Bakers biographer phyllis rose writes, every part of her seemed to go in a different direction, flung from some central volcano of spirit. Download for offline reading, highlight, bookmark or. Sensitive, proud, and beautiful, helga crane is the daughter like larsen. Find all the books, read about the author, and more. Quicksand is a novel by american author nella larsen, first published in 1928. Helga crane, the main character, like nella larsen, is the mixedrace daughter of a white danish mother and a black father. She received a guggenheim fellowship to write a third novel in 1930 but, unable to find a publisher for it, she disappeared from the literary scene and worked as a nurse. She received a guggenheim fellowship to write a third novel in 1930 but, unable to find a publisher for it, she disappeared from the literary scene and worked as a nurse in new york city. Following is a selection of quotes from quicksand and other works from the complete fiction of nella larsen, by a respected author associated with the harlem renaissance. Article excerpt in 1925, when josephine baker went to paris to perform in the revenue negre, she drew attention for her comic faces and the ways in which she could move her body. Download this page pdf download left page pdf download right page pdf download whole book pdf partner login required. It also evocatively portrays the racial and gender restrictions that can mark a life. Bakers biographer phyllis rose writes, every part of her seemed to go in a different direction, flung from some central volcano of.
Unable to feel comfortable with any of her whiteskinned relatives. Quicksand features intriguing autobiographical parallels with larsens own life, in addition to reflecting many aspects of africanamerican culture of the 1920s. April 7, 2010 writer heidi durrow says she has read nella larsens passing more than a dozen times. She began to lose confidence in the fullness of her life, the glow began to fade from her conception of it. It also evocatively portrays the racial and gender restrictions that can mark a. Quicksand and passing are novels i will never forget. Nella larsen, first edition abebooks shop for books. In truth, the word fiction can not adequately touch upon the essence of this novel. Isbn 9780385721004 9780385721004 softcover, anchor, 2001. The novel was out of print from the 1930s to the 1970s. Nella larsen truly caught the entire aspect of passing. The gold standard of racial identity in nella larsens. Quicksand and passing american women writers by nella larsen and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at. Larsen is most known for her two novels, passing and quicksand, these two pieces of work got a lot of.
Its a highly perceptive study of the life of helga crane, half danish half african american, who is not happy wherever she goes. Quicksand quotes showing 111 of 11 somewhere, within her, in a deep recess, crouched discontent. Collected here are both of her novels, passing and quicksand. It focuses on helga crane, a mixedrace woman who is a schoolteacher in the american south. Nella larsen 18911964 was the author of several short stories and two novels, quicksand and passing. Nella larsen nella larsen used books, rare books and new books. Helgas restless search for identity is semiautobiographical, inspired by larsens own. Nella larsen was an acclaimed novelist, who wrote stories in the midst on the harlem renaissance. In one sense, quicksand might be called an odyssey. As the novel opens, she suddenly decides to give up her teaching position and go north, back to her roots in chicago. The novels greatest appeal and achievement, however, is not sociological, but psychological. Quicksand, nella larsens powerful first novel, has intriguing autobiographical parallels and at the same time invokes the international dimension of african american culture in the 1920s. First edition of this major novel of the harlem renaissance by larsen, who is now widely lauded not only the premier novelist of the harlem renaissance, but also an important figure in american modernism the encyclopedia of twentiethcentury fiction. She received a guggenheim fellowship to write a third novel in 1930 but, unable to find a publisher for it, she disappeared from the literary more about nella larsen.
Nella larsen s fictional young women of mixed race in this book and in passing grapple for a sense of identity and belonging, mirroring her own life. Nella larsens 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. Nella larsens immensely stylish debut novel tells the story of sensitive, proud, and beautiful helga crane, the daughter like larsen herself of a. Seen as one of the most significant novels of the harlem renaissance,this lightlyannotated edition of quicksand by nella larsen is accompanied by additional resources to make the text more accessible.
Helga greens biographical information is nearly identical to that of nella larson, and in helga we, the readers, see a reflection of ms. Nella larsen has 18 books on goodreads with 69972 ratings. Nella larsen wrestled with race and sexuality in the harlem renaissance. See all books authored by nella larsen, including passing, and quicksand and passing, and more on. Like the spot where helga crane sat was a small oasis in a desert of darkness. Nella larsen, first edition abebooks passion for books.
Crane is the lovely and refined daughter of a danish mother and a west indian black father who abandons helga and her mother soon after helga is. Nella larsen was an important writer associated with the harlem renaissance. We first meet her at naxos, a segregated educational institution. Alice walker praised it and passing larsens second novel, also available in a dover edition as novels i will never forget. Download this page pdf download left page pdf download right page pdf download whole book pdf. Quicksand and passing by nella larsen, paperback barnes. Nella larsens first novel tells the story of helga crane, a fictional character loosely based on larsens own early life. Nella larsen wrestled with race and sexuality in the.
The story follows a mixedrace womans travels as she seeks fulfillment in a racially and sexually. Quicksand is a 1928 novel by nella larsen, a writer of the harlem renaissance. Nella larsen was turn of the twentieth century writer with black and white parentage with who could pass as white. Nella larsen s first novel tells the story of helga crane, a fictional character loosely based on larsen s own early life. Much of her work focuses on concepts of racial ambiguity, on passing, and on racism. Read free book excerpt from quicksand by steve toltz, page 1 of 6. Nella larsens quicksand, first published in 1928, was the first novel to give voice to the sexual desires of a black woman. Quicksand by nella larsen 1928 literaryladiesguide. A story with autobiographical elements, it was generally well received, though not a big seller.
Increasingly recognized as one of the masterworks of the harlem renaissance, quicksand 1928 turns the techniques of literary naturalism on questions of race, gender, and class, with unforgettable results. This is her first novel and she completed the first draft quickly. As the days multiplied, her need of something, something vaguely familiar, but which she could not put a name to and. Nella larsen books list of books by author nella larsen. Crane is the lovely and refined daughter of a danish mother and a west indian black father who abandons helga and her mother soon after helga is born. For those of us who are white passing, white presenting, racially ambiguous, or of multiple backgrounds, nella larsen books are a boon. Alice walker discovering nella larsen is like finding lost money with no name on it. In 2018 the new york times published a belated obituary for her. While she was not prolific her work was powerful and critically acclaimed. Academic journal article twentieth century literature the gold standard of racial identity in nella larsens quicksand and passing. Nella larsens immensely stylish debut novel follows the tragic arc of a young woman caught between worlds.
Through dialogue and nonverbal actions, this book really takes the reader into the moment and the ending, o. Books and papers scattered about the floor, fragile stockings and underthings and the startling green and gold negligee dripping about on chairs and stool, met the encounter of the amazed eyes of the girl who came in the morning to awaken helga crane. 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. Nella larsen, charles larson editor, marita golden foreword by. Helga crane, the book s main protagonist, is frapped in the conflict between sexual fulfilment and middleclass respectability and a conflict of race and sex which even a religous conversion cannot resolve. Quicksand, nella larsens powerful first novel, has intriguing autobiographical parallels and at the same time invokes the international dimension of african american culture of the 1920s. Find signed collectible books by nella larsen english. Quicksand bedford college editions by larsen, nella and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at. One can enjoy it with delight and share it without guilt. Quicksand is a work that explores both crosscultural and interracial themes. The 1929 novel tells the story of two lightskinned, africanamerican women childhood.
She received a guggenheim fellowship to write a third novel in 1930 but, unable to find a publisher for it, she disappeared from the literary. I read this book a few years ago and even though there was a significant time gap between the publication and my reading it. Passing nella larsen first edition signed raptis rare books. Quicksand 1928 turns the techniques of literary naturalism on questions of race, gender, and class, with unforgettable results. Larsen died in her brooklyn apartment in 1964, at the age of 72. Nella larsen 18911964 was the author of two novels, quicksand and passing, and several short stories. Discover book depositorys huge selection of nella larsen books online. Quicksand 1928 was the first novel by by nella larsen, an author associated with the harlem renaissance. Nella larsens fictional young women of mixed race in this book and in passing grapple for a sense of identity and belonging, mirroring her own life.