Mike bernard s story reveals very real characters that you can see clearly in your mind. While books usually come in recognisable, almost standardised, genres thrillers, romances, vampire teen and so on its difficult to place ragtime. Published in 1975, ragtime changed our very concept of what a novel could be. African americans, represented by coalhouse walker jr. Among the things readers seem to enjoy most about my new historical novel temptation rag are the fictional characterizations of reallife people who inhabited the early 20th century world of ragtime in new york city. It introduces us to many of the key figures in the history, particularly mike bernard, the protagonist of the novel who was known in his day as the ragtime king of the worldand who was also the grandfather of the author s husband. Temptation rag by elizabeth hutchison bernard, 9780998440644, available at book depository with free delivery worldwide. Weary willie by mike bernard 1906 youtube the circle of fifths made clear duration. Ragtime is a musical with music by stephen flaherty, lyrics by lynn ahrens, and a book by terrence mcnally. Father watched the prow of the scaly broadbeamed vessel splash in the sea. Megan chance, bestselling author of bone river and inamorata temptation rag is the second historical novel by awardwinning author elizabeth hutchison bernard, who says about the book. The story opens in 1906 in new rochelle, new york, at the home. Mike is a central character in my book, though the story is really about the rise and fall of ragtime. The book deals with race relations in the 1920s, mixing fictional characters with real figures from.
Like ben harney, who introduced him to ragtime circa 1896, bernard was a white musician. I see where mike bernard is to give a ragtime contest and bills himself the champion of the world. Feb 02, 2009 where can i read the ragtime novel by edgar doctorow online in english. Its like heaven right here in my ragtime era sitting room.
All the books below are recommended as readalikes for e. The audio files of mike bernards original song the neutrality march. The ragtime king by mike bernard 1899, ragtime piano youtube. This strange book weaves a story around real and imagined characters from early twentieth century america. Temptation rag a new novel by author elizabeth hutchison. The stinging bee ragtime piano solo mike bernard on. He knows how to tell a story and touch the hearts and stoke the memories of his readers. Ben harney project gutenberg selfpublishing ebooks. He decided to set aside the books kaleidoscopic jumble of people, places, and things, and concentrate on just one of the several narrative threads. Doctorows novel ragtime eventually made by milos forman. An extraordinary tapestry, ragtime captures the spirit of america in the era between the turn of the century and the first world war. She decided to expand her focus by creating a fictional life for mike bernard s first wife, may convery, about whom almost nothing is known. Share, download and print free sheet music for piano, guitar, flute and more on the worlds largest community of sheet music creators. Temptation rag by elizabeth hutchison bernard goodreads.
The story opens in 1906 in new rochelle, new york, at the home of an affluent american family. Elizabeth hutchison bernard is an awardwinning author of historical fiction. After a quick lesson from ben, a young, white new york piano teacher named mike bernard adopts the ragtime technique despite his classical training, and. Lemon drops by mike bernard 1910, ragtime piano youtube. Undaunted, altman acted as producer, director, and writer for three women 1977. Mike bernard was a prominent figure of the ragtime era in new york city, winning the title ragtime king of the world in 1900 and becoming one of the most celebrated ragtime players in the country. Harney becoming an immensely popular pianist and is said to have been the resident pianist at tony pastors in new york, probably the most important vaudeville venue.
This work of historical fiction is mainly set in the new york city area from 1902 until 1912, with brief scenes towards the end describing the united states entry into world war i in 1917. As noted in the 1950 book they all played ragtime by rudi blesh and harriet janis, pianist jake schaefer, who was persona non grata at pastors theater, chimed in on bernards status with the police gazette, who printed his letter. Mike bernard did not in 19, and joseph lamb did not. Classically trained, he eventually abandoned serious music to become a major headliner on the vaudeville stage. A mystical investigation into the nature of identity based on a dream altman had, with shelley duvall, sissy spacek, and janice rule, it polarized.
March 17, 1875 june 27, 1936 was an american musician who influenced the development of ragtime era music. Her first novel, the beauty doctor, has been recognized by the eric hoffer book award 2018, fiction finalist, the arizona literary awards 2017, honorable mention, published fiction, and the book readers appreciation group medallion honoree. Temptation rags female protagonist is may convery, a privileged yet unhappy young woman living in victorianera new york city who dreams of becoming a poet. A pageturning story of passion, ambition, and desire. The great strength of temptation rag is its portrayal of the world of ragtime. Elizabeth hutchison bernard, whose husband is the grandson of mike bernard, has done a masterful job of bringing the historical characters and their environment to life in this very readable novel.
Baldacci is also the creator of the pageturning fantasy series vega jane for young readers. Temptation rag is a historical novel that tells the story of may convery and mike bernard over a number of years. The ending is a total surprise that is very rewarding and rather uplifting. Rosamond johnson, abbie mitchell, and of course mike bernard. There are a lot of characters to meet right off the bat, so sit back and make yourself comfortable. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading ragtime. About temptation rag by elizabeth hutchison bernard. I was just cast in ragtime and i wanted to get to know the story a little.
According to the internet source given below, mike bernard the name itself was the pseudonym used by one michael barnett was an american pianist and composer of ragtime music. Doctorow posted on january 16, 2016 by john walters a quote by scott joplin, a famous ragtime musician, at the beginning of this novel, affirming that ragtime can never be played fast, gives away the style and tone. March 17, 1875 june 27, 1936 was an american musician who influenced the development of ragtime. I was a performing and touring musician for nearly a decade, so i took on this project already understanding a lot about music and the. Selected by the modern library as one of the 100 best novels of all time published in 1975, ragtime changed our very concept of what a novel could be. In telling the story of mike bernard, king of ragtime and his first wife, may convery, the author gives a brilliant insight into the ragtime age. Set in the early 20th century, ragtime tells the story of three groups in the united states. Bernard was one of the most popular stage accompanists of the late1890s, and won a multitude of rag time playing contests in the 1890s, earning him high. Spouses may agnes convery 18981911 florence flo courtney 19141916 katherine kitty stapleton 19191936 mike bernard ne michael barnet brown. The original inspiration for the novel was the life of my husbands grandfather, mike bernard.
A novel was the talented way in which author elizabeth hutchison bernard captures the style of the ragtime era. My research for the book led me to discover some of the other greats of the erasuch as ben harney and his wife, jessie boyce. In order to help make this easier, i have agreed to become an associate site for. There are classical ragtime numbers, jazz band tunes, stride piano, and blues. My novel encompasses the entire ragtime era, beginning in 1895 and ending in 1929, though the decline of ragtime had already begun a decade earlier. These eyecatching works of art helped propel sales of popular songs to the public. Mp3 files of the compositions are freely available at in addition, many performances of the compositions may be enjoyed on. That ticklin rag by mike bernard 1910, ragtime piano. Mike bernard was an american musician who influenced the development of ragtimeera music. Had their hammers out at the tony paster ball, the morning telegraph, february 1, 1906. As noted in the april 9, 1935 new york times, ragtime as originated by mike bernard is a permanent part of music in this country, he asserted.
All are a part of an important musical legacy that shaped the beginnings of popular music. A novel modern library 100 best novels kindle edition by doctorow, e. Doctorow and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at. Wyatt visits reallife detective and former pinkerton agent charles a. Purchase some ragtime cds, tapes, sheet music or books many folks have emailed me to ask where they can obtain sheet music of the ragtime pieces which i have sequenced, or recordings of ragtime music. I love the old sheet music covers from the ragtime era. Blog tour temptation rag by elizabeth hutchison bernard. Legendary ragtime piano player and composer mike bernard michael barnet brown, 18751936 was born of a st. Temptation rag what water for elephants was to the circus, temptation rag is to ragtime bernard s resonant novel. This is a collection of jazz music arranged for fingerstyle guitar and spanning the years from the turn of the last century until the end of the 1930s.
Romance is thrown in to complete a brilliant piece of historical fiction. My novel encompasses the entire ragtime era, beginning in. From there on it was an engaging adventure with the characters i remember from watching tv westerns as a child, writers, politicians and crooks. A novel, was one of the most famous musicians of the ragtime era. The ragtime king by mike bernard 1899, ragtime piano.
Publishers weekly author elizabeth hutchison bernard captures the ragtime era. The observations of actor, author, comedian, critic, director, humorist, journalist, m. Once again, mike has crafted a beautiful story of deep, interesting and hilarious characters. Despite the title of the novel and the employment of a dynamic central character who is a ragtime piano player, doctorows novel is not about ragtime music. With mike bernard and songwriter joe howard hello ma baby and i wonder whos kissing her now, he included some musical interpolations from the ragtime era. The book also is about ragtime and early african american performers in vaudeville and musical theater.
Ragtime cowboys begins with the theft of wyatt earps prize racehorse. First theres an upper middle class family that includes father, mother, grandfather, mothers younger brother and little boy. The explanations of technique are clear and thorough. Mike bernard, a leading character in my new book, temptation rag. So look for the suggested readalikes by title linked on the right. Selected by the modern library as one of the 100 best novels of all time published in 1975, ragtime changed our very con. Listen to the reallife ragtime music behind the story of temptation rag. Against her parents wishes, she boldly pursues a relationship with mike bernard, a. Mike bernard, ragtime, columbia, 19 this fantastic recording of rag time by the selfproclaimed rag time king mike bernard was made in 19 for the columbia phonograph company. So, when i was given the opportunity to read a historical fictional account of the ragtime king of the world, mike bernard, you better believe i jumped at the chance and squealed in delight at the prospect. Contemporary ragtime guitar by stefan grossman, paperback. He has won fame and fortune playing with a jazz band. Doctorow is awarded the national book critics circle award.
This cover for the neutrality march by mike bernard, the ragtime king and a major character in. Ragtime, a uniquely american, syncopated musical phenomenon, has been a strong presence in musical composition, entertainment, and scholarship for over a century. I had a lot to learn about the people who inhabited the world of ragtime. Chicago turabian author date citation style guide berendt, joachimernst, 19222000 and gunther huesmann. It was a rag ship with a million dark eyes staring at him. Doctorow is good at detailing both the american dream that immigrants come looking for, and the harsh reality of the prejudice and poverty they face. If you were listing to the examples i found lemon drops by mike bernard 1910, ragtime piano, that was a fine example of a recorded piano roll and for that reason it did could not swing. The original inspiration for my novel temptation rag was the fact th. The new art of ragtime guitar features eight original compositions in the solo guitar ragtime style. It is a work of historical fiction mainly set in the new york city area from 1902 until 1912. Doctorow 11 february 2010 set in new york city in the years immediately before the outbreak of world war i, ragtime is a grand, sweeping novel that locks its teeth around a particular era and explores it with unflinching honesty. Ragtime is a great billiard game of events, ideas and personages at the turn of the century, where the real protagonist is america herself captured in the last gasps of complacency and social darwinismwaging territorial wars abroad for god, country and mammon, breaking strikes and throwing charity balls at home while ww i hovers in the wings. Not only that, it is written by the wife of bernard s grandson.
However, since jasen and tichenor set out to focus primarily on piano ragtime and its direct descendants, there is little information about any songs of the ragtime era. In bernard s case a serious one he had actually studied at the berlin conservatory in his youth and may have. In keeping with their definition of what constitutes piano ragtime, it also omits some popular instrumental pieces of the ragtime era that are not fullfledged rags. Lisa see has drawn on her chineseamerican heritage to pen. It is based on the 1975 novel of the same name by e. Welcome to the early 1900s in new rochelle, new york. The closest youd get to a classification is historical fiction. Author elizabeth hutchison bernard captures the ragtime era.
In 1998, the modern library ranked ragtime number 86 on its list of the 100 best englishlanguage novels of the 20th century. Where can i read the ragtime novel by edgar doctorow online. As noted in the 1950 book they all played ragtime by rudi blesh and harriet janis, pianist jake schaefer, who was persona non grata at pastors theater. Ragtime is as much about immigrants coming to america as it is about the folks like henry ford who despise them. Doctorow but some maybe more relevant to you than others depending on which books by the author you have read and enjoyed. Bestselling novelist david baldacci is the writer of multiple thriller series featuring arresting heroes like memory man amos decker and professional hitman will robie.
Ive read and loved all of his books and bought crossing the sagamore as soon as i knew it was available. Legendary ragtime piano player and composer mike bernard michael barnet. May is a 17 year old society girl in new york city. Ragtime wins the national book critics circle award history. Ragtime by doctorow, first edition abebooks passion for books. Through temptation rag i discovered ragtime pianist and composer mike bernard, whose music was previously unknown to me. Music, art and culture spring from every page of this delightfully artistic work. Sep 01, 2008 i have been a big fan of ragtime piano for a lot of years and thought my collection of printed rags was pretty complete until i saw the big book of ragtime piano when i was shopping for a high school graduation gift for one of my more advanced piano students.