Customer Reviews

Angel of Harlem: A Novel (Strivers Row)

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Dr. May Edward Chinn, New York's first black female doctor, serves as the inspiration for Kuwana Haulsey's ANGEL OF HARLEM. So often, persons of historical significance are narrowed down to brief biographical sketches, but HaulSey has truly brought the life of Dr. Chinn alive in this stirring novel. Dr. Chinn's early childhood is explored, and her mother's lifelong commitment to her education is highlighted. Her father's narrow views of what was considered proper for women, strict rules and emotional distance, also had a strong influence on his daughter's life. In spite of her achievements, Dr. Chinn's life was far from easy. She became pregnant by her high school sweetheart, who upon learning this, he promptly ended the relationship. She was forced, by her parents, to give her child up for adoption.

In spite of the fact that she never completed high school, she was accepted at Columbia University where she first wanted to study music. Because of discrimination, she eventually changed her major and this led to her career as a physician. Dr. Chinn fought discrimination on two levels, race and gender but was persistent enough to succeed in spite of these limitations. In addition to her academic and professional accomplishments, her social life allowed her to cross paths with many notable Harlem Renaissance figures such as Langston Hughes, Zora Neale Hurston, Fats Waller, and Madam C.J. Walker. She also served as a pianist who accompanied Paul Robeson in many of his early performances.

This book is a wonderful testament to the life of a truly amazing woman who was persistent enough to break down walls and bring down glass ceilings. While there were moments when I felt the story stalled, overall the author did an excellent job. She provided a thoroughly developed setting, and well developed characters. With great sensitivity the author addressed through the characters such issues as the role of women in society, the color complex, discrimination, teen pregnancy, homosexuality, and poverty through the lenses of the 1920's Harlem era. ANGEL OF HARLEM is not only an enjoyable read, but it is also a book that will encourage readers to embrace the past and make an extra effort to learn more about some of the trailblazers that have helped to make this country what it is today.

Reviewed by Stacey Seay
of The RAWSISTAZ Reviewers

If one believes that some people are truly destined for greatness regardless of their station in life, then Dr. May Edward Chinn is a perfect example. May is conceived as a "love child" of a married middle-aged former slave and an orphaned teenaged Indian maiden. The shame of their affair forces her parents to relocate to Harlem only to meet unemployment, impoverished living conditions, and rampant racial discrimination. Despite her father's negativism, chauvinistic views, and emotional abandonment, it is her mother's tenacity and belief in education that propels young May to become proficient in her studies and master the piano. Her dreams of studying at Julliard on a music scholarship are crushed by an unplanned teenaged pregnancy in which she unwillingly gives the child up for adoption. She eventually drops out of high school due to a lengthy bout of depression stemming from the adoption and deferred dreams.

Fate intercedes and through several well-timed networking opportunities along with a little name-dropping (and/or perhaps coincidence), she applies, is accepted, and enrolls at Columbia to study music only to be harassed by a racist professor. However, when one door closes, a window opens and through a series of what could be considered "divine" interventions, she changes her major to science and the rest is history. She eventually becomes the first African American female doctor in New York City and a renowned medical pioneer - however, her road to success is an arduous journey filled with racism, colorism, sexism (even from African American men), financial burdens, and familial strains which the author construes with great sentiment. There are wonderful episodes in which she falls in love, tours with Paul Robeson, dines with Zora Neale Hurston, and parties with famous Renaissance-era Harlemites like Jean Toomer, Fats Waller, Countee Cullen, and Langston Hughes.

Hausley's writing and overall biographical presentation is suburb! Compassion and respect exude in her the depiction of Dr. Chinn, the woman; and the utmost humility is conveyed in the stories of her personal and academic trials and tribulations. Albeit, I found the pacing a bit slow at times, I quickly realized that this is not a story that should be rushed. It is history and Haulsey took her time to create an authentic early 20th century setting, complete with social attitudes, and wonderful descriptions of New York City's sites, sounds, language, and particularly Harlem's colorful clientele. The author left me in awe of Dr. Chinn and wanting to know more about her and the fate of other characters in the book. A job well done!

Reviewed by Phyllis

APOOO BookClub
Nubian Circle Book Club

This is a very strong novel by a talented young writer. Dr. May Chinn's story is an important and inspirational one. I didn't know that much about the actual facts of her life, so I'm not sure just where the fiction starts and ends in this version of events, but that's part of the magic of this book. Haulsey creates a credible protagonist and leads us along through the pitfalls and triumphs of her life. I was often reminded of the terrible aspects of racism still prevalent in America throughout the twentieth century - and reminded that these things were not just for the South. That's valuable too. Haulsey isn't heavy-handed with this; it's just a fact of life and part of the fabric of the times she writes about. I'd also recommend this one to highschool age readers. Overall, a well-written, positive story. I look forward to whatever she does next. I'm hopeful that she'll soon emerge as one of our most prominent voices. That's the only reason I didn't give her five stars. I'm, hopefully, saving that last one for her next book.

This novel covers the life of Dr Mae Chinn and her rise to fame. Born in extreme poverty conditions, she overcomes numerous obtacles by having a helpful mother with fortitude and desires and eventually gains an education. Although she faced horrific hardships such as having to give up a very much wanted child (adoption)as well as racism, sexism, jealousy and other negatives, she refused to give up and then secured a medical degree as a first time woman of that era. She diligently worked to help the people of Harlem, NY with thier plights of illnesses and troubles. For this reason, she wore a halo as an ANGEL. Great read!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The sincere magic of this novel is in Kuwana Hausley's pacing of her innate gift and masterful technique like a marathoner and not a sprinter. A writer who has a magnificent subject like Dr. May Chinn, MD--the polymath first Black Female Doctor of Harlem who comes of age during the Harlem Renaissance--could easily be enticed into putting her genius into the first chapter or so and coasting through the extrarodinary life of her subject like a census bureau or FBI chief about to accost a witness thereafter; letting the great life (sort of) speak for itself. But Ms. Haulsey turns virtually every sentence of her fictional retelling of this nonfictional inspirational life into an interconnecting poem, linked together to every other sentence so neatly and artistically that her subject matter comes alive, breaks your heart and lifts your spirit as if she is a member of the family.

I had the pleasure of meeting Ms. Hausley at a literary function in New York where I discovered her natural humility and grace--which invisibly reads through her style.

This book is beautiful for so many reasons; the least of which, paradoxically enough, because of the incredible courage and life of the subject. Think LUST FOR LIFE; Think Gore Vidal's LINCOLN; think THE AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF MALCOLM X. Then think Toni Morrison's SONG OF SOLOMON and you'll be ready to feel THE ANGEL OF HARLEM.

Wonderful.

May Edward Chinn was the first black female doctor in Harlem. The Angel of Harlem is an accounting of the trials she experienced, through childhood, schooling and adulthood to reach this lofty accomplishment. Beautifully written, it seems that Kuwana Haulsey has captured the essence of such a historical figure in this fictional adaptation of her life. I'm so intrigued; I would like to follow up with researching Dr. Chinn to enhance my knowledge of another important progenitor in African American History.

As a child, May was the apple of her mother's eye. I was impressed that she was able to achieve solely on the great sacrifices her mother made for her education and social upbringing. Her father, sometimes in and out of the home, if anything was the catalyst to make her achieve high marks in her every effort. The relationships between her mother and father along with her own relationship with her father could best be described as strained. Her mother worked numerous jobs sometimes simultaneously to afford to keep May in a good educational environment. Her mother encouraged and praised her at every milestone.

As she progressed through school, sometimes attending private institutions, teachers and other prominent people recognized ambition and encouraged her potential. Truly demonstrating that people generally care and can look past color. The people who crossed May's path were truly extraordinary as well. Paul Roberson, Zora Neale Hurston, and Langston Hughes were some of those prominent people who were her running buddies during the Harlem Renaissance. She experienced many hurts through her life, including several failed romances. I was struck with her persistence and transcendence through an unparalleled life.

Ms. Haulsey writes beautifully. The Angel of Harlem is a wonderful blend of excellent writing, strong characterization and impressive research. Dr. Chinn is truly an example for women to follow. Although set in the early 1920's, most of the doors she forced open are being held open by African American women who still feel they have to strive twice as hard to be accepted. Reading books like this encourages us all to believe that soon those doors will swing on welcome hinges for future generations. This book should be counted amongst required reading for African American literature or history classes.

Kuwana Haulsey has written a stirring tribute honoring Dr. May Edward Chinn who was exactly as the title states. She was an angel for the people of the New York City area known as Harlem. The novel covers her 1896 birth in Massachusetts, moving to NY with her parents and living in dreadful poverty conditions. May was burdened with tremendous childhood and teen years of struggles and heart aches. Among them were an unplanned teen pregnancy, having to give her infant son up for adoption and afterwards suffering from severe depression. However, due to her mother's fortitude and continuous encouragement, May was accepted into college based on her extraordinary high scores, minus a high school diploma.

Facing enormous and threatening hardships throughout the enrollment of college and medical school; racism, sexism, financial difficulties and love affair barriers, May Chinn achieved what many dared her to accomplish. She became a doctor and is noted as the first Black female physician in New York. She served her patients diligently and tirelessly for many, many years. With amazing talents and working assiduously in order to aid the sick and needy that were in dire need of medical assistance, Dr. Chinn was definitely a woman who wore an invisible halo around her head. She was indeed the Black Angel of Harlem.

Angel of Harlem is definitely a great novel of worth. I was truly inspired by the biographical and historical information on this female pioneer's accomplishments. The sites of the NYC area, the Harlem Renaissance acquaintances (Zora Neale Hurston, Paul Roberson, Langston Hughes, Countee Cullen, Fats Waller and a host of others) of Dr. Chinn, along with information surrounding her musical mastery were treats within the chronicle. Ms. Haulsey has penned a prized novel regarding a woman with phenomenal integrity and breathtaking compassion.

Readincolor Reviewer
Emily Means Willis

Angel of Harlem is the story of Dr. May Edward Chinn.
As a young girl May was a trained concert pianist until a racist professor ended it all for her. May rose above all limitations and went on to become the first African American female doctor in New York during the 1920's. May was the first African American woman to graduate from University and Bellevue Hospital Medical College and she was also the first African American woman to hold an internship at Harlem Hospital. This story takes you through May's life and the many hardships she endured. The death of her fiancé, being forced give up a child and the racial and gender barriers she faced. Her father was a former slave and an alcoholic who also struggles through many things as does her mother who works endlessly as a domestic. Dr. Chinn was also an accompanist for singer Paul Robeson which opened the doors to the many friendships she had with the Harlem Renaissance's famed artists such as Zora Neale Hurston, Langston Hughes, Claude McKay and Countee Cullen. This walk back in time is poetic. Haulsey's prose is so vivid you can hear the music and the voices of these famed legends. It was like I was sitting in the club right next to them. Dr. Chinn was a determined woman who became one of the first early cancer detection specialists and she treated the poor in her community for fifty years. Dr. Chinn's story is heroic. I truly enjoyed this novel. Haulsey has proven herself; she is indeed a gifted writer. Angel of Harlem is a literary treasure. A classic for years to come.

Reviewed by
Dawnny

May Edward Chinn was not only the first black female physician in Harlem, but the very first black female intern to work in Harlem Hospital and the first black female to graduate from New York University Medical School. And she accomplished all that in the tremulous 1920s when race riots were breaking out all over the country and hostilities ran high. Did I mention she was the first woman in New York to ride around in the ambulance? That was "man's work" back then.

Unfortunately, only a quarter of the novel really addresses her medical life and accomplishments. The first part is about her dad (an awful man) and his surviving the Civil War. The second part is a young May and the tensions between her and her father and between her mother and father. Why they stayed with him and beared his ill treatment all those years is beyond me. I never figured it out and a lot of the book (too much) focuses on May's relationship or lack of one with him.

As she goes thru medical school, there are few romances turned sour, a brief singing career, a lot of famous friends that are muscians and poets, and my favorite part of all: her meeting with the Black Flying Eagle, a famous pilot. I really would've liked more about her medical education and less about her friends. They didn't interest me. Her trials in medical school and how she overcame discrimination and placed third out of 303 people... that interests me.

Thus, it fails to hit the four star mark for me, but I do recommend it. Except for cowering around her father (even at age 26 or so.. never understood that), she was a remarkable woman and it makes a remarkable read.

I'll never forget the day I plopped down on my friend's bed while I was waiting for her to get ready, and just to kill time, decided to busy myself with the book that was sitting there. I was enchanted by the very first sentance. The first paragraph had me fully engaged, and by the end of page one I was astounded with the beauty of Kuwana's writing. "How" I wonderded "have I casually known this lady as a 'friend of a friend' for the past couple of years and not known that she's a writer?" Reading through my own copy of Angel of Harlem, I was struck by the poetry of Kuwana's lush depiction of Dr. May Edward Chinn's life. Kuwana posesses a wisdom beyond her years and a gift reminiscent of Toni Morrison and Zora Neal Hurston. I am convinced that Kuwana will continue to make cherished contributions to the world of literature and take her place among the ranks of America's most acclaimed writers.