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Summertime : From Porgy and Bess
Enhanced with bold illustrations and inspired by the folk opera "Porgy and Bess", this picture book captures a moment in one family's life as they enjoy the simple pleasures of a sunny summer's day on the plantation.
32 pages, Hardcover
First published August 1, 1995
54 people want to read
About the author
DuBose Heyward
72 books22 followersDramatization in 1927 of
Porgy
(1925), novel of American writer Edwin DuBose Heyward based
Porgy and Bess
, folk opera of George Gershwin.
This best known work of this white author based the namesake play, which he co-authored with his wife Dorothy Heyward, and in turn this music.
Thomas Heyward, Jr., his ancestor, signed Declaration of Independence of the United States and served as a representative of South Carolina. As a child and young man, frequently ill Heyward also caught polio at eighteen years of age, then contracted typhoid fever at twenty years of age, and fell ill with pleurisy in the following year. He described as "a miserable student," uninterested in learning and dropped high school in his first year at fourteen years of age despite a lifelong and serious interest in literature; writing verses and stories, he passed the time in his sickbed.
In 1913, Heyward wrote a one-act play, An Artistic Triumph , produced in a local theater. This minor success on derivative work reportedly showed little promise but encouraged him to pursue a literary career. In 1917, he, convalescing from his illnesses, began to devote seriously to fiction and poetry. In 1918, his first published short story, "The Brute," appeared in Pagan, a Magazine for Eudaemonists. In the next year, he met Hervey Allen, then teaching at the nearby Porter military academy. They became close friends and formed the Poetry Society of South Carolina, which helped spark a revival of southern literature; Heyward edited the society's yearbooks until 1924 and contributed much of their content. His poetry was well received, earning him a Contemporary Verse award in 1921. In 1922 he and Allen jointly published a collection, Carolina Chansons: Legends of the Low Country and they jointly edited a southern issue of Poetry magazine. During this period Heyward and a friend, Henry T. O'Neill, had operated a successful insurance and real estate company and by 1924 Heyward had achieved a measure of financial independence, allowing him to give up business and devote himself full time to literature. Between stints of writing he supplemented his income by lecturing on southern literature at colleges.[3]
The poet and playwright Langston Hughes said Heyward was one who saw "with his white eyes, wonderful, poetic qualities in the inhabitants of Catfish Row that makes them come alive."[4] Biographer James M. Hutchisson characterizes Porgy as "the first major southern novel to portray blacks without condescension" and states that the libretto to Porgy and Bess was largely Heyward's work.[citation needed] Many critics have believed that Heyward was sympathetic in his portrayal of the Southern black. Others, however, have noted that the characters in Porgy, though viewed sympathetically, are still viewed for the most part as stereotypes.[citation needed]
Heyward and his wife Dorothy, whom he met at the MacDowell Colony in 1922, spent many years in Charleston, where he taught at the Porter Military Academy, while observing and thinking deeply about the lives of blacks of that area. His mother participated in an amateur Southern singing society performing Gullah songs, and he sometimes joined her. It was open to anyone whose family had lived on a plantation, whether as owner or slave.[citation needed] In Charleston, Heyward found inspiration for his book, including what would become the setting (Catfish Row) and the main character (a disabled man named Porgy). Literary critics cast Heyward as an authority on Southern literature, later writing, "Heyward's attention to detail and reality of the Southern black's lifestyle was not only sympathetic but something that no one had ever seen done before."[citation needed]
Opening on Broadway in 1927, the non-musical play "Porgy" was a considerable success, more so than the Gershwin opera Porgy and Bess e
This best known work of this white author based the namesake play, which he co-authored with his wife Dorothy Heyward, and in turn this music.
Thomas Heyward, Jr., his ancestor, signed Declaration of Independence of the United States and served as a representative of South Carolina. As a child and young man, frequently ill Heyward also caught polio at eighteen years of age, then contracted typhoid fever at twenty years of age, and fell ill with pleurisy in the following year. He described as "a miserable student," uninterested in learning and dropped high school in his first year at fourteen years of age despite a lifelong and serious interest in literature; writing verses and stories, he passed the time in his sickbed.
In 1913, Heyward wrote a one-act play, An Artistic Triumph , produced in a local theater. This minor success on derivative work reportedly showed little promise but encouraged him to pursue a literary career. In 1917, he, convalescing from his illnesses, began to devote seriously to fiction and poetry. In 1918, his first published short story, "The Brute," appeared in Pagan, a Magazine for Eudaemonists. In the next year, he met Hervey Allen, then teaching at the nearby Porter military academy. They became close friends and formed the Poetry Society of South Carolina, which helped spark a revival of southern literature; Heyward edited the society's yearbooks until 1924 and contributed much of their content. His poetry was well received, earning him a Contemporary Verse award in 1921. In 1922 he and Allen jointly published a collection, Carolina Chansons: Legends of the Low Country and they jointly edited a southern issue of Poetry magazine. During this period Heyward and a friend, Henry T. O'Neill, had operated a successful insurance and real estate company and by 1924 Heyward had achieved a measure of financial independence, allowing him to give up business and devote himself full time to literature. Between stints of writing he supplemented his income by lecturing on southern literature at colleges.[3]
The poet and playwright Langston Hughes said Heyward was one who saw "with his white eyes, wonderful, poetic qualities in the inhabitants of Catfish Row that makes them come alive."[4] Biographer James M. Hutchisson characterizes Porgy as "the first major southern novel to portray blacks without condescension" and states that the libretto to Porgy and Bess was largely Heyward's work.[citation needed] Many critics have believed that Heyward was sympathetic in his portrayal of the Southern black. Others, however, have noted that the characters in Porgy, though viewed sympathetically, are still viewed for the most part as stereotypes.[citation needed]
Heyward and his wife Dorothy, whom he met at the MacDowell Colony in 1922, spent many years in Charleston, where he taught at the Porter Military Academy, while observing and thinking deeply about the lives of blacks of that area. His mother participated in an amateur Southern singing society performing Gullah songs, and he sometimes joined her. It was open to anyone whose family had lived on a plantation, whether as owner or slave.[citation needed] In Charleston, Heyward found inspiration for his book, including what would become the setting (Catfish Row) and the main character (a disabled man named Porgy). Literary critics cast Heyward as an authority on Southern literature, later writing, "Heyward's attention to detail and reality of the Southern black's lifestyle was not only sympathetic but something that no one had ever seen done before."[citation needed]
Opening on Broadway in 1927, the non-musical play "Porgy" was a considerable success, more so than the Gershwin opera Porgy and Bess e
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Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews
February 6, 2020
I settled down and began by reading the stirring dedication at the beginning, "Elijah and Lauren, I sang this to you every night; now I give it to you forever. - M. W." and knew I was in for a treat! The paintings are marvelous and truly capture the joy of summertime, and the love on the faces of the parents and grandparents as they gaze at their children and grandchildren is palpable. Truly a lovely book to behold. Mike Wimmer's love of the song, Summertime, which he passed on to his children, shines through in his paintings.
February 4, 2018
Beautiful illustrations for a classic song.
September 25, 2014
The paintings in this book are so impressive , they catch my eyes the minute i open this book.I can actually feel the summertime happiness when i read it.
May 20, 2018
This iconic song, which has actually been recorded thousands of times, becomes the text of a gentle story about a family living on a farm. The lyrics are doled out sparingly across the pages, giving the read aloud experience the same slow, sweet rhythm of the original song. Rich paintings by Mike Wimmer bring to life the wonder and delight of being a child in the summertime. The love and great promise of family connections shines throughout. This is a truly gorgeous and touching book that you will want to read aloud over and over again, for the tiniest babies on up.
March 4, 2017
The sunshine，shadow，mood of relaxing and the calm recall my depth of memory that almost fade away. I pity that there are skyscrapers，people，cars everywhere and I could not come back to the past.
June 7, 2020
Such a beautiful book. The kids love when I sing this to them.
March 30, 2024
Beautifully illustrated!
August 2, 2020
Absolute perfection. These illustrations are so incredibly beautiful I teared up reading. I love the way the father is portrayed...really got to me. If you're looking for a children's book with a strong, loving father figure definitely pick this one up 😍
October 9, 2016
Summertime from Porgy and Bess was a delightful book to read. The book followed an African American family on an average day in the summer focusing on the children. This is a sing song book, containing only a word or phrase on each page. The dialect was simple and relaxing. The last page even contained a music sheet to play along. What stood out the most to me in this book were the illustrations. The oil based paintings are mesmerizing and unbelievably realistic. Both the dialect and illustrations flowed together beautifully. This books seems to be more of a bed time story because of how calming it is, as apposed to something to read in a classroom. If it were to be used in a classroom, it could be used in a social studies lesson with its old time setting of an African American family who worked in the cotton fields.
December 13, 2012
This may be one of those picture books that adult readers appreciate more than the kids. Despite this fact, the music to match Gershwin's lyrics are at the back of the book (a neat touch), and the artwork is visually arresting. Straddling the line between rich, artistic oils and almost-life-like portraits, this is the best of Wimmer's work I've seen.
March 20, 2013
I enjoyed this book very much. The words were so simple, yet the pictures are what made the book. The pictures were astounding and beautiful to say the least. And, at the end of the book there was a song that had actual music in it that could be sung or played on the piano. The book is just the story of the summer and how great life is. I loved it!
January 15, 2014
These are gentle images of a happy family relaxing on the porch, drinking lemonade. The windows are open allowing a gentle breeze to enter. A lovely young girl has lost a tooth and she smiles as she jumps in her pretty church dress, wearing Baby Jane shoes and lacy socks! A smiling young man is singing his heart out in church!
Soaking in the delightful images was just what I needed!
Soaking in the delightful images was just what I needed!
June 18, 2009
The song with illustrations. The pictures are gorgeous. The parents seemed to appreciate this one a bit more than the kids, but there was a lot of fun discussion with the book (ie-what are they doing in this picture? Have you ever done that?)
July 10, 2011
Perfect
August 13, 2016
I really enjoyed this book. The text is the lyrics to the song summertime. The pictures in the book add to the text and provide visuals for the events in the song.
April 10, 2014
The illustrations make this Gershwin Classic sing come alive
August 9, 2014
Stunning oil painting illustrations from Mike Wimmer. Fun to read on verso that they were inspired by WInslow Homer (one of my favorite painters).
December 30, 2014
Absolutely beautiful...so glad the accompaniment is included.
July 9, 2016
Excellent. Paintings are beautiful and capture the feeling of the poem (and song) by Gershwin.
October 31, 2016
I liked this book. It reminded me of all the summer time fun I had when I was growing up.
December 6, 2016
I like this book because it incorporates music into written literature. It also gives children a sense of African American history.
November 17, 2022
This song comes from the 1920's American opera, "Porgy and Bess," by George Gershwin.
I like the melody, the note composition, and easy sentimental lyrics.
💥 🎵 Recommended.
🟣
I like the melody, the note composition, and easy sentimental lyrics.
💥 🎵 Recommended.
🟣
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May 30, 2018Historical Fiction
Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews