The Bohemians

A Novel

By: Jasmin Darznik

Narrated by: Dylan Moore

A dazzling novel of one of America’s most celebrated photographers, Dorothea Lange, exploring the wild years in San Francisco that awakened her career-defining grit, compassion, and daring.

“Jasmin Darznik expertly delivers an intriguing glimpse into the woman behind those unforgettable photographs of the Great Depression, and their impact on humanity.” (Susan Meissner, bestselling author of The Nature of Fragile Things)

In this novel of the glittering and gritty Jazz Age, a young aspiring photographer named Dorothea Lange arrives in San Francisco in 1918. As a newcomer - and naïve one at that - Dorothea is grateful for the fast friendship of Caroline Lee, a vivacious, straight-talking Chinese American with a complicated past, who introduces Dorothea to Monkey Block, an artists’ colony and the bohemian heart of the city. Dazzled by Caroline and her friends, Dorothea is catapulted into a heady new world of freedom, art, and politics. She also finds herself falling in love with the brilliant but troubled painter Maynard Dixon. As Dorothea sheds her innocence, her purpose is awakened and she grows into the artist whose iconic Depression-era “Migrant Mother” photograph broke the hearts and opened the eyes of a nation.

A vivid and absorbing portrait of the past, The Bohemians captures a cast of unforgettable characters, including Frida Kahlo, Ansel Adams, and D. H. Lawrence. But moreover, it shows how the gift of friendship and the possibility of self-invention persist against the ferocious pull of history.

©2021 Jasmin Darznik (P)2021 Random House Audio

Critic reviews

“If you loved Song of a Captive Bird like I did, you will want to read the latest creative historical biography by Jasmin Darznik. Featuring the photographer Dorothea Lange in 1920s San Francisco, Darznik paints an illuminative portrait of the photographer and the woman.” (Ms. Magazine)

“Lange’s story begins when she arrives in 1918 San Francisco...spinning into an all-too relevant tale of a woman dealing with a pandemic, rising anti-immigration sentiment, and a tumultuous political climate.” (PopSugar)

“In her riveting and resonant new novel, Jasmin Darznik captures San Francisco’s heyday through the eyes of one of its most iconic residents. By exploring how Dorothea Lange witnessed her troubled and momentous times, Darznik speaks directly to our own.” (Anthony Marra, author of A Constellation of Vital Phenomena)

San Francisco History for Voyeurs

Artists who have made pilgrimages to SF will find a fascinating story of others who came before and after the 06 quake. Audiences and voyeurs will find themselves back in time in the historical, bohemian SF. The author addresses controversial topics with grace. Personal, relatable, fun,

Absolutely beautiful!

Wonderful story and terrific narration! Would highly recommend - especially to those who enjoy historical fiction.

Lovely historical fiction!

Great reader, loved the way she spun the tale, and the notes at the end as well!

Read dont listen to the Audible version.

Sorry,
I DIDNT read it myself ,as i found the Narrator very annoying. Liked the story very much. Did more research, fascinating, will recommend it.

Fantastic Book

I did not want this book to end. I had no idea until the authors notes that the characters were based on real people which just made me love it more. The historical depth taught me so much. It was truly a joy & a privilege to read.

Timely Read during Pandemic

This book beautifully describes the life of an amazing woman and the incredible people that intersected her life, during a time in history that is replaying itself again today.

Excellent read

I couldn't stop listening! The descriptions made you feel like you were there at that time.

Interesting

The story portrays an interesting perspective on part of San Francisco history. I appreciated the real, big names and hope that the portrayal of their characters had some truth in their real lives. The narrator was good except her pronunciation of foreign language words was one of the worst I have ever heard.

Creative historical fiction

I greatly appreciated that at the end of the book, the author explains her research and what is historical fact versus her fictionalization of characters, in particular, "Caroline Lee." Darznik's careful research of the time period, especially the 1918 flu, illuminated life in post-earthquake San Francisco for free-spirits who created a community for themselves as they pushed the boundaries of race and gender.

Loved Learning about San Francisco & Dorothea Lang

Although I’ve lived in the Bay Area off and on for many years, I knew very few of the details presented by Darznik about the history of San Francisco from 1906 through the depression. This book educated me on that era of San Francisco as well as Dorothea Lang and other photographers and artists of that time. The racism toward the Chinese and Japanese is depicted very vividly—horrible, to say the least. I thought the narrater did a great job of rendering the different personalities through her voice and intonations.