Nella Larsen, Novelist of the Harlem Renaissance: A Woman's Life Unveiled [Paperback]

Thadious M. Davis (Author)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Davis, a professor of English at Brown University ( Faulkner's "Negro" Art ), rescues an African American writer from neglect in an oustanding, masterfully researched study that also provides a vivid picture of life in Harlem during the 1920s. Larsen (1891-1964), the daughter of a white mother and a black father, was initially raised as white by her mother and stepfather, then was sent to live and study at black schools. She married Elmer Imes, an African American physicist, and the two socialized with the Harlem Renaissance authors who were to inspire Larsen to write. Acclaimed for her novels, Quicksand and Passing , which dealt with women from racially mixed backgrounds, Larsen was later accused of plagiarizing a short story. After her marriage ended in divorce, she stopped writing and spent the rest of her life in obscurity, working as a nurse. Davis theorizes that Larsen's painful childhood caused her to continually reinvent herself and shroud herself in mystery. Illustrations not seen by PW.
Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Library Journal

Larsen (1891-1964), a major figure of the Harlem Renaissance, wrote two short novels, Quicksand (1928) and Passing (1929). In 1930, she was accused of plagiarizing her short story "Sanctuary." She effectively dropped out of society, living the rest of her life quietly, working as a nurse (and, perhaps, "passing" as white). In her well-researched biography, Davis (English, Brown Univ.) uncovers many nebulous details about the life of this talented but undoubtedly troubled woman. Larsen's mother was white and her father black, and there is evidence that when her mother remarried, she denied ever having given birth to Larsen. This rejection, Davis argues, fueled Larsen's lifelong tendency to obscure her own biography. As compelling as this tale may seem, Davis's litany of facts and speculations do not provide a fleshed-out portrait. As a scholarly work, however, it deserves a place in African American collections.
- Diane Gardner Premo, SILS, SUNY-Buffalo
Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 496 pages
• Publisher: Louisiana State University Press (March 1996)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0807120707
• ISBN-13: 978-0807120705
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.7 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,428,094 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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