A NETFLIX BOOK CLUB PICK Nella Larsen's powerful, thrilling, and tragic tale about the fluidity of racial identity that continues to resonate today. A New York Times Editors’ Choice. Now a major motion picture starring Tessa Thompson and Alexander Skarsgård Clare Kendry is living on the edge. Light-skinned, elegant, and ambitious, she is married to a racist white man unaware of her African American heritage, and has severed all ties to her past after deciding to “pass” as a white woman. Clare’s childhood friend, Irene Redfield, just as light-skinned, has chosen to remain within the African American community, and is simultaneously allured and repelled by Clare’s risky decision to engage in racial masquerade for personal and societal gain. After frequenting African American-centric gatherings together in Harlem, Clare’s interest in Irene turns into a homoerotic longing for Irene’s black identity that she abandoned and can never embrace again, and she is forced to grapple with her decision to pass for white in a way that is both tragic and telling. This edition features a new introduction by Emily Bernard and notes by Thadious M. Davis. For more than seventy years, Penguin has been the leading publisher of classic literature in the English-speaking world. With more than 1,700 titles, Penguin Classics represents a global bookshelf of the best works throughout history and across genres and disciplines. Readers trust the series to provide authoritative texts enhanced by introductions and notes by distinguished scholars and contemporary authors, as well as up-to-date translations by award-winning translators.
Nella Larsen
Nella Larsen was an American novelist and nurse, known for her exploration of race, class, and gender in early 20th-century America. Her most notable works include "Quicksand" (1928) and "Passing" (1929), which examine the complexities of racial identity and passing as white.
Larsen's writing style is characterized by its psychological depth, nuanced characterizations, and exploration of themes related to identity and societal expectations. She was one of the key figures of the Harlem Renaissance, a cultural movement that celebrated African American art and literature in the 1920s and 1930s.
Larsen's impact on literature lies in her groundbreaking exploration of race and identity, particularly in the context of mixed-race individuals navigating society's expectations and prejudices. "Passing" remains her most famous work, a compelling exploration of racial passing and its consequences. Larsen's work continues to be studied and celebrated for its contribution to African American literature and its nuanced portrayal of complex social issues.
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