Just days after the close of World War II, Bess Myerson, the daughter of poor Russian Jewish immigrants living in the Bronx, is competing in the Miss America pageant. At stake: a $5,000 scholarship. The tension and excitement in Atlantic City’s Warner Theatre are palpable, especially for traumatized Jews rooting for one of their own. So begins Bessie.
Drawing on biographical and historical sources, Bessie reimagines the early life of Bess Myerson, who, in 1945 at age twenty-one, remarkably rises to become one of the most famous women in America. This intimate fictional portrait reveals the transformation of the nearly six-foot-tall, self-deprecating yet talented preteen into an exemplar of beauty, a peripheral quality in her world, where success is measured by intellectual attainment. Yet it is the focus on her beauty, and the secular world of pageantry, that she must choose to escape her roots and fulfill her fierce desire to achieve and become someone for whom great things happen.
Bessie is a tender study of a bold young woman living at a precarious moment in our cultural history as she searches for love and acceptance, eager to make her mark on the world.
Industry Reviews
"Historical Fiction Books Based on Real Women to Read in 2024"
-Bookbub
"Kass draws on many biographical and historical sources to create this enthralling portrait of a courageous history-maker."
—Historical Novel Society
“I loved Linda Kass's Bessie, which brought to vivid life the coming-of-age of the remarkable Bess Myerson, who may be known for being Miss America, but who truly was so much more: a brilliant young scholar, a musical prodigy, and a woman who stood tall against the anti-Semitism, sexism, and injustice of her era. Kass is a superbly talented writer, and in her hands, Bess Myerson becomes every woman, and the amazing story of her time becomes the story of our time, too. Brava!”
—Lisa Scottoline, New York Times best-selling author of Eternal and Loyalty
“Linda Kass imagines the early life of the five-foot-ten beauty from the Bronx who became the first—and so far only—Jewish woman to win the crown, a feat made all the more fascinating by the fact that her victory came just six days after the end of World War II, at a time when anti-Semitism was so rampant . . . . Kass gives a detailed look at Myerson’s young adulthood, the runup to winning the coveted crown, and the aftermath, when, cutting short her Miss America tour, she decides to instead tour on behalf of the Anti-Defamation League to combat prejudice. Bessie is a tender, sensitive, and well-researched exploration of the inner life of a legendary beauty, who was fighting personal battles the world never saw.”
—Kristin Harmel, New York Times bestselling author of The Forest of Vanishing Stars and The Book of Lost Names
“Linda Kass’s deeply researched novel, Bessie, is a poignant origin story, a fascinating window into mid-century American life, and a compelling case for Bess Myerson as an authentic American heroine.”
—Louis Bayard, Washington Post best-selling author of Jackie & Me and The Pale Blue Eye
“With Bessie, her third work of historical fiction, Linda Kass creatively melds deep research with the breath of life from her own rich imagination. Here is a deft and touching portrait of a shy, nerdy, nearly six-foot tall young girl - one Bessie Myerson – who rides the waves of her arresting beauty to become the first Jewish woman to win the Miss America title. Kass offers a careful understanding of what made this female pioneer in broadcasting, advocacy, and government tick, and how she navigated the lifetime of compromises and opportunities her stunning good looks afforded her in an antisemitic and misogynistic world.”
—Helen Schulman, New York Times bestselling author of Come with Me and This Beautiful Life
“Kass has written a detailed, fascinating profile of the early years of the former Miss America that explores the themes of prejudice, beauty, and self-worth. Insightful and eye-opening.”
—Fiona Davis, New York Times best-selling author of The Magnolia Palace
“Abundant in graceful storytelling and vivid historical detail, Bessie is a fascinating portrait of a woman who was so much more than a beauty queen. Bess Myerson’s persistence against antisemitism and her determination to use her fame to speak out against prejudice resonate strongly in our own challenging times.”
—Jennifer Chiaverini, New York Times best-selling author of Switchboard Soldiers
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