The Queen of Sugar Hill: A Novel of Hattie McDaniel
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- Author：ReShonda Tate
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Summary
Bestselling author ReShonda Tate presents a fascinating fictional portrait of Hattie McDaniel， one of Hollywood's most prolific but woefully underappreciated stars--and the first Black person ever to win an Oscar for her role as Mammy in the critically acclaimed film classic Gone With the Wind。 It was supposed to be the highlight of her career， the pinnacle for which she'd worked all her life。 And as Hattie McDaniel took the stage in 1940 to claim an honor that would make her the first African-American woman to win an Academy Award， she tearfully took her place in history。 Between personal triumphs and tragedies， heartbreaking losses， and severe setbacks， this historic night of winning best supporting actress for her role as the sassy Mammy in the controversial movie Gone With the Wind was going to be life-changing。 Or so she thought。 Months after winning the award， not only did the Oscar curse set in where Hattie couldn't find work， but she found herself thrust in the middle of two worlds--Black and White--and not being welcomed in either。 Whites only saw her as Mammy and Blacks detested the demeaning portrayal。 As the NAACP waged an all-out war against Hattie and actors like her， the emotionally conflicted actor found herself struggling daily。 Through it all， Hattie continued her fight to pave a path for other Negro actors， while focusing on war efforts， fighting housing discrimination， and navigating four failed marriages。 Luckily， she had a core group of friends to help her out--from Clark Gable to Louise Beavers to Ruby Berkley Goodwin and Dorothy Dandridge。 The Queen of Sugar Hill brings to life the powerful story of one woman who was driven by many passions--ambition， love， sex， family， friendship， and equality。 In re-creating Hattie's story， ReShonda Tate delivers an unforgettable novel of resilience， dedication， and determination--about what it takes to achieve your dreams--even when everything--and everyone--is against you。
Reviews
Rachelle
，
This book tells the story of Hattie McDaniel， mostly from the time she became the first Black woman to win an Academy Award， which she did for her role as Mammy in “Gone With The Wind。” She faced discrimination in Hollywood at that time （from the 1930s through 1950s）， but she also faced pushback from the Black community， for playing roles that were seen as demeaning。 The author did a great job exploring this tension， and how McDaniel must have faced the pressure from all sides。 The book dragged This book tells the story of Hattie McDaniel， mostly from the time she became the first Black woman to win an Academy Award， which she did for her role as Mammy in “Gone With The Wind。” She faced discrimination in Hollywood at that time （from the 1930s through 1950s）， but she also faced pushback from the Black community， for playing roles that were seen as demeaning。 The author did a great job exploring this tension， and how McDaniel must have faced the pressure from all sides。 The book dragged at times， especially when it read more like a biography than a novel， but Miss Hattie was a compelling character throughout。 Thank you to William Morrow and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review。 。。。more
Tracee
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The Queen of Sugar Hill is a Hollywood who's who。 Readers follow Hattie McDaniel as she wins the Academy Award to her passing。 During these years， despite being the first Black woman to win the illustrious award， Hattie struggled to survive。 With several bad marriages， terrible roles or lack of roles befitting an award winner， and facing adversity everywhere she turned， Hattie faced trial after trial， to the point it was extremely depressing to read。 In the end， Hattie said she'd rather play a m The Queen of Sugar Hill is a Hollywood who's who。 Readers follow Hattie McDaniel as she wins the Academy Award to her passing。 During these years， despite being the first Black woman to win the illustrious award， Hattie struggled to survive。 With several bad marriages， terrible roles or lack of roles befitting an award winner， and facing adversity everywhere she turned， Hattie faced trial after trial， to the point it was extremely depressing to read。 In the end， Hattie said she'd rather play a maid than be one， and she fought to keep her light shinning until the very end。Although this is a fictional account， I still learned much about Soror McDaniel。 I even searched many of the names featured in the book to gain further context and to put faces with names。 。。。more
Brittney Jade
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I received a gifted finished copy of this book from the publishers for my honest opinion。This is a fictionalized version of Hattie McDaniel's life and she really is the definition of "damned if you do， damned if you don't"。This book begins with Hattie winning an Academy Award， becoming the first black woman to do so。 And even though she won an award， she was always typecasted as a maid。 She couldn't win with black audiences， who felt like she was "shucking and jiving" for white people; and even I received a gifted finished copy of this book from the publishers for my honest opinion。This is a fictionalized version of Hattie McDaniel's life and she really is the definition of "damned if you do， damned if you don't"。This book begins with Hattie winning an Academy Award， becoming the first black woman to do so。 And even though she won an award， she was always typecasted as a maid。 She couldn't win with black audiences， who felt like she was "shucking and jiving" for white people; and even the president of the NAACP had it out for her。 Her personal life was a lot， as she was married four times and divorced three times （her first husband died after illness）。 I definitely recommend this book。 Although it was a fictionalized account， it felt very true and I certainly love a good historical fiction book。 。。。more
Debbie （Can’t breathe w/o a BOOK） D
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Ms。 Hattie McDaniel story is much grander than her winning an Oscar。 I’ve known a few things about Ms。 Hattie， but the author completely opened my eyes to this multifaceted lady。 I felt as if I were there with her during some of her most heartbreaking moments， and can’t even begin to put myself in her shoes on the disrespect she suffered because of her craft。 Being damned for the type of roles she played by her own community just doesn’t sit well with this reader。 It’s not like she didn’t want m Ms。 Hattie McDaniel story is much grander than her winning an Oscar。 I’ve known a few things about Ms。 Hattie， but the author completely opened my eyes to this multifaceted lady。 I felt as if I were there with her during some of her most heartbreaking moments， and can’t even begin to put myself in her shoes on the disrespect she suffered because of her craft。 Being damned for the type of roles she played by her own community just doesn’t sit well with this reader。 It’s not like she didn’t want more， but in those times to be treated as if she didn’t want to stretch her acting muscles is something I can’t imagine。 The isms she faced was too much to bear for one person。 I appreciate the research Ms。 Tate did for this book ensuring we readers got a well rounded understanding of Ms。 Hattie’ Oscar， living in Sugar Hill， love life and loyal friends。 This is book shows us the most beautiful woman and I’m so grateful for that。 Thank you NetGalley for this review copy in exchange for an honest review。 。。。more
Roslyn Bell
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The Queen of Sugar Hill by Reshonda Tate was one of the best books I have ever read。 I had always been curious about Hattie McDaniel but just never took the time to read about her。 Seems like every chapter/page that I read I was going to google to learn more about this incredible trail blazer。 The author humanized Ms。 McDaniel by showing the reader the struggles and triumphs that she encountered during a tumultuous time in America。 We see Hattie's frustration in trying to break out of the domest The Queen of Sugar Hill by Reshonda Tate was one of the best books I have ever read。 I had always been curious about Hattie McDaniel but just never took the time to read about her。 Seems like every chapter/page that I read I was going to google to learn more about this incredible trail blazer。 The author humanized Ms。 McDaniel by showing the reader the struggles and triumphs that she encountered during a tumultuous time in America。 We see Hattie's frustration in trying to break out of the domestic servant role which she has been typecasted as well her move into a predominately white neighborhood。 Further， I love that the authored explored Hattie's relationship with her girlfriends as well。 I strongly recommend this book and like me while you are reading the book you will also do some extracurricular homework to learn more about this amazing woman。 I hope this book gets picked up for a Netfilx mini series！ #NETGALLEY #THEQUEENOFSUGARHILL 。。。more
vlm
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I was thrilled to be approved to read this fictional story of Hattie McDaniel。 I thought I would be reading all about her rise to the role that won her the Oscar， but the story begins with her win。 The events of that night seem to set the stage for everything that follows。 Trials and tribulations never fit a situation more appropriately。 Ms。 McDaniel handled these issues with more grace and aplomb than I could ever dare to possess。 I had no idea this would be such a history lesson， but I also di I was thrilled to be approved to read this fictional story of Hattie McDaniel。 I thought I would be reading all about her rise to the role that won her the Oscar， but the story begins with her win。 The events of that night seem to set the stage for everything that follows。 Trials and tribulations never fit a situation more appropriately。 Ms。 McDaniel handled these issues with more grace and aplomb than I could ever dare to possess。 I had no idea this would be such a history lesson， but I also did not expect to feel so much sadness reading this。 I know artistic license was taken with this story， and the author does a great job explaining her process。 And the author did a great job reminding us of the disparity in roles and wages。 There was no great reward after Ms。 McDaniel won her award。 We take the roles we're offered， was the response to the backlash she received for her 'demeaning' roles。 The men in her life were real pieces of work。 This was not an easy book to read， but I enjoyed reading about Ms。 McDaniel's life。 She was an amazing woman。Thanks to NetGalley and William Morrow for an e-arc in exchange for an unbiased review。 。。。more
Tiffany Tyler
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I felt an overwhelming wave of sadness throughout this book。 Not a sadness that made me cry， but one that made me feel empty and upset often at the same time。 We all know Miss McDaniel to be the first Black woman to win an Oscar， but what happened to her after that historic moment is a series of events that we unfortunately can relate to in 2024。 While several liberties were taken throughout the book， it is quite believable that The Queen of Sugar Hill closely resembles the time period。 Being Bl I felt an overwhelming wave of sadness throughout this book。 Not a sadness that made me cry， but one that made me feel empty and upset often at the same time。 We all know Miss McDaniel to be the first Black woman to win an Oscar， but what happened to her after that historic moment is a series of events that we unfortunately can relate to in 2024。 While several liberties were taken throughout the book， it is quite believable that The Queen of Sugar Hill closely resembles the time period。 Being Black （especially dark-skinned）， being woman， being overweight， and being outspoken were seen as threats in 1940 and still are to this day。 ReShonda Tate has taken the woman who was a “first” and humanized her， made us see that while she was fighting the establishment that she also had to defend her choices with her own community， that her decision making with men mirrors some of the stupid choices we too have made， and what stood out the most， that through it all Miss McDaniel focused on the good & kept pushing。 I recommend this book to all that want a fictionalized account of old Hollywood from the lens of a woman who tried her absolute best to break barriers。 。。。more
Amy Byers
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Great book！！！！ It was a wonderful read！！！！
Janis Daly
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"The Queen of Sugar Hill" by ReShonda Tate is a mesmerizing journey through the remarkable life of Hattie McDaniel， a name familiar to many but often not fully understood。 At the heart of the narrative is Hattie McDaniel's groundbreaking achievement as the first African-American woman to win an Academy Award。 Known for her iconic role as Mammy in "Gone with the Wind，" McDaniel's victory marked a pivotal moment in the history of cinema。 Yet， Tate moves beyond that moment to unveil the layers of H "The Queen of Sugar Hill" by ReShonda Tate is a mesmerizing journey through the remarkable life of Hattie McDaniel， a name familiar to many but often not fully understood。 At the heart of the narrative is Hattie McDaniel's groundbreaking achievement as the first African-American woman to win an Academy Award。 Known for her iconic role as Mammy in "Gone with the Wind，" McDaniel's victory marked a pivotal moment in the history of cinema。 Yet， Tate moves beyond that moment to unveil the layers of Hattie McDaniel's life， painting a vivid portrait of her struggles， triumphs， and the indelible mark she left on the entertainment industry。 Readers also come away with a deeper understanding of the challenges Ms。 McDaniel faced in a racially segregated Hollywood and even backlash from groups like the NAACP。 What sets "The Queen of Sugar Hill" apart is its ability to transform Ms。 McDaniel from a recognizable name into a three-dimensional， inspiring figure。 As readers delve into the pages of this novel， they witness the strength， resilience， and unwavering determination that fueled her ascent to the pinnacle of success。 I also enjoyed learning about the socio-cultural landscape of Sugar Hill in Los Angeles which provided a backdrop that enhances the narrative。 As a reader who appreciates delving into the lives of extraordinary women through historical fiction， "The Queen of Sugar Hill" has rightfully earned its place on my #31titleswomeninhistory list。 This book serves not only as a celebration of Hattie McDaniel's accomplishments but also as a testament to the resilience of women who defy societal norms to pave the way for future generations。 。。。more
Shone
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Has Times Really Changed？ReShonda Tate may have taken some liberties in writing this story， thoes liberities woven together with truth， gave an impressive story。 The hardships， abuse， both physical and mental Ms。 McDaniel had to endure were heart breaking。 Through it all she remained steadfast in her beliefs， friendships， with a smile on her face till the end。 Well written， touching， even if you have never seen Gone With The Wind。 We should all read and discuss The Queen of Sugar Hill。
Deb Kiley
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I loved this book。 I knew it was about Hattie McDaniel， Oscar winner， but wasn't sure where the story would take me。 This book takes you on the journey of Hattie's life and all of the racism she had to overcome and deal with on a regular basis in Hollywood。 She may have be the first African American to win an Oscar but that did not open the doors to acting opportunities。 Hattie quietly fought for her rights and others until the end。 I was fascinated who her friends were and where she lived。 This I loved this book。 I knew it was about Hattie McDaniel， Oscar winner， but wasn't sure where the story would take me。 This book takes you on the journey of Hattie's life and all of the racism she had to overcome and deal with on a regular basis in Hollywood。 She may have be the first African American to win an Oscar but that did not open the doors to acting opportunities。 Hattie quietly fought for her rights and others until the end。 I was fascinated who her friends were and where she lived。 This is not a story about her time on Gone with the Wind and that was ok with me。 I'm glad the author focused on Hattie's whole life and not one acting job。 The notes at the end let you know what liberties the author took and what was true， but the extensive research that went into writing this book shines through。 I found it to be immersive and shows Hattie as a real woman not a character she played in numerous movies。 If you want to read a fascinating story about an unsung hero in Hollywood， I would highly recommend this book！Thanks Goodreads for the complimentary copy I won in a giveaway。 All opinions expressed are my own。 。。。more
Katrina
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The Queen of Sugar Hill is a novel about the life of Hattie McDaniel after she became the first black woman to receive an Oscar。 Characters- Hattie herself is the most fleshed out character in this book。 She is sweet， she is angry， she is multi-faceted and you can't help but love her。 If you thought you knew her， you are about to learn better。 That being said， I had a harder time connecting with many of the other characters in the book。 Some of them （mostly the men。。。） I'm okay with not connecti The Queen of Sugar Hill is a novel about the life of Hattie McDaniel after she became the first black woman to receive an Oscar。 Characters- Hattie herself is the most fleshed out character in this book。 She is sweet， she is angry， she is multi-faceted and you can't help but love her。 If you thought you knew her， you are about to learn better。 That being said， I had a harder time connecting with many of the other characters in the book。 Some of them （mostly the men。。。） I'm okay with not connecting with， though！ Boy she had some horrible men in her life， and she so deserved better！ Atmosphere - I love an old Hollywood tale， and this has that atmosphere， but from an angle we don't often see。 Unlike many old Hollywood stories， this book shows less of the glitz and glamour and more of the struggle and fight。 Fewer red carpets， more audition lines。 I appreciated that。 Writing Style - This was the aspect of this book I struggled the most with。 I absolutely think this is an important story， a powerful story， and an incredibly well-researched story。 I struggled with the amount of exposition， and the confusing timelines， though。 Plot - The plot of this book is entirely wrapped up in Hattie's growth as a character， and plot driven by character is always my favorite thing。 Intrigue - Though intrigued to learn more about Hattie McDaniel， I think the issues I had with the writing style fed into a lack of intrigue。 The time jumps， the confusing passive tenses， and the amount of exposition made it hard to find intrigue。 Logic - I completely understand this world and the events here， even though it's entirely frustrating cause。。。 it's America。。。 Enjoyment - I did enjoy this book and would suggest it for anyone who is into historical fiction or Hollywood stories。 。。。more
Rena Ackley
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Hattie McDaniel is best known to many of for portraying the character Mamie in Gone With the Wind。 ReShonda Tate has crafted a novel that reveals the life of a woman who rose to the challenge of Hollywood at a time when races were not viewed as equal。 Though she was the first black to win an Academy Award， she received no job offers after the award for quite awhile。 Her role was viewed as contemptuous by many other blacks， her view was she was trying to pave the way for others 。 She had to fight Hattie McDaniel is best known to many of for portraying the character Mamie in Gone With the Wind。 ReShonda Tate has crafted a novel that reveals the life of a woman who rose to the challenge of Hollywood at a time when races were not viewed as equal。 Though she was the first black to win an Academy Award， she received no job offers after the award for quite awhile。 Her role was viewed as contemptuous by many other blacks， her view was she was trying to pave the way for others 。 She had to fight in every aspect of her life， whether it was living in the area she chose to， marriage， or playing a character in the way she thought would be best。 It is a reminder of how far we have come and the work left to be done。 Hattie McDaniel was a remarkable woman。 Thank you to William Morrow Books for the ARC。 。。。more
Lea Columbus
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I would like to thank William Morrow and Net Galley for the opportunity to read this as an ARC。 I am a big movie fan and love to read about movie stars。 I really wanted to know more about Hattie McDaniel， both as a person and as an actress。 Unfortunately， for me at least， this book fell short。 It went into little depth about her acting。 It was long and slow moving。 It was also very sad， and rightfully so as Miss McDaniel had a lot of sorrow in her life。 But it did not make me feel her sorrow， or I would like to thank William Morrow and Net Galley for the opportunity to read this as an ARC。 I am a big movie fan and love to read about movie stars。 I really wanted to know more about Hattie McDaniel， both as a person and as an actress。 Unfortunately， for me at least， this book fell short。 It went into little depth about her acting。 It was long and slow moving。 It was also very sad， and rightfully so as Miss McDaniel had a lot of sorrow in her life。 But it did not make me feel her sorrow， or pain。It was very superficial。I just did not get the emotional involvement that I want ftom a historical novel/fiction 。It was ， for me at least， just ok。 It starts with her wining her Oscar in 1940 and goes to her death in 1952。 While her marriages， friendships and relationships are detailed， I just did not get that in depth feeling I look for in a book。 It was interesting， but not compelling。 。。。more
Kellylynn
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I rather liked the overall story。 I did not like the voice of the story。 It seemed to flip from being told like a journal/diary to an engaging tale。 I feel like I learned a bit about the movie scene for African Americans in the 1940's and the changing times with respect to segregation。Hattie McDaniel was the first African American woman to win an Academy Award。 There is so much that she went through and this book tries to fill in the voids that history has brushed over。 I won this in one of the I rather liked the overall story。 I did not like the voice of the story。 It seemed to flip from being told like a journal/diary to an engaging tale。 I feel like I learned a bit about the movie scene for African Americans in the 1940's and the changing times with respect to segregation。Hattie McDaniel was the first African American woman to win an Academy Award。 There is so much that she went through and this book tries to fill in the voids that history has brushed over。 I won this in one of the giveaways。 。。。more
Wendy | ReadRedExplore
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While I have not seen "Gone with the Wind" （I know！）， I knew the character of Mammy。 But， wow am I glad to know more about the 1st Black woman to win an Oscar （for that role）， Hattie McDaniel！This determined， resilient， and passionate woman never stopped fighting to improve the roles offered to black actors or how they were promoted/portrayed。 There is so much I learned while reading this book。 But the way her story was told made it so hard to put down-- and make me want to find out more。 She wa While I have not seen "Gone with the Wind" （I know！）， I knew the character of Mammy。 But， wow am I glad to know more about the 1st Black woman to win an Oscar （for that role）， Hattie McDaniel！This determined， resilient， and passionate woman never stopped fighting to improve the roles offered to black actors or how they were promoted/portrayed。 There is so much I learned while reading this book。 But the way her story was told made it so hard to put down-- and make me want to find out more。 She was loved and hated by black people。 She had to "play the game" to appease studios， white producers/theater owners/press， appease/reassure black people of her intentions and try to achieve what she felt she could to increase the roles offered to people of color and how those roles were portrayed。 But that appeasement satisfied no one as she tried to elevate from the inside and stay on the screen。 Staying on the screen not only kept her making money but， she believed， kept aspiring black actors seeing that being an actor in film was possible。There is sooo much to talk about from this book。 If you like Historical fiction， if you like "Gone with the Wind"， or if you want a great book club read that will give you so much to talk about， "The Queen of Sugar Hill" will check all of those boxes easily。 Thank you to GoodReads and WilliamMorrow for the Advanced Copy in exchange for my review。 Honestly， they just saved me from buying it and getting the treat of reading this good book early。 。。。more
Laura Bernheim
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（From my review on NetGalley。 Thank you to them for the advanced reader copy！）This well researched book exhibits a strong sense of place and time。 Hattie McDaniel comes alive in these pages and her struggle as a person of color struggling with the prejudices of Hollywood， criticism from others in the Black community for her roles， and her struggles in her personal life were hugely felt by this reader。 I thought it was wise of Tate to start the book post production and release of “Gone with the W （From my review on NetGalley。 Thank you to them for the advanced reader copy！）This well researched book exhibits a strong sense of place and time。 Hattie McDaniel comes alive in these pages and her struggle as a person of color struggling with the prejudices of Hollywood， criticism from others in the Black community for her roles， and her struggles in her personal life were hugely felt by this reader。 I thought it was wise of Tate to start the book post production and release of “Gone with the Wind” and rather start with McDaniel’s Academy Award win。 。。。more
Kelly Berry
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Still working on this one。 Time has hindered a concentrated read and I look forward to finishing the book。 Very readable - Just taking extra time due to personal reasons。
Gina Mccann
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Although this is fictional， it gives a peak into what like must have been like for her from 1940 till her death。 I really enjoyed this。
Barbara
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I wanted to read this book because I always enjoy reading the story behind the life of a celebrity。 And I was fascinated by the subject of this book -- Hatty McDaniel， the first African American to win an Academy Award。 I have to say that I was interested in what the author wrote in her "Historical Note" -- that she loves historical fiction because it allows her to merge the facts with her own creativity。 I agree， that's what I love about historical fiction too -- but in the case of a real histo I wanted to read this book because I always enjoy reading the story behind the life of a celebrity。 And I was fascinated by the subject of this book -- Hatty McDaniel， the first African American to win an Academy Award。 I have to say that I was interested in what the author wrote in her "Historical Note" -- that she loves historical fiction because it allows her to merge the facts with her own creativity。 I agree， that's what I love about historical fiction too -- but in the case of a real historical character， I often feel distracted as I read， wondering what is real and what is invented。 That said， I did enjoy ReShonda Tate's novel。 I liked the voice she created for Ms。 McDaniel， and I was intrigued by her telling of the relationships between Ms。 McDaniel and her Gone With The Wind co-stars。 I was saddened by how she was often treated because of her race。 And I'm inspired now to read more nonfiction about this strong woman who broke barriers。 。。。more
Cynthia
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Fan of the Gone With the Wind movie？ You'll want to read this book。 Chronicling the life of Hattie McDaniel after she wins the Oscar for her portrayal of Mammy， this book gives lots of important behind the scenes details of the making of this iconic movie。 More importantly， this historical novel shows the deep struggles faced by Hattie McDaniel as she tries to further her career after winning the Oscar。 This book shows the racism faced by Ms。 McDaniel and the utter lack of film roles or other ca Fan of the Gone With the Wind movie？ You'll want to read this book。 Chronicling the life of Hattie McDaniel after she wins the Oscar for her portrayal of Mammy， this book gives lots of important behind the scenes details of the making of this iconic movie。 More importantly， this historical novel shows the deep struggles faced by Hattie McDaniel as she tries to further her career after winning the Oscar。 This book shows the racism faced by Ms。 McDaniel and the utter lack of film roles or other career opportunities available to her， despite her Academy Award winning performance。 Unfortunately， the book does not have a "Hollywood Ending，" and that perhaps is the point of the book。 Overall， an excellent book。 。。。more
Gbug
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I won an advanced reader's edition free from goodreads。 This is a fictionalized version of the life of Hattie McDaniel from the night she won the Academy Award to her death。 Even though this is fiction it has great basis in fact。 Like most people I knew that Hattie McDaniel was the first African American to win an Oscar for her role of Mammy in Gone With The Wind。 I also knew by today's standards the role was cringe worthy。 What I didn't know that black people， namely the NAACP， made it clear th I won an advanced reader's edition free from goodreads。 This is a fictionalized version of the life of Hattie McDaniel from the night she won the Academy Award to her death。 Even though this is fiction it has great basis in fact。 Like most people I knew that Hattie McDaniel was the first African American to win an Oscar for her role of Mammy in Gone With The Wind。 I also knew by today's standards the role was cringe worthy。 What I didn't know that black people， namely the NAACP， made it clear they did not approve of Hattie or the roles she played。 As she saw it those were the only roles given to her and if she wanted to work she had no choice。 Also she along with other black entertainers had to fight to stay in their homes because of racial covenants。 Miss McDaniel had a turbulent personal life。 Men taking advantage of here fame and wealth。 But also had many great friends in the entertainment community both white and black。 This book only covers a small portion of her life。 There is much more to learn。 I wish there had been much more descriptive prose and information about her close female friends。 The dialogue seemed a little bit stilted but since this an advanced copy I am sure a few bumps in the road need to be smoothed。 We can learn a lot from the life of Hattie McDaniel which makes this worthwhile。 。。。more
Natalie
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This is a very special story that not only tells the story of America’s groundbreaking Black actress， Hattie McDaniel， but is a lens through which we can view social history。 The author chooses to open the novel with the occasion of McDaniel winning the Oscar for her portrayal of mammy in Gone With The Wind。 It is that sequence that sets up the story of what it meant to be in the entertainment industry as a Black woman。 The author goes on to explore other relationships and complications in her s This is a very special story that not only tells the story of America’s groundbreaking Black actress， Hattie McDaniel， but is a lens through which we can view social history。 The author chooses to open the novel with the occasion of McDaniel winning the Oscar for her portrayal of mammy in Gone With The Wind。 It is that sequence that sets up the story of what it meant to be in the entertainment industry as a Black woman。 The author goes on to explore other relationships and complications in her stormy life。 I enjoyed the book and appreciate the fact that it delved into the underlying prejudices of tge entertainment industry and the broader society。 Thank you Netgalley。 。。。more
Angie
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Before this book， I knew about Hattie McDaniel only from her Acadamy Award winning performance， so it was interesting to see how varied and extensive her career was （She sang; she had a popular radio show！）。 Most interesting to me were her efforts to advance the film industry for those who followed in her footsteps。 It was sad， though， to see the opposition she faced both from some blacks （who claimed she was keeping them stuck in the same type roles） and the whites who felt she'd already pushed Before this book， I knew about Hattie McDaniel only from her Acadamy Award winning performance， so it was interesting to see how varied and extensive her career was （She sang; she had a popular radio show！）。 Most interesting to me were her efforts to advance the film industry for those who followed in her footsteps。 It was sad， though， to see the opposition she faced both from some blacks （who claimed she was keeping them stuck in the same type roles） and the whites who felt she'd already pushed the boundaries too far。 It was heartening to see that she was a fighter to the end。Thank you to BookClubGirls and NetGalley for the early read。 。。。more
Olivia Rose
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It's extremely clear and evident how much care went into writing this fascinating story based on the life of Hattie McDaniel。 This book led me to research more about her and the tough times she went through trying to break into Hollywood and become a respected actress amongst her colleagues。 It's really eye-opening to understand that her role in Gone With the Wind really should have opened so many doors for her， but it created additional roadblocks for her along her journey。 Many thanks to NetGa It's extremely clear and evident how much care went into writing this fascinating story based on the life of Hattie McDaniel。 This book led me to research more about her and the tough times she went through trying to break into Hollywood and become a respected actress amongst her colleagues。 It's really eye-opening to understand that her role in Gone With the Wind really should have opened so many doors for her， but it created additional roadblocks for her along her journey。 Many thanks to NetGalley for the eARC！ 。。。more
Donna Bennett
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I received this kindle book from NetGalley and immediately wanted to read about Hattie McDaniel， the first member of her race to be so honored with an Academy Award for best supporting actress for her superb performance as Mammy in ‘Gone With the Wind’ Hollywood clubs， sights， restaurants and digs。 Learning how Hattie McDaniel made a name for herself in music， in vaudeville， and onstage in several cities。 Her fortune of finding an agent when most white agents didn’t take Negro clients。 Hatties’ I received this kindle book from NetGalley and immediately wanted to read about Hattie McDaniel， the first member of her race to be so honored with an Academy Award for best supporting actress for her superb performance as Mammy in ‘Gone With the Wind’ Hollywood clubs， sights， restaurants and digs。 Learning how Hattie McDaniel made a name for herself in music， in vaudeville， and onstage in several cities。 Her fortune of finding an agent when most white agents didn’t take Negro clients。 Hatties’ role as Mammy often got more attention than some of the other players who were considered the stars， so she learned how to embrace it。Hoping that she capitalized on her Oscar win， Hattie believed that her Oscar win was about to open a number of doors， and she didn’t want to block her blessings。 Hattie was truly tired of the press linking everything she said or did to Mammy。 She had enough and wanted to let these people know that she was Hattie McDaniel， not Mammy， and filmmakers remain dependent on typecasting colored performers。 Fair-skinned black woman working in Hollywood， had the luxury of turning down roles， but the roles were of loose women， while the darker complexed black women were given servants， and mammy roles。 Hattie moved to the suburb of West Adams District that until a few years ago didn’t allow any colored folks to live there。 To her it was a sign of success。 Some of the most respected elite had settled in Sugar Hill。 She had to fight restrictive covenants， and complaints about property values going down。 Hattie McDaniel was in a high-profile case and gave a major shot at striking a blow against housing discrimination。 Parties gave Hattie joy。 She had parties with Thelonious Monk， Duke Ellington， Judy Garland， Bing Crosby。 Clark Gable， Laurence Olivier， Wonderful Smith， white actors， directors， reporter and Hollywood movers and shakers。 Several of the black local actors served as a floating hotel for entertainers who came through town。Hattie was tired of being assailed， and criticized for her portrayals and fought back。 no matter how talented black actors were their options were few。 No Negro woman had ever headlined her own radio show， but McDaniel was the first。 Proctor & Gamble got the bright idea to get a Negro woman to play a Negro woman instead of a white man。 Hattie began making demands。 A return to what she loved was exactly what she needed。 Procter & Gamble agreed to all of Hattie’s demands， but they’d also given her the final say over scripts and allowed her to hire her own staff， and was making the steadiest salary she had ever earned。But such was the tragic life of Hattie McDaniel where breast cancer took up residence in her body。 She’d been in more than seventy films and was destitute。 The first Negro woman， to win an Academy Award， to stay at the Motion Picture Country Home Hospital， but denied burial at the Hollywood Memorial Park Cemetery。The writing was well done and the fictional accounts felt very possible， however I am more intrigued to do further reading about the life of Hattie McDaniel。 This novel is packed with historical facts， people， places and things。 I would have read the book faster， but I constantly stopped to look up the actors， actresses， places， etc to give me a more visual reference。 This is an extraordinary read and I hope to read more historical fiction from ReShonda Tate in the future。#TheQueenofSugarHill。 #NetGalley #Onnaday 。。。more
Karen Hawkins
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Just finished this book。 Based on the life of Hattie McDaniel， it takes you back to the Hollywood of the 1940's and 50's including the portrayals of African Americans in films。 I found it captivating and thought provoking。 Since it was based on actual people， places and events; it also prompted me to seek further information on the various stars， locations， etc。 Just finished this book。 Based on the life of Hattie McDaniel， it takes you back to the Hollywood of the 1940's and 50's including the portrayals of African Americans in films。 I found it captivating and thought provoking。 Since it was based on actual people， places and events; it also prompted me to seek further information on the various stars， locations， etc。 。。。more
Orsayor
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The Queen of Sugar Hill promised to be an immersive dive into McDaniel's life， and I was not disappointed。 The Queen of Sugar Hill promised to be an immersive dive into McDaniel's life， and I was not disappointed。 。。。more
Angela Anderson
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I felt like I had a front-row seat at the picture show and received all the tea。Grab your fancy attire and get ready to strut the red carpet。 This is one premier， starring Oscar Award Winner Hattie McDaniels， that you don't want to miss。 Reshonda Tate wrote an impeccable story and did it with style。 She gives us the good， the bad， and the ugly， entangled with the glitz and the glam。 Still， most importantly， she gives us Hattie McDaniels， a woman of dignity， poise， strength， and perseverance who I felt like I had a front-row seat at the picture show and received all the tea。Grab your fancy attire and get ready to strut the red carpet。 This is one premier， starring Oscar Award Winner Hattie McDaniels， that you don't want to miss。 Reshonda Tate wrote an impeccable story and did it with style。 She gives us the good， the bad， and the ugly， entangled with the glitz and the glam。 Still， most importantly， she gives us Hattie McDaniels， a woman of dignity， poise， strength， and perseverance who fought a good fight until she could fight no more。 She was "The Queen of Sugar Hill" indeed。 This is a book with all the feels。 I am talking about clutching your pearl moments， moments of laughter， and even moments where you just might want to shed a few tears。 The Queen of Sugar Hill is a must-read with much to talk about。 。。。more
booksbydorothea
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4。0 starsDEFINITE recommendI received a complimentary Kindle e-book in exchange for an honest review。 The opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own。 Thank you to ReShonda Tate， William Morrow， and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book。Wow！ I had no idea that Hattie McDaniel， the first Black person to win an Academy Award for Gone With The Wind， had such an interesting and rich life！！ Hattie was a multi-talented artist who could act， sing， and dance！！ AMAZING！However， her li 4。0 starsDEFINITE recommendI received a complimentary Kindle e-book in exchange for an honest review。 The opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own。 Thank you to ReShonda Tate， William Morrow， and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book。Wow！ I had no idea that Hattie McDaniel， the first Black person to win an Academy Award for Gone With The Wind， had such an interesting and rich life！！ Hattie was a multi-talented artist who could act， sing， and dance！！ AMAZING！However， her life did not reflect what someone who won an Academy Award should reflect in CREDITED movie parts。 The segregation by the Hollywood studios at that time was a disgrace。Read to learn more about this humble and trail-blazing woman who wanted to make it better for women AND Blacks。 She succeeded！！For a more thorough review， check out:https://booksbydorothea。blogspot。com/。。。 。。。more
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the queen of sugar hill a novel of hattie mcdaniel