Quicksand & Passing

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About the book

"Quicksand and Passing are novels I will never forget. They open up a whole world of experience and struggle that seemed to me, when I first read them years ago, absolutely absorbing, fascinating, and indispensable."--Alice Walker

"Discovering Nella Larsen is like finding lost money with no name on it. One can enjoy it with delight and share it without guilt." --Maya Angelou

"A hugely influential and insighful writer." --The New York Times

"Larsen's heroines are complex, restless, figures, whose hungers and frustrations will haunt every sensitive reader. Quicksand and Passing are slender novels with huge themes." -- Sarah Waters

"A tantalizing mix of moral fable and sensuous colorful narrative, exploring female sexuality and racial solidarity."-Women's Studies International Forum

Nella Larsen's novels Quicksand (1928) and Passing (1929) document the historical realities of Harlem in the 1920s and shed a bright light on the social world of the black bourgeoisie. The novels' greatest appeal and achievement, however, is not sociological, but psychological. As noted in the editor's comprehensive introduction, Larsen takes the theme of psychic dualism, so popular in Harlem Renaissance fiction, to a higher and more complex level, displaying a sophisticated understanding and penetrating analysis of black female psychology.

Editions (1)

ISBN9781852427450
PublisherSerpents Tail
Publication Date12/31/01
Pages256

Reviews & Ratings

2 ratings

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4.5

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  • literaria
    literaria

    5 Followers

    5.0

    Both novels are extremely strong in their meaning. Quicksand is one of the most interesting stories I have read to this point. It is about Helga Crane who is a mixed race woman. Because of her race she never felt part of the people close to her. When she lives in Harlem she desires to live somewhere where she is not oppressed. But when she lives in Copenhagen, a place where anyone is really fond of her, she desires a life among African-Americans. As well as Quicksand, Passing also covers a very important topic. It delves into the life of Irene who is also a mixed race woman. She could potentially pass as white but she does not want to. An old friend of hers, Clare, who also is half black and half white, on the other hand passes as white. Her black identity is hidden but she starts to feel sort of lost in her role as she hides who she really is. Clare desires a life just like Irene’s. She is obsessed with her. Especially the concept of passing is something I did not think about before. Now I am very glad that I read both books, also because their impact is enormous! This is definitely a must read for every literature fan!

    Sep 18, 2024

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