Quicksand and Passing [Paperback]

Nella Larsen (Author)

Product Details

• Paperback: 300 pages
• Publisher: Quality Paperback Book Club, Grand Marais, Michigan, U.S.A. (2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0965108074
• ISBN-13: 978-0965108072
• Product Dimensions: 8.2 x 5.4 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.6 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (12 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,115,004 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

14 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A sin that this book is not more widely read., April 30, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Quicksand and Passing (American Women Writers) (Paperback)

Passing and Quicksand are fine novels rich in both history and intrigue. Passing's complex representation of the "race" problem is brilliant in its subtlety. What makes the novel so rich isLarsen's intelligent use of dialogue and her vivid imagery. The paragraph describing Chicago heat in the middle of summer is mind boggling. The friendship between Clare and Irene exposes complexities inherent in female releationships. Certainly the love triangle that develops only adds to the interest level of the narrative. It's a shame that this novel dose not have a wider reaing audience.

11 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Only read Quicksand--wonderful book, November 26, 2004

By 

Lucia - See all my reviews

This review is from: Quicksand and Passing (American Women Writers) (Paperback)

I read this book years ago, in college. It made me much more sympathetic to the struggles of biracial (black and white) women, of the past and today -- I am an Asian-American female. The book is a beautifully written, but painful story of how the protagonist moves through her life in societies where she is kept down on many levels (socially, economically, psychologically, physically) -- basically her journey through the "quicksand" of classism, racism, and sexism. The book deserves a wide audience.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Terrible edition!, July 5, 2011

By 

spolen - See all my reviews

This review is from: Quicksand and Passing (Paperback)

Quicksand and Passing are two incredible novellas from an under-taught and under-valued writer, Nella Larsen. I encourage everyone to read this book.

HOWEVER this edition by Wilder Press is terrible. If you are a student, teacher, or someone who cares about the quality of your books, I advise AGAINST this copy. It has random paragraph breaks in the middle of sentences, multiple typos, and absolutely no extra-textual information - no introduction, no information on how the text was edited - nothing. Most importantly, it omits the epigraph - a section of a Langston Hughes poem that really sheds light on the overall themes of the novels.

If you want a better quality (and probably cheaper) read, go with the Rutgers University Press edition. Buying this version of the text was a complete waste of my money, as I'll be selling it and buying the Rutgers UP edition.