What happens when Porgy sets off for New York to rescue Bess from his arch-enemy Sportin' Life? If you have ever wondered, this sequel is the book for you.
When Porgy, a crippled Black beggar, returns to Charleston's Catfish Row from jail, he learns that Bess, the love of his life, has been drugged and taken to New York by Sportin' Life. Porgy is determined to rescue her, and must overcome immense obstacles to get to New York to find her. In her cocaine haze, Bess yearns for Porgy but feels helplessly dependent on Sportin' Life. From his illegal businesses Sportin' Life has become a wealthy patron of the artists and writers of the Harlem Renaissance. When Bess meets them, she realizes her life can take a different path. In New York, the friends Porgy has met help him search for Bess. But, when he discovers where she is, he must defeat Sportin' Life's murderous plan to hold onto her.
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This book is the sequel to the 1920s novel and play, "Porgy," by Dubose and Dorothy Heyward, which was the basis for the opera "Porgy and Bess" by George Gershwin. Our sequel is also about racism, and the historical events in the story show that America has not changed very much for African-Americans over the past 100 years. Even if you are not familiar with the original story, you will be captivated by the twists and turns of the plot and the suspenseful ending.
Why didn't George Gershwin and the Heywards write a sequel about their iconic characters, Porgy, Bess and Sportin' Life? That's what the authors of this novel kept wondering, and what lead them to collaborate on writing this sequel.