Review: Strange Fruit: The Biography of a Song

Strange Fruit: The Biography of a Song by David Margolick
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Strange Fruit is the haunting song about lynchings in the south. It is a notable song of the Civil Rights movement popularized by Billie Holliday. Although Holliday has taken at least partial credit for the authorship of the song, it was actually Abel Meeropol who penned the poem that became the song. This story really is about the unique relationship between Holliday and Strange Fruit. Others have taken a turn at singing it but Holliday exuded soul and mourning into the song, bringing the listener to that tree with the strange fruit hanging from it. Holliday's struggle with drugs and ultimate demise is also covered.

This is a short book that can be read in a few hours. There's no real plot or complete timeline. What it does convey is the unusual connection between singer and song.

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