Mitchell James Kaplan’s “ Rhapsody “ is a mesmerizing tale of the musical genius and love story of George Gershwin and Katharine “Kay” Swift. I was immediately drawn to the book because I love the music. I didn’t know about the love story and found it intriguing.

I have never studied music but I have always loved both Ira and George Gershwin’s music from the time I was very young. Because I’m not familiar with musical theory and composition I found portions of the story dragged for me. What I did love was reading about was how the songs I love so much were composed, their origins and the life of the song. I think the author did an amazing job and bringing this story to life. While there was a lot of name dropping I think this possibly might have been a way of networking during this time. I was fascinated to hear about these people, so many I recognized from my early years watching old musicals and listening to the music of the era with my grandmother.

The author apparently did his research extremely well. I can’t say I was particularly fond of the characters portrayal. It seemed that in the beginning Kay and Jimmy had a bond and appeared to care about one another in their early years. Kay, Jimmy and George were not favorably written as they all seemed to me to be self absorbed. For Kay and George perhaps this was the result of their musical genius or vice versa. The price of fame one might suppose.

The love story seemed somewhat inevitable with the lack of interest Kay received from her husband, the amount of time Kay and George spent together and their shared passion for music among other things.

The author is quite prolific and this is a well written story which brings to life the wonderful jazz age of the early formative years and Kay and Gershwin‘s contribution to the period. I think the author did an excellent job drawing convoluted, real life characters and their role in the music of this great time. Rich with historical detail, dazzling scene setting, imagery of NYC in the 1920’s and 30’s and evocative characters this novel kept me engaged until the last page.

Note: In 1924, Gershwin composed his first major classical work, Rhapsody in Blue, for orchestra and piano.

Thank you Mr. Kaplan for such an engrossing story and for bringing back memories I thought I’d forgotten.

Thanks to NetGalley and Gallery Books for an ARC of this book! Release date - March 2, 2021

I was invited to read this book by the publisher, but unfortunately I don't think it was for me. While I am a huge fan of historical fiction, I just don't think I was interested in <I>this</I> story. I'm sure there is an audience for this book, a certain person who loves this jazzy music scene in 1920s New York and who is familiar with the real historical characters of Kay Swift and George Gershwin. But just like not everyone is going to love Tudor history like I do and wouldn't be able to jump into a [author:Philippa Gregory|9987] novel and love it, I don't think I was the exact right audience for this book. Add to the fact that I just didn't love the long passages about composing music and writing songs... It's hard for me to get into those descriptive passages without hearing the music. And there were a lot of passages like that in this book.

Then there's the fact that none of these characters are likable at all. And I'm not sure if that's a criticism or praise for the author, because as I mentioned before these are REAL historical people and it seems like he stuck to their REAL (terrible) actions as much as possible. Historical accuracy is <b>huge</b> for me in historical fiction, so props to the author there for not altering history even though it made me dislike the storyline. The whooooole book is cheating, and I just found it mind-blowing that all the characters were ok with this arrangement with little to no jealously, although I suppose open marriages do exist. But then I felt no sympathy whatsoever for Kay when George would then cheat on her, because she was cheating on her own husband, even though he said he was ok with it. Did George ever promise her faithfulness? Also, Kay was a <I>terrible</I> mother, and I felt no sympathy for her in this either, I was rooting for her daughter when she finally called her out on it. So again, as much as I disliked the characters and storyline, I have to give props to the author for both sticking with the history AND trying to get to the humanity of it, why these characters acted the way they did. I didn't like it or them, but I think he did a good job of showing the motivations. Still, it didn't make the terrible people likable.

So since this whole book was about a time period in history I wasn't particularly interested in, full of descriptions of writing music without being able to hear it, and totally unlikable characters, I can't give it more than 3 stars. I do think there is an audience for this book, and I think the author did the best he could with the true history, but it wasn't the book for me.

The best thing I can say about Rhapsody is that it got me listening to jazz again. That’s not to say the plot wasn’t otherwise enjoyable; for the most part it was. It’s just that Rhapsody’s strength was Kaplan’s way of writing; he writes in such a way you feel it in your soul.

Let’s start at the beginning: I thought the prologue was unnecessary and confusing. Maybe if I had known more of the facts going in, it would have meant something but, as it was, the prologue just left me a bit befuddled.


Rhapsody is a fictionalized account of Kay Swift and George Gershwin’s relationship, in the same vein of The Paris Wife, which explored Hadley and Ernest Hemingway’s relationship.

Although Rhapsody wasn’t a book that left me craving more every time I turned a page, I still really enjoyed it. Through it’s 352 pages, I learned about the business of Broadway, 20th century New York high society, early American views on Hitler and the ravaging effects of the first world war that led (in part) to his rise, and the racism and sexism rampant in the entertainment industry as well as society at large (not really a shock unfortunately).

Although the prologue started my experience with Rhapsody off on the wrong foot, I’m glad I kept going. The story fully transported me to another world and got me caring deeply about some deeply flawed but deeply beautiful people.

I loved how the author whisks readers into the 1920s New York scene where a special kind of music is being created despite Nazi rumblings, segregation, prohibition, and amazing Broadway shows that had the world singing. George Gershwin’s music rocked the music world. This author does an amazing job of immersing readers into Gershwin’s personal world and his music through main character Katharine Swift trained pianist.

Katharine sets aside her judgement of Gershwin, noting the rules he was breaking in the music he was playing. “She failed to notice the moment when the music persuaded her to stop thinking and just listen. What she heard then was a man pouring his heart out to the world. At the height of the soaring, lyrical passage two-thirds of the way through, Katharine forgot about the funny parts, the exuberant parts, the piano-against-orchestra quipping and cajoling parts. The sadness and beauty of it enveloped her.”

This author is a master storyteller who combines an intriguing and complex love story between Kay Swift and George Gershwin and how they create beautiful music together. Kay tries to figure out life with her unfaithful husband James Paul and her children, and her obsession with loving and making music with George Gershwin.

Katherine thinks, “The paradox involved in loving two men but not being able to love either fully, or not feeling loved satisfyingly by either, was tearing her apart. Was she at fault, for harboring impossible expectations of others, and of herself?”

The author states, “The job of the historical novelist is to comb out the noise, find the dramatic arc, and shape events into a psychologically and emotionally cogent argument. Inevitably, this involves some reorganization of the raw material. I strive to modify the order of events as minimally as possible. However, storytelling remains paramount.”

I liked how the author based this incredible story on real events, I enjoyed the characters journey, and music of George Gershwin. The music world lost this music man way too soon. It was interesting to learn that Kay Swift was the first woman to complete a score to a Broadway musical in 1930. The title was Fine and Dancy. This story is rich in character and history; it is a fascinating read and one that would work well for your book club to discuss.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I have received a complimentary copy of this book by the publisher and NetGalley. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising”

Nora St. Laurent
TBCN Where Book Fun Begins!
The Book Club Network blog www.bookfun.org

I received this book as an ARC from NetGalley.

This was an interesting look into the lives of the musically rich and famous during the jazz age. The story revolves around Kay Swift, her wayward husband James Warburg, and her long-time affair with the brilliant musician George Gershwin. The reader really gets a taste of a fascinating time in America, as well as, an understanding of the process of composing music and the efforts needed to produce a Broadway show. Themes about cultural appropriation continue to ring true today.

I DNF'ed it. Could not finish it. The writing (or is it the story?) is too chaotic. Very sorry. The storyline is very appealing though.

RHAPSODY

I received this to my Kindle for the purpose of review from Net Galley.

Mitchell James Kaplan writes an interesting and captivating story about Kay Swift and George Gershwin. Kay, a brilliant pianist and composer, as well as the wife of James Warburg, became instantly intrigued by the talent and passion for music of George Gershwin.

The artistic talents of both Kay and Gershwin comes through and is quite interesting to learn. Kaplan is a historian and the story is accurate as it relates to Kay Swift and George Gershwin. The story is well written and I enjoyed learning about Gershwin and Kay Swift Warburg.

#NetGalley #Goodreads #Rhapsody

Mitchell James Kaplan has done an amazing job of capturing the 1930’s Jazz world of New York. The details are immaculate and his love for this period and these people is evident through out the entire novel.

Rhapsody is based on real people and has tons of details of their lives especially how music effected them. It is told in such a way you’ll feel transported in time, a special glimpse into the lives of the rich and musically talented! I enjoyed getting to know more about Kay and those around her and loved the references to some of the iconic performance arts of the times.

I’d recommend to anyone who enjoys historical fiction and jazz.

Thank you for my copy of Rhapsody. I was very intrigued by the description of this book and was excited to read it. I enjoyed reading about that time period and the writing was very descriptive and made me feel like I was there in that moment. I did feel like this story was way drawn out. It didn't keep my attention like I would've liked.

What an interesting story! I never knew much about George Gershwin beyond his music and this story f his relationship with Kay Swift, the society wife of a wealthy banker, completely sucked me in. I loved reading about New York City in the Jazz Age, their twisted relationship, Gershwin's rise from humble beginnings, and his and Kay's impact on Broadway and music before he dies at such a young age. A must read for historical fiction fans!

One reviewer portrayed this book as toe-tapping—I can think of no better term. Mitchell James Kaplan captures the magic of the 1920 Jazz Era in his new book, Rhapsody.
Kaplan tells the melodious story of Katherine Swift and George Gershwin, their love affair and their musical collaboration. Katherine Swift was an accomplished classical pianist and composer who trained at the Institute of Musical Art, now known as Julliard. Gershwin also had a classical background but was known for his ingenious ability to blend different styles to capture his own sound. Gershwin’s influence propelled “Kay” towards popular music, while she was a valued advisor to him.
Historical fiction can be enchanting when done right. Mitchell James Kaplan excels in his portrayal of the three main characters: Swift, Gershwin and Swift’s influential husband, banker and financier James Warburg. The Warburg family life is non-traditional: a wayward husband who is often absent, a restless wife who questions her domesticity while missing her musical outlets, and an interesting assortment of minor characters, from Averell Harriman to Dorothy Parker.
And then Kay Swift meets George Gershwin—the man and the music. Theirs is an epic love story. Kaplan enchanted me with his depiction of their life, the Roaring 20’s, Harlem during the Jazz Age, and the songs. Oh yes, the songs.
I was sent an advanced readers copy of this book from NetGalley and Gallery Books in exchange for an honest review. I thank them for the opportunity to read this wonderful novel, and for introducing me to some amazing characters.

During the early 19s0's George Gershwin made his mark in the jazz and popular music genre. During this time, Katherine "kay" Swift (also a genius composer, met George Gershwin. Through the years Kay formed a deep and lasting relationship with George, and worked with him to arrange many of his wonderful hits. This spectacular book Rhapsody tells the love story of Kay and George. Although they never married, they continued to love each other until George's last day. The story is told from Kay's point of view. It begins with Kay hearing George play Rhapsody in Blue live for the very first time. Throughout the book Kay looks back to her rocky marriage to her husband James Warburg, her rise to fame, and her on and off again romantic relationship with George Gershwin..

As a musical theatre, and lover of music from the 1920s - 1940s I found this book to be throughly enjoyable. Although I have loved George Gershwin's music all my life, I knew very little about his love life. This book was thoroughly enjoyable and I enjoyed it immensely. Thank you Netgalley for the complimentary copy of this gem.

Rhapsody focuses on the lives of Katharine "Kay" Swift and George Gershwin. Like many, I knew of George Gershwin's work but nothing about his personal life, which was quite short.. Katharine grew up in a musical family and was educated at the Institute of Musical Art, now known as Julliard. While performing with her trio, she met her future husband James Warburg, a banker with a keen interest in music. Their relationship seemed very solid despite his business travel and possible infidelities. From her point of view, this changed when she first heard and then met Gershwin. Ms. Swift had a complicated relationship with her husband while having an overt affair with George Gershwin as she collaborated musically with him..

I enjoyed learning about the creative process in developing musical theater as well as the evolution of the genre. There were so many creative theater people during this time. However, some aspects of the book were not as tightly written which caused inconsistency in holding my attention. I would give this a 3.5 stars rounded up.

Thank you NetGalley and Gallery Books for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

To be honest, I didn't like the "prologue" or intro or whatever you want to call it. The present tense and attempt to be happening at the moment seems artificial and forced, at least to me. However, the rest of the book was marvelous! I had never heard of Katherine or Kay Swift (Warburg - her first husband, but not her last!) before reading this book. Although I couldn't always like her life choices, I had to admire her for her determination to succeed in what was then a man's world.

Of course, I knew the ending, but that proved to not be a problem as getting to that ending presented me with a world I had not really known before, a different glimpse of the "Roarin' Twenties" and its aftermath. While I have known about George Gershwin since I was a youngster, I had never heard of what appeared to be his muse and co-writer, Kay. The details were fantastic and brought to life an era that has rarely been handled so well. Some may have disliked the name-dropping throughout of the rich and famous, but I reveled in it, to know how truly human some of these writers, movie stars and musicians really reacted to others. This is a very worthwhile way to spend your hours at a time when our own hours seem to be repetitive and enclosed.

This book centered tells the story of George Gershwin and his love Kay Swift and the musical legacy they left to the world. I knew nothing about this prior to reading this book - only knew of Gershwin's music. I have to admit, for the first half of the book I was ready for it to be a DNF - for me the story moved slowly, and the usage of so many musical terms to be slowed down the story and was a bit difficult to get through. I feel music majors would enjoy this part of the book more than I did. Set in the 20's and 30's, it's a throwback Tin Pan Alley. Katherine (Kay) has married a well-to-do banker, but is left unfulfilled. For the first part of her life, she is "going through the motions" of being a socialite wife and mother. When she meets Gershwin, she comes into her own as to what her life should be - and that was music. While I can't quite understand her quest for being the best she could be at music and composing at the sacrifice of her marriage and children, I do have to admire her for pursuing what she wanted. On another note - I found it interesting that in producing Porgy & Bess, Gershwin had it written that it would never be performed "except by an all-Negro cast". There are a lot of undertones in this book that really applies to our society today. Overall, I would rate this book a 3.5 - giving it a 3 since so much of it was a bit of a struggle for me.

Although I had heard George Gershwin’s music throughout my life, I knew almost nothing of his personal life or musical development, much less of his relationship with Kay Swift, before reading this book.. I found the book an engrossing and intriguing exploration of both their musical and composing histories, as well as their personal relationship. The appearance here of so many music luminaries and performers was extremely interesting, as was their relationship with Gershwin professionally.

Equally absorbing to me was the portrayal of the many different professionals involved in putting on a musical, ballet, or concert—choreographers, stage managers, composers, and versifiers such as Ira Gershwin, George’s brother.

I would highly recommend this book for its biographical story of Kay Swift’s marriage and life with Paul Warburg as well as the musical history and ventures of Kay, Paul and George Gershwin. I received a copy of this book from #netgalley and am rating #Rhapsody as a 5 star read.

In 1924, Katherine Swift, well-known musician and composer, is convinced by a friend to attend the debut performance of George Gershwin’s “Rhapsody in Blue.” She is certain she won’t like it because she is a purist and that the only music that “counts” was written by the classical composers. From the opening notes of “Rhapsody” to the closing note, Katherine is entranced by Gershwin’s mixing of classical music elements and those of jazz. Later, when she meets the younger composer, she finds him fascinating. Their ten-year love affair isn’t satisfying to Katherine, but she can’t seem to leave.

James Mitchell Kaplan is a very talented writer who transports his readers back to the glittering 1920s and his description of the music of the day is mesmerizing and compelling so much so that as he is describing “Rhapsody in Blue,” the reader will hear not only the music, but what Gershwin did to create it. His characters come to life on the page as well. Kaplan’s story is as much about the music of the day as it is about New York City society and its inhabitants. This book is worth the read just to savor Kaplan’s lyrical writing.

If you love music, whether classical or jazz, you’ll love this book because, like Gershwin, Kaplan is able to blend the two into his story and his characters. If you are a music lover and love historical novels, regardless of the time and/or music genre, this is a must read and needs to be at the top of your to-be-read list.

My thanks to Gallery Books and NetGalley for an eARC.

A fun piece of historical fiction based on the brilliant mind of Gershwin. The story of his connection to Kay is simply delightful, but some of the background pieces drag the storyline a bit. It would be a 5 star rating if that piece had blended more readily. It’s a fun look at the musical world and NYC in the 20s and 30s. Thanks to NetGalley for the early read.

Though I am no pianist, nor a talented musician - It was not hard to relate to the main character, even though I had fear I would find it difficult. Katherine is shown to be smartt and talented, not constantly described as smart and talented - which I LOVE. A lot of authors fall into the trap of telling you what a character is supposed to be, without any basis to prove it, and it’s lazy and boring. Katherine was definitely not.

It deals with important topics like sexism and expectations of women. It definitely is written for a more mature audience. But does not lose its appeal or importance if someone younger was reading it. It’s enjoyable, but can be limiting for some readers. I definitely found it hard to follow at times - but liked it.

I want to thank Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC!

I received this book for free from Netgalley. That did not influence this review.

I love biographical fiction. It was a gateway for me into my favorite genre: historical fiction. So Rhapsody by Mitchell James Kaplan was right up my alley.

The protagonist, Katherine Faulkner Swift, is an extraordinarily talented, classically trained pianist, who lives for her music. She does not come from wealth, but she moves in wealthy circles, primarily as a performer, providing background music for social events. It is at one such event that she meets James Warburg. The twenty-year-old son of a fabulously wealthy banker, “Jimmy” is a sensitive-seeming, handsome, ambitious charmer. Before long, they are an item. Despite his family’s objections, they marry.

Life as a society wife and mother is not satisfying for Katherine. She never wanted to be a mother. She misses performing. And worst of all, Jimmy is unfaithful. Repeatedly. He feeds her the tired excuse that it’s what men do, and none of the women mean anything to him. He even gives her permission to cheat, too.

Still, she isn’t looking to take a lover. Until she hears George Gershwin perform Rhapsody in Blue. She meets him. She falls hard. Her marriage (and children) become an encumbrance. If Jimmy has regrets, and it seems he does, too bad for him. She loves Gershwin with all her heart.

The book traces the course of Katherine’s life and her trials as Warburg’s wife and Gershwin’s lover. More than just lovers, they work together. They help one another reach greater musical heights. They inspire one another. However, there is always the sense that Katherine is more invested in the relationship than Gershwin. He, too, is unfaithful. Repeatedly and publicly. He claims he can’t commit because she’s married, but it’s pretty clear he’s glad she’s married so he has an excuse.

Katherine wants to compose music, and with George’s encouragement and connections, her career takes off. Along the way, she discovers that her husband has a talent for writing lyrics. They begin a musical collaboration as well. Because it wouldn’t do for James Warburg the banker and financial whiz to be known as a pop-song writer, they go by the pseudonyms Paul James and Kay Swift. (It is as Kay Swift that she is mostly known today.)

The novel is steeped in the music. I found myself jumping to youtube to listen to songs that are mentioned along the way. It is also steeped in early twentieth-century entertainment culture. Famous names are sprinkled throughout, grounding the story in its larger-than-life setting.

Despite the celebrity, the talent, the success, the extreme wealth, and the elaborate partying, the main characters, people who “have it all,” are fundamentally unhappy. The poignancy is that they recognize their selfishness but wallow in it rather than attempting to change. And, in the deft hand of this author, the novel succeeds because, despite their flaws, these are multi-dimensional, likeable characters.

You don’t have to be knowledgeable about early twentieth-century music to enjoy this novel. I certainly am not. But I found I was familiar with more of the tunes than I expected and the little bursts of recognition enhanced the reading experience.

If you enjoy Rhapsody, look for Kaplan’s previous novels, Into the Unbounded Night and By Fire, By Water.