more curse than gift. This isn’t the first time one of her friends has landed on the missing persons list, and she’s determined not to let her become yet another forgotten Black girl.
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Incredible narrator, great story
- By Cody on 04-16-25
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The American Queen
- By: Vanessa Miller
- Narrated by: Angel Pean
- Length: 9 hrs and 53 mins
- Unabridged
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Transformative and breathtakingly honest, The American Queen is based on actual events that occurred between 1865 - 1889 and shares the unsung history of a Black woman who built a kingdom in Appalachia as a refuge for the courageous people who dared to dream of a different way of life. Over the twenty-four years she was enslaved on the Montgomery Plantation, Louella learned to feel one thing: hate. Hate for the man who sold her mother. Hate for the overseer who left her daddy to hang from a noose. Hate so powerful there's no room in her heart for love.
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The life of the Queen
- By R. Dameron on 03-26-24
By: Vanessa Miller
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The Sable Cloak
- By: Gail Milissa Grant
- Narrated by: Karen Chilton, Murphy Lorenzo Applin Jr
- Length: 9 hrs and 11 mins
- Unabridged
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Jordan Sable, a prosperous undertaker turned political boss, has controlled the Black vote in St. Louis for decades. Sara, his equally formidable wife, runs the renowned funeral establishment that put the Sable name on the map. Together they have pushed through obstacles in order to create a legacy for their children. When tragedy bursts their carefully constructed empire of dignity and safety, the family rallies around an unconventional solution. But at what cost?
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This was a beautiful story!
- By Ely B on 04-10-25
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Forever an Ex
- By: Victoria Christopher Murray
- Narrated by: Suzzanne Douglas
- Length: 11 hrs and 18 mins
- Unabridged
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Three Los Angeles women who’ve helped each other overcome heartbreak are reunited eight years later when their troublesome exes come back into the picture in this follow up to Victoria Christopher Murray’s bestselling novel The Ex Files. Sheridan, Kendall, and Asia first bonded when they met seven years ago at a church prayer support group and now, their friendship has blossomed into a strong sisterhood. They've helped each other through the tragedies of their breakups and together, they've celebrated their triumphs. But now, their exes are back, wreaking havoc on lives they've work so hard to rebuild.
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worst Book ever
- By Amazon Customer on 02-06-15
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The Secret Keeper of Main Street
- A Novel
- By: Trisha R. Thomas
- Narrated by: Janina Edwards
- Length: 10 hrs and 14 mins
- Unabridged
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1954: In the quaint town of Mendol, Oklahoma, Bailey Dowery is a Black dressmaker for the wives and daughters of local oil barons. She earns a good living fitting designer gowns and creating custom wedding dresses for the town’s elite. But beyond her needle and thread lies a deeper talent, one passed down from her mother: the gift of insight. With just a fleeting touch or brush against the skin, Bailey has sudden flashes of intuition.
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Wheeww…
- By Britainy M. on 08-25-24
By: Trisha R. Thomas
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Deluge
- Good Intentions Collection
- By: Charmaine Wilkerson
- Narrated by: Kristyl Dawn Tift
- Length: 54 mins
- Unabridged
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One year after her mother’s death, a woman prepares to celebrate her fortieth birthday. Digging through a trunk in the attic, looking for keepsakes for the occasion, she discovers photographs that call into question everything she believed about her life. The truth is a different story—one of a little girl in danger, a lie, and a mother’s love so fierce it led her to do the unimaginable.
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Interesting Story
- By Bailey Rose on 05-21-23
What listeners say about Harlem Rhapsody
Highly rated for:
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- DW Plato
- 03-08-25
Entertaining & Educational
At first I thought this was just another sad romance novel where an amazing, dynamic woman falls for the wrong, unavailable man but NO, this book is so much more than that.
As I listened on Audible it seemed like this story had to be true, there were things even the best authors couldn’t make up. A quick google search & I discovered this book was more than entertaining, it was completely educational too! During women’s history month, Jessie Redmon Fauset is a woman everyone should discover! Her role as the first literary editor of The Crisis, & The Brownies Book was groundbreaking in a time women, (let alone women of color,) did not hold those types of positions. She discovered, mentored & published iconic black poets like Langston Hughes, Countee Cullen & Jean Tomer. Plus she published 4 novels portraying realistic & positive lives of Black Americans. Long story short, Victoria Christopher Murray’s historical fiction portrayal of Jessie’s life is worth the listen/read. The narrator, Robin Miles, has the perfect storytelling voice & keeps the listener engaged.
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- Sherita Castille
- 03-23-25
This story needed to be told!
I knew nothing about Ms. Jessie R. Fauset before Victoria Christopher Murray's novel. This story sat me in the middle of the 1920's Harlem and didn't let me go. I loved seeing historical black women in all their humanity. Hats off to Ms. Fauset for her contributions to the Harlem Renaissance and bravo to Ms. Victoria Christopher Murray for honoring her legacy.
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- Sonz
- 03-20-25
Historical fiction at its best!
What a beautiful way to honor Jessie Redmond Fauset and all she did for Black writers. I did not know of her before but she certainly deserves the acclaim, affair and all. We’re all human.
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- L Haines
- 03-26-25
Well done!
Character development is fully fleshed out. The time period is strongly integrated with the characters making a fascinating story feel real.
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- Renee
- 03-04-25
Loved every minute.
The narration was perfect.
Loved learning about Jessie Redmon Fauset. I never knew she existed. This story was so well told.
Masterful storytelling. Didn’t want it to end.
Another masterpiece by Victoria Christopher Murray!
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- chanel jt
- 02-20-25
A Great Story
Victory has written the story of Jessie very well. It is historical fiction, however it is based on real events. I’ve enjoyed listening to this audiobook the entire read.
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- Shannon N. Davis
- 02-26-25
The Historical Details
Great historical fiction love story. I was captured from beginning to end. Well done Mrs Murray
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- Amazon Customer
- 03-28-25
Grace! The story and writing.
Beautiful and timeless historical fiction. You will be there with grace and understanding. A triumph for the subject and the writer.
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- Nikki
- 04-13-25
WHAT A STORY!
I really enjoyed this book. I love that we get to see what the historical GIANTS I learned about in school were like as real people. I also love the way this weaved into such an intimate story where you could understand the psyche of Jesse Redmond and how you can be so incredibly talented and struggle with unhealthy relationships and misogynoir. I love it.
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- Dianne Collins
- 03-15-25
The footprints of the harlemrenaissance
The characteristics as imagined of the male figures
Particularly as each man is present ed in the shadows of empowered matriarchs
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