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Gershwin’s Bess: A Novel
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Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
July 10, 2026
Gershwin’s Porgy and Bess is one of America’s most beloved operas. In Geshwin’s Bess, it tells the story of African American opera Anne Brown, who originated the role of Bess. Anne Brown has a talent for singing and is a fan of opera. She was rejected at Peabody Institute because of her race. However, Anne got accepted into Juilliard. Anne accepts and decides to pursue her career as an opera singer. While she trains, Anne enters into a failed marriage. However, her hardships do not deter Anne, and she continues to pursue her career. However, auditions for Gershwin’s all African American cast opera is still in a working progress. Gershwin is impressed and she becomes his inspiration for the opera. When she finally plays Bess in Porgy and Bess, will Anne Brown’s operatic career take off?
I am a huge fan of Gershwin’s Porgy and Bess. I love the songs “Summertime” and “It Ain’t Necessarily So”. I always cried at the end because of the tragic ending between Porgy and Bess. However, I did not know anything about the woman who originated the character of Bess. I found Anne Brown to be a fascinating person. She had an incredible gift of singing opera. She studied hard at Juilliard. Singing was her passion. I was so intrigued by Anne Brown’s story. I wanted to know if her career ever took off. I also wanted to know how playing Bess impacted her singing career.
Overall, this book is about racism, ambition, and pursuing one’s passion. I found all the characters to be well-developed. I liked the cameos in the novel like Thurgood Marshall, Todd Duncan, and Avon Long. I liked the setting of New York during the 1930s. As an opera fan I loved the opera references that were sprinkled throughout the novel! Reading Gershwin’s Bess was a treat! I was enthralled by the novel from the first page, and I did not want it to end! Gershwin’s Bess is a feast for both historical and opera fans alike! It is a must read for fans of Diva, Prima Donna, and Jackie and Maria! Gershwin’s Bess is a book that you don’t want to miss!
(Note: I read an ARC copy of this book in courtesy of Netgalley.)
I am a huge fan of Gershwin’s Porgy and Bess. I love the songs “Summertime” and “It Ain’t Necessarily So”. I always cried at the end because of the tragic ending between Porgy and Bess. However, I did not know anything about the woman who originated the character of Bess. I found Anne Brown to be a fascinating person. She had an incredible gift of singing opera. She studied hard at Juilliard. Singing was her passion. I was so intrigued by Anne Brown’s story. I wanted to know if her career ever took off. I also wanted to know how playing Bess impacted her singing career.
Overall, this book is about racism, ambition, and pursuing one’s passion. I found all the characters to be well-developed. I liked the cameos in the novel like Thurgood Marshall, Todd Duncan, and Avon Long. I liked the setting of New York during the 1930s. As an opera fan I loved the opera references that were sprinkled throughout the novel! Reading Gershwin’s Bess was a treat! I was enthralled by the novel from the first page, and I did not want it to end! Gershwin’s Bess is a feast for both historical and opera fans alike! It is a must read for fans of Diva, Prima Donna, and Jackie and Maria! Gershwin’s Bess is a book that you don’t want to miss!
(Note: I read an ARC copy of this book in courtesy of Netgalley.)
June 17, 2026
I've always loved Gershwin's music, including Porgy and Bess, so I was excited to read this novel. For as many times as I've seen the opera, this story was entirely new to me, and is one that definitely deserves to be told. This work of historical fiction is based on the real life of Anne Brown, the original Bess in the debut of the opera. It follows her from her childhood singing with her sister to entertain soldiers during WWI, to her public school education in Baltimore, and then to New York City in the 1920's and 1930's. At 16 years old, and at a time when black opera singers were not allowed to perform on most stages, Anne attends and then later graduates from Juilliard. Her mother was instrumental in fighting for Anne to have these opportunities, and I enjoyed their interactions. Anne then lands an audition with George Gershwin, and he is so impressed with her talent that he has her sing the songs for Porgy and Bess as he writes and orchestrates them to help with the composition. The opera would not have been the same without her, but her story has not been widely shared until now. The importance of family, music and racial prejudice are through lines throughout Anne's life. I enjoyed reading about this trailblazing woman. Winkler's writing is detailed and emotional in a way that made the events feel very real. I was surprised to learn at the end which characters were fictionalized to tell the story. There were a few plot points that felt extraneous, and I didn't think were necessary to include. I appreciated that the author included her research at the end of the book. Overall, I enjoyed this book, and found it to be an interesting look at an opera I have seen before but never knew the story behind. I won't look at Porgy and Bess the same way from now on.
Thank you to Atmosphere Press and NetGalley for the advanced read copy.
Thank you to Atmosphere Press and NetGalley for the advanced read copy.
June 19, 2026
Who was the original Bess of Gershwin’s Porgy and Bess? . Lisa Winkler answers that question in this well-researched historical novel that traces the life of this black musical talent through the 1920s and 30s. Anne Wiggins Brown has a crystal clear soprano voice but struggles to make it in the world of music. She navigates the ups and downs of trying to make her mark in a world filled with prejudice against blacks and discrimination against women, in addition the usual challenges that a young person faces trying to find her place in the world. We meet Anne as a young girl and follow her through her family relationships, education and romance. While her father wants her to play it safe as a teacher, Anne has a passion to perform. Her path crosses that of George Gershwin who is looking for black performers for his original American opera Porgy and Bess. Her audition with Gershwin gives her hope that she will be a part of this and as time and the creative process move forward, Brown and Gershwin begin a collaboration that comes to life on the stage years later.
Winkler tells a personal story of one young women, but she also tells a story of the times that she lived in and adds further interest by including glimpses of better-known performers who faced the difficulties of racial discrimination—people like Paul Robeson, Cab Calloway, Bill “Bojangles” Robinson and more. And of course the presence of George Gershwin, the famous composer who recognized Anne’s talent and perseverance, adds more depth and interest to the storyline.
While the book wraps up with the Broadway opening of Porgy and Bess, the author’s Afterword gives us a satisfying look into the future lives of the characters.
Winkler tells a personal story of one young women, but she also tells a story of the times that she lived in and adds further interest by including glimpses of better-known performers who faced the difficulties of racial discrimination—people like Paul Robeson, Cab Calloway, Bill “Bojangles” Robinson and more. And of course the presence of George Gershwin, the famous composer who recognized Anne’s talent and perseverance, adds more depth and interest to the storyline.
While the book wraps up with the Broadway opening of Porgy and Bess, the author’s Afterword gives us a satisfying look into the future lives of the characters.
July 28, 2026
Delightful, well-researched imagining of the early life of Anne Wiggins Brown, one of America's legendary lyric sopranos and the muse who turned the character Bess into a leading role in George Gershwin's convention-shattering musical phenomenon, Porgy and Bess. Brown was the first African American to attend the Julliard School of Music where she met Gershwin at an audition... and the rest, as they say, is history, or in this case, historcial fiction. Winkler's writing is engaging, evocative and believable, bringing to life all the talent, charms and courage Anne needed to hold on to her Black identity while navigating the racially segregated world of U.S. classical opera. Highly recommended for anyone interested in Gershwin's music, issues of identity, the power of personal courage to change a life, or those who simply want to revel in really "feeling" what cities like Baltimore and New York were like in the 1930s and 1940s. Hats off to Winkler for achieving a magical blend of meaningful, inspiring and entertaining.
August 18, 2026
Admittedly, I did not know a lot about Gershwin (I know his music, but not much about his genius) and less about Porgy and Bess, his great operatic tribute to Black history. Winkler brings the story of Anne Brown––Gershwins' muse for Bess, and groundbreaking opera singer of her time––boldly to life, as we see her humble but amazing roots (she attended high school with Thurgood Marshall, Cab Calloway, etc), and the bold path she takes to Juliard (one of the first Black Americans to attend) and into the role of Bess on Broadway...in a role that was all but banned for African Americans at the time. Winkler has done a wonderful job of bringing the limited history available about this amazing woman to life, and add new dimension and life to an icon American play.
Some of the history was confusing at times, and at the end of book, I found myself a little unsure if some of it was fiction or nf. The end of Anne's marriage felt abrupt, as did the ending of the book, but overall, I was swept up in this world of creativity, racial inequality, history, and brilliance. A really fun read!
Some of the history was confusing at times, and at the end of book, I found myself a little unsure if some of it was fiction or nf. The end of Anne's marriage felt abrupt, as did the ending of the book, but overall, I was swept up in this world of creativity, racial inequality, history, and brilliance. A really fun read!
Review of advance copy received from Author
"Gershwin's Bess" is a beautifully written, meticulously researched historical-fiction novel. Anne Brown, the main character, is a little-known opera singer who collaborated with Gershwin while he composed the music for "Porgy and Bess," the first all-black opera. We go on a journey with this young soprano as she leaves her family, goes to Julliard, falls in love, and navigates the big city in the late 1920s. Anne was the first actress to play Bess, but her story was largely untold until now. The author has done a masterful job of bringing Anne, her work, and this era in New York to life. Bravo! (As they say in the theater.)
Want to Read
June 10, 2026I didn't know much about Gershwin besides his music and this book shed interesting light on the composer. We had the chance to see his personality, how he worked with other artists and how he worked musically as a composer. Winkler gives us a history lesson of Baltimore and New York City during the time period when Anne Brown was growing up and following her early career and also what it was like to be a pioneer black female singer. Enjoyable and educational!
My book group plans on reading it for our upcoming book meeting and I know it will generate a lively discussion. I ordered the hardcover version--beautiful cover!
My book group plans on reading it for our upcoming book meeting and I know it will generate a lively discussion. I ordered the hardcover version--beautiful cover!
June 21, 2026
Brings a Black singer to a new audience.
I wasn't quite sure what to expect from this book before I read it. I was familiar with George Gershwin and Porgy and Bess, but had never heard of Anne Brown, the singer who collaborated with Gershwin to bring Bess's songs and role to life. The book is a slice of Black life in the 1930s, bringing it home to the reader how very hard it was for Black artists to succeed. I was rooting for Anne and her friends all the way through and glad for their successes, because they were hard won indeed.
Recommended for book clubs - there's plenty to discuss...
I wasn't quite sure what to expect from this book before I read it. I was familiar with George Gershwin and Porgy and Bess, but had never heard of Anne Brown, the singer who collaborated with Gershwin to bring Bess's songs and role to life. The book is a slice of Black life in the 1930s, bringing it home to the reader how very hard it was for Black artists to succeed. I was rooting for Anne and her friends all the way through and glad for their successes, because they were hard won indeed.
Recommended for book clubs - there's plenty to discuss...
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
Not only is Gershwin’s Bess a vivid portrait of ambition, resilience, and artistry, but Lisa K. focuses on character dynamics, authenticity, and most importantly the interactions with Gershwin!
As a fan of Gershwin's filmography, I truly adored every aspect of this novel, and it instantly made me a lifelong fan of Lisa's work, and I will continue to read/listen to everything she releases in the near to immediate future!
- Katie
As a fan of Gershwin's filmography, I truly adored every aspect of this novel, and it instantly made me a lifelong fan of Lisa's work, and I will continue to read/listen to everything she releases in the near to immediate future!
- Katie
June 24, 2026
Gershwin's Bess tells the story of Ann Brown, the woman who not only played Bess in the original Porgy & Bess but who served as his muse as he wrote the play. Lisa's telling of the story is thoughtful and original. It highlights the struggles of women, and particularly black women in the early 20th century. It is also a quintessential New York story.
Whether you love opera, history, New York; Gershwin's Bess is a great read that you won't want to put down.
Whether you love opera, history, New York; Gershwin's Bess is a great read that you won't want to put down.
July 6, 2026
Really well done. Though fictionalized due to so
little biographical information available about Anne Brown, Ms Winkler does an excellent job of world building, pulling the reader in and weaving a narrative that is engaging and thought-provoking. Anne’s talent, dedication, work ethic and determination to sing opera, despite the many obstacles she faced as a young African American woman in the 1920s and 30s make her a compelling main character you’ll love to root for.
little biographical information available about Anne Brown, Ms Winkler does an excellent job of world building, pulling the reader in and weaving a narrative that is engaging and thought-provoking. Anne’s talent, dedication, work ethic and determination to sing opera, despite the many obstacles she faced as a young African American woman in the 1920s and 30s make her a compelling main character you’ll love to root for.
August 17, 2026
Thanks to Atmosphere Press for providing an advance reader copy through NetGalley!
Gershwin’s Bess imagines the life of Anne Brown, a young Black opera singer who worked with and inspired George Gershwin as he adapted the 1927 stage play Porgy into the now-world-famous opera Porgy and Bess. Anne Brown was a real woman, but much about her life is shrouded in mystery. In this book, Lisa K. Winkler fills in some of the gaps, sprinkling the real in among her own embellishment to create a work of interesting and engaging historical fiction.
We first encounter Anne as a precocious child with a strong musical talent and the dream of a career in music—not as a teacher, but as a star! The eldest daughter of a respected physician and a musically-inclined housewife, she has grown up singing and playing piano, and when she is given the opportunity to skip a grade and start high school early, she leaps at the chance—Frederick Douglass High has an excellent music program. Though her father is reluctant, his wife and daughter talk him around, and she begins Fall 1924 as a freshman student.
Quickly, her teachers pick her out as a true musical talent, and she makes friends with future stars like Cab Calloway and Avon Long. She blossoms with the more challenging coursework, and by her junior year, one teacher pushes her to apply to the Peabody Institute for dedicated musical study. It is here where she has her first devastating encounter with racism: though she was talented, the institute would not accept a Black student. Undeterred, Anne attends evening classes at Morgan College (a famed HBCU, a Historically Black College/University), and after high school she is accepted to the Juilliard School of Music for advanced study. Off to New York! There, Anne dedicates herself to her musical dream, committed to becoming an opera singer—even as the Great Depression deepens around her.
Though Gershwin is in the title, this is very much Anne’s story. Her childhood and teen years shaped her into the young woman who originated the role of Bess in Gershwin’s opera, and the book is devoted to that journey. It’s a coming-of-age tale that culminates in the creation of a groundbreaking piece of art. It was both nerve-wracking and rewarding to watch Anne struggle with and overcome racial prejudice, her father’s misgivings about a career in the arts instead of medicine or teaching, and the lure of a relationship with a charming but untrustworthy man who distracts her from her goals. The love and support of the other women in her life was particularly heartwarming to read, making the story richer and even more inspiring. This is a book about a young woman who loves herself enough to believe she can achieve her dreams, and to do the work necessary to reach it, bringing her community with her during a time of strife and difficulty.
Overall, Gershwin’s Bess is a powerful tale portraying both true and imagined trials and tribulations in the life of a real woman whose inspiring life story has been obscured by time. Lisa K. Winkler has breathed new life into this history, taking a bare-bones account of Anne Wiggins Brown’s life and expanding it into a very present and engaging book.
4.5 of 5 stars, rounded down.
Gershwin’s Bess imagines the life of Anne Brown, a young Black opera singer who worked with and inspired George Gershwin as he adapted the 1927 stage play Porgy into the now-world-famous opera Porgy and Bess. Anne Brown was a real woman, but much about her life is shrouded in mystery. In this book, Lisa K. Winkler fills in some of the gaps, sprinkling the real in among her own embellishment to create a work of interesting and engaging historical fiction.
We first encounter Anne as a precocious child with a strong musical talent and the dream of a career in music—not as a teacher, but as a star! The eldest daughter of a respected physician and a musically-inclined housewife, she has grown up singing and playing piano, and when she is given the opportunity to skip a grade and start high school early, she leaps at the chance—Frederick Douglass High has an excellent music program. Though her father is reluctant, his wife and daughter talk him around, and she begins Fall 1924 as a freshman student.
Quickly, her teachers pick her out as a true musical talent, and she makes friends with future stars like Cab Calloway and Avon Long. She blossoms with the more challenging coursework, and by her junior year, one teacher pushes her to apply to the Peabody Institute for dedicated musical study. It is here where she has her first devastating encounter with racism: though she was talented, the institute would not accept a Black student. Undeterred, Anne attends evening classes at Morgan College (a famed HBCU, a Historically Black College/University), and after high school she is accepted to the Juilliard School of Music for advanced study. Off to New York! There, Anne dedicates herself to her musical dream, committed to becoming an opera singer—even as the Great Depression deepens around her.
Though Gershwin is in the title, this is very much Anne’s story. Her childhood and teen years shaped her into the young woman who originated the role of Bess in Gershwin’s opera, and the book is devoted to that journey. It’s a coming-of-age tale that culminates in the creation of a groundbreaking piece of art. It was both nerve-wracking and rewarding to watch Anne struggle with and overcome racial prejudice, her father’s misgivings about a career in the arts instead of medicine or teaching, and the lure of a relationship with a charming but untrustworthy man who distracts her from her goals. The love and support of the other women in her life was particularly heartwarming to read, making the story richer and even more inspiring. This is a book about a young woman who loves herself enough to believe she can achieve her dreams, and to do the work necessary to reach it, bringing her community with her during a time of strife and difficulty.
Overall, Gershwin’s Bess is a powerful tale portraying both true and imagined trials and tribulations in the life of a real woman whose inspiring life story has been obscured by time. Lisa K. Winkler has breathed new life into this history, taking a bare-bones account of Anne Wiggins Brown’s life and expanding it into a very present and engaging book.
4.5 of 5 stars, rounded down.
June 24, 2026
Who could ask for anything more?
This fast-paced novel positively sings. Want inspiration? You can practically hear Gershwin’s music, Anne Smith’s clear soprano. And see New York in all its beauty and diversity. Steven Spielberg, this is your next film, GERSHWIN’S BESS! Bless Lisa Klein Winkler, the superb author!
This fast-paced novel positively sings. Want inspiration? You can practically hear Gershwin’s music, Anne Smith’s clear soprano. And see New York in all its beauty and diversity. Steven Spielberg, this is your next film, GERSHWIN’S BESS! Bless Lisa Klein Winkler, the superb author!
August 4, 2026
This was such an engaging story! The characters are presented with so much detail that I felt as if I was right there with the main character, Anne. Like any great book, I looked forward to picking it up each evening and felt a bit sad at the end when the story reached it's conclusion. The book left me searching for a performance of Porgy and Bess!
June 15, 2026
This is an exceptionally well-written and thoroughly researched piece. Winkler skillfully captures the essence of Baltimore, New York, Black History, and the relationship between Brown and Gershwin. It is a highly recommended read for all audiences, as it offers valuable insights for everyone.
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews