Writing: 3.5/5 Plot: 4/5 Characters: 4/5
This is the fictionalized story of Bess Myerson — the first Jewish Miss America, winning the prize in 1945. The author chose to focus the book on her early life — her upbringing, experiences in the Bronx (where the family had moved from the Lower East side for the trees, parks, and fresh air!), and her moral development. The book follows her story in a primarily linear fashion, culminating in an appearance at Carnegie Hall at the end of her year as Miss America. The epilogue goes on to summarize the rest of her professional life on TV and in public government and her personal life (I’ll let you read that in the epilogue so I don’t spoil the story).
What I loved in the book was the description of the Jewish community life in the Sholom Aleichem Housing complex (open to Jews when most were not). Her entire extended family lived in the 200 apartments across 15 buildings. The community was full of musicians and artists and though her family was by no means well-off, she was given piano lessons from an early age and as pushed to excel. That is the Jewish culture in which I was raised — not one of religion but of art, music, and study! — and I love reading biographies and stories that percolated out of Jewish New York City in that time period (check out any Marx Brother biography for an even wilder, but somewhat similar, ride).
What I didn’t love about the book was the level of fictionalization. I’m not a fan of fictionalizing real people when dialog and thoughts are created when none actually occur. The author does a good job of summarizing what she made up vs what was real at the end of the book, but for my taste she made up too much — she added in scenes that she felt could have happened based on her deep understanding of the character and that is her prerogative, but I really like to keep my fact and fiction separated. I can honestly say that I doubt this will bother anybody else — I seem to be the only person who likes to keep the line between fact and fiction solid and thick!
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Engaging Story
Thank you @linda.sternkass & @suzyapprovedbooktours for my gifted copy. My thoughts are my own.This well-researched book tells the fascinating story of Bess Myerson, a young woman from the New York Bronx who battled insecurity and anti-semitism to become the first Jewish Miss America, in 1945.Growing up, Bess often felt awkward due to her height of 5’10”, but she eventually learned to stand tall and walk with confidence. The daughter of Jewish immigrants, Bess’s parents worked hard to provide for their family and they pushed their children to excel. Bess’s mother made her practice her music daily for hours. Bess studied hard and practiced the piano (and later the flute) to perfection.Bess was kind and unaffected by her beauty, but others noticed. Her sister entered her in the Miss New York City beauty pageant and after some persuasion Bess agreed to participate. She was interested in the $5000 scholarship that she could to use to pursue her dream of a career in music. Bess wore a borrowed bikini for her photo shoot. She didn’t have money for the beautiful clothes and gowns she would need, but others came to her rescue.The novel focuses on Bess’s youth, but the author provides more information about the rest of her life in the epilogue. Read this if you enjoy historical fiction about real people.
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Thank you @linda.sternkass & @suzyapprovedbooktours for my gifted copy. My thoughts are my own.
This well-researched book tells the fascinating story of Bess Myerson, a young woman from the New York Bronx who battled insecurity and anti-semitism to become the first Jewish Miss America, in 1945.
Growing up, Bess often felt awkward due to her height of 5’10”, but she eventually learned to stand tall and walk with confidence. The daughter of Jewish immigrants, Bess’s parents worked hard to provide for their family and they pushed their children to excel. Bess’s mother made her practice her music daily for hours. Bess studied hard and practiced the piano (and later the flute) to perfection.
Bess was kind and unaffected by her beauty, but others noticed. Her sister entered her in the Miss New York City beauty pageant and after some persuasion Bess agreed to participate. She was interested in the $5000 scholarship that she could to use to pursue her dream of a career in music. Bess wore a borrowed bikini for her photo shoot. She didn’t have money for the beautiful clothes and gowns she would need, but others came to her rescue.
The novel focuses on Bess’s youth, but the author provides more information about the rest of her life in the epilogue. Read this if you enjoy historical fiction about real people.
This well-researched book tells the fascinating story of Bess Myerson, a young woman from the New York Bronx who battled insecurity and anti-semitism to become the first Jewish Miss America, in 1945.
Growing up, Bess often felt awkward due to her height of 5’10”, but she eventually learned to stand tall and walk with confidence. The daughter of Jewish immigrants, Bess’s parents worked hard to provide for their family and they pushed their children to excel. Bess’s mother made her practice her music daily for hours. Bess studied hard and practiced the piano (and later the flute) to perfection.
Bess was kind and unaffected by her beauty, but others noticed. Her sister entered her in the Miss New York City beauty pageant and after some persuasion Bess agreed to participate. She was interested in the $5000 scholarship that she could to use to pursue her dream of a career in music. Bess wore a borrowed bikini for her photo shoot. She didn’t have money for the beautiful clothes and gowns she would need, but others came to her rescue.
The novel focuses on Bess’s youth, but the author provides more information about the rest of her life in the epilogue. Read this if you enjoy historical fiction about real people.
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