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The Love Songs of W.E.B. Du Bois

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The Love Songs of W.E.B. Du Bois

By: Honorée Fanonne Jeffers
Narrated by: Adenrele Ojo, Karen Chilton, Prentice Onayemi
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About this listen

Immerse yourself in a celebration of Black womanhood and an epic tale of the stories that span generations.

Ailey Pearl Garfield grows up between the City in the north and summers spent in her mother’s small hometown of Chicasetta, Georgia. From an early age, she finds herself in a battle for belonging that’s made all the more difficult by a hurt in her past, as well as the whispers of women—her mother, Belle, her sister, Lydia, and a maternal line reaching back two centuries—that urge Ailey to succeed in their stead.

To come to terms with her identity, Ailey embarks on a journey through her family’s past, uncovering the shocking tales of generations of ancestors—Indigenous, Black, and white—in the deep South. In doing so Ailey must learn to embrace her full heritage, a legacy of oppression and resistance, bondage and independence, cruelty and resilience that is the story—and the song—of America itself.

‘Mesmerising… magnificent’ Independent

‘Astonishing… A great work infused with love and honesty’ Alice Walker, author of The Color Purple

‘Gripping, gorgeous. A sweeping family saga that is also history at its most intimate and vital’ Stef Penney, author of The Tenderness of Wolves

LONGLISTED FOR THE NATIONAL BOOK AWARD FOR FICTION • SHORTLISTED FOR THE CENTER FOR FICTION FIRST NOVEL PRIZE • LONGLISTED FOR THE ASPEN LITERARY PRIZE

20 Highest Rated Books on Goodreads 2025 • New York Times 10 Best Books of the Year • Time 10 Best Books of the Year • Washington Post 10 Best Books of the Year • People 10 Best Books of the Year • Booklist 10 Best First Novels of the Year

©2021 Honorée Fanonne Jeffers (P)2021 HarperCollins Publishers Limited African American Family Life Fiction Genre Fiction Literary Fiction Heartfelt Inspiring Thought-Provoking

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Critic reviews

‘Prepare to be wholly engrossed… Phenomenal’ Observer

‘Utterly essential’ iNews

‘Intimate, considered, beautifully written and perceived, ambitious and ultimately satisfying. Outstanding’ Daily Mail

‘Astonishing… I lived in this novel for three weeks. It is long. It is a journey. It is something so remarkable I’m not sure we collectively ever even dreamed it.’ Alice Walker, author of The Color Purple

‘Beautifully, and traumatically, weaves a spell of a story about more than ten generations of an American family―indigenous, African and European… Remarkable’ Afua Hirsch, author of Brit(ish)

‘Breath-taking … A book I urge everyone to read. It is deeply moving and deeply informative. It is magnificent’ Sarah Winman, author of Still Life

‘Exceptional in the way it engages so deeply and emphatically with history’ Guardian

‘Epic and intimate… an extraordinary achievement’ The Spectator

‘A work of profound beauty’ Irish Times

‘Extraordinary … moving and evocative’ TLS

‘The Love Songs of W.E.B. Du Bois is the kind of book that comes around only once a decade … Simply magnificent’ Washington Post

‘Quite simply the best book that I have read in a very, very long time’ New York Times

‘Just as brilliant as it is necessary, just as intimate as it is expansive. An outstanding portrait of an American family and in turn, an outstanding portrait of America’ Angie Thomas, author of The Hate U Give

‘Masterful and stunning … These Love Songs make for a frank, feminist, and unforgettable read’ Deesha Philyaw, author of The Secret Lives of Church Ladies
All stars
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I wish were more articulate but sadly, I am not good at verbalising my thoughts. Suffice to say, this is an amazing novel with engaging characterisations, and it is beautifully narrated. Though it is a novel, the research that went into ensures that so much is based on fact, it makes me ashamed of how we have, and continue to treat other human beings.

Love, love, loved this book.

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An extraordinary book. The story is so rich and well told that I found I could stop until my curiosity had been satisfied. Be warned though, some passages are harrowing.

Outstanding!

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Never have I written a review, however so moved am I, by 'Love Songs of W.E.B Du Bois', I am here exclaiming how beautiful, lyrical, heartbreaking and absolutely necessary this book is. The incredible Ms. Honorée Jeffers took me to a deep dark place in history, where through bravery of the human spirit, there shone light. There was power, just waiting for it's turn to rise up, as a consequence of utter brutal abuse, cruelty & suffering. I consider myself schooled after listening to this, as I searched out the writings of W.E.B Du Bois. Which like Ms Jeffers beautiful novel, made my heart sing. So I implore anyone reading this review.... Go listen to this. Your conscience will never be the same.

A crucial masterpiece...

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I was immersed in this story for a month and got used to the main characters thanks to the great narration as they felt quite close and likeable. Yes, it takes 29 hours to listen the whole audiobook but it is worth your time.

Great story!

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I loved this book. it is superbly researched and I was grateful for the bibliographic signposts at the end. I listened to it over the last week and I cannot stop thinking about it. I'd like to read the print version as well and have the family tree in print to better figure out the connections.

An exceptional novel.

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When I was young, Roots had this massive impact on me despite being as far from that world as I could be. This book has had a similar deep impact on me, entering into my subconscious in dreams and I’m sure it will stay with me for a very long time. Powerful, important and everything a novel should be.

This had such an impact on me

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Slow burner but well worth persevering. It’s shines a light on current days issues but at the same time shows how these issues have remained consistent throughout history. Thought provoking and full of feeling.

Slow burner but worth every minute

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Well researched, excellently written and incredibly engaging. This book should be required reading in schools. A masterpiece!

A masterpiece

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Difficult to write about this immense book without gushing. I am a white female Scot with limited understanding of slavery and its impact on contemporary USA. After my full immersion in The Love Songs I have more compassion for and incredulity at human resilience. The storytelling is lyrical built around three dimensional characters- certainly the women- and sweeping across hundreds of years. Never losing the thread, the love.

Deepest gratitude for this story

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This book, an historical novel draws on multiple factual resources and as such a an important text for anyone wanting to understand the impact of slavery and the removal of indigenous people. You have taught me so much Ms Jeffers. Thank you.

A must read

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