FICTION

The Bohemians

by Jasmin Darznik
Ballantine. Apr. 2021. 352p. ISBN 9780593129425. $28. F
COPY ISBN
In 1918, Dorrie, a 22-year-old white woman from New Jersey, arrives in San Francisco with only a camera and a few possessions, and no backup plan. She pawns the camera for room and board and befriends Caroline Lee, a Chinese American woman who introduces her to Monkey Block, the bohemian center of San Francisco. Dorrie (now Dorothea) gradually establishes herself as a successful portrait photographer with Caroline’s help, until a scandal changes everything. This historical novel set post–World War I, against the backdrop of the 1918 flu pandemic, chronicles Dorothea Lange’s early years, before her prolific career in documentary photography.
VERDICT Historical fiction readers will treasure this engaging story peppered with notable figures from Lange’s circle of friends, including D. H. Lawrence, Ansel Adams, Maynard Dixon, and Frida Kahlo. Darznik (Song of a Captive Bird) deftly depicts Lange’s transformation into a renowned photographer, as well as the blatant prejudice that Caroline encounters because of her Chinese lineage.
Reviewed by Mary Todd Chesnut, Northern Kentucky Univ. Lib., Highland Heights , Apr 01, 2021
Comment Policy:
  • Be respectful, and do not attack the author, people mentioned in the article, or other commenters. Take on the idea, not the messenger.
  • Don't use obscene, profane, or vulgar language.
  • Stay on point. Comments that stray from the topic at hand may be deleted.
  • Comments may be republished in print, online, or other forms of media.
  • If you see something objectionable, please let us know. Once a comment has been flagged, a staff member will investigate.

RELATED 

FICTION

The Kennedy Girl
by Thomas, Julia Bryan
FICTION

Friends Helping Friends
by Hoffman, Patrick
FICTION

An Earthquake Is a Shaking of the Surface of the Earth
by Moschovakis, Anna
FICTION

Don’t Be a Stranger
by Minot, Susan
FICTION

Intermezzo
by Rooney, Sally
FICTION

Isola
by Goodman, Allegra
More
ALREADY A SUBSCRIBER?

We are currently offering this content for free. Sign up now to activate your personal profile, where you can save articles for future viewing

ALREADY A SUBSCRIBER?