Brilliant scientist and witty conversationalist, bestselling author and architect of the great surveys that mapped the west after the civil war, king hid a secret from his gilded age cohorts and prominent newport family. If there is a passing strange sparknotes, shmoop guide, or cliff notes, you can find a link to each study guide below. Jan 01, 2010 karen desonne is used to pretending to be something shes not. San francisco in 1940 is a haven for the unconventional. A tightly written plot and an unyielding sense of wonder. Passing strange synopsis storyteller told viewers about a life story of the search, which was carried out by afroamerican adolescent in the late 1970s named youth. Sandweiss, a professor of history at princeton, says it represents the possibilities and. Mar 08, 2009 passing strange meticulously sometimes too meticulously. The passing strangeness of othellos tales of hairbreadth scapes i th imminent deadly breach line 6 conjures up, like tragedy, pity and fear, and also desire. King passed across the color line meaning that he was white by. Passing strange is the third in the generation dead series. Being a teenager, he began searches for true reality. On their way to find sissys father, gradgrind and bounderby walk through the dark, smoky streets of coketown, passing a number of identically shaped buildings made from identical dirty red bricks.
And though some of kings later biographers knew the general outline of his life. Dec 22, 2009 passing strange, the spike leedirected film featuring the awardwinning broadway rock musical of the same title, will air in primetime on wednesday, january, 2010 at 9 p. Passing strange synopsis broadway musical storyteller told viewers about a life story of the search, which was carried out by afroamerican adolescent in the late 1970s named youth. In his adulthood, he becomes quite wellknown as an explorer and surveyor of the american west and associates with the upper echelon of high society, business, and government. A gilded age tale of love and deception across the color line kindle edition by sandweiss, martha a download it once and read it on your kindle device, pc, phones or tablets. Among the summaries and analysis available for passing strange, there are 1 short summary and 8 book. Jul 22, 2019 passing strange tells the dramatic tale of a family built along the fault lines of celebrity, class, and racefrom the todds wedding in 1888 to the 1964 death of ada, one of the last surviving americans born into slavery, to finally the legacy inherited by clarence kings granddaughter, who married a white man and adopted a white child in. If there is a sparknotes, shmoop, or cliff notes guide, we will have. King created an alternate identity as james todd, pullman porter, and hid a thirteenyear. Based on hisher attributes, we recommend you consider these audition pieces.
The central idea of passing strange is sound but the narrative went off the rails quite a few times. Passing strange tells the dramatic tale of a family built along the fault lines of celebrity, class, and race from the todds wedding in 1888 to the 1964 death of ada, one of the last surviving americans born into slavery, and finally to the legacy inherited by clarence kings granddaughter, who married a white man and adopted a white child. Passing strange is one of those books with precisely the right title. Goodreads summary14yearold will burrows has little in common with his strange, dysfunctional family. Passing strange, a phrase currently enjoying a comeback, means surpassingly strange stranger than strange. I figured out who the culprit was by the middle of the book. The fair, blueeyed son of a wealthy china trader passed across the color line, revealing his secret to his black commonlaw wife, ada king, only on his deathbed. A modern alternative to sparknotes and cliffsnotes, supersummary offers highquality study guides that feature detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, quotes, and essay topics. Mar 16, 2021 passing strange a gilded age tale of love and deception across the color line book. Passing strange summary and analysis free book notes. Thankfully, it does emphasise that it has depth which, lets face it, twilight does not. A gilded tale of love and deception across the color line is a work of nonfiction by martha a. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading passing strange. Sandweiss tells the dramatic, distinctively american tale of a family built along the fault lines of celebrity, class, and race a story that spans the long century from civil war to civil rights.
Passing stranges love story is a black and white issue. Passing strange, most did not know that king actually. Passing strange book central arkansas library system. National book critics circle award biography winners and finalists 20002019. This book is destined for awards, and it will deserve every one of them.
In her engaging and ably researched book on ada and clarence kings clandestine marriage across the color line, passing strange. Passing strange also provides a revealing glimpse into ada copelands life before, during, and after her marriage to kingher rise from slavery to a comfortable middleclass life in new york city, her determined legal battles to recover the trust fund she was sure king had left for her, her devoted family life, and most of all, the passionate love she shared with the man she knew as james todd. Thanks for exploring this supersummary study guide of passing by nella larsen. But as martha sandweiss shows in passing strange, king led a double life. All her life, shes passed as a normal allamerican teenager. In fact, the only bond he shares with his eccentric father is a. A modern alternative to sparknotes and cliffsnotes. Both books deal with passing, passing strange about a white man living as black, illuminated life discussing da costa greenes living as white, and have illuminating and interesting things to say about the u. When she took her seat at the plaintiffs table at the new york county supreme court, the knot of journalists at the back of the room undoubtedly. As such, one could argue its cinematic merits and its broadway origins and cliches. Like these, clarence kings is a peculiarly american story. Sandweiss paints a charming portrait of the lengths two lovers, one black and one white, went to share a life together in.
Passing strange starts off from karens point of view after she is already home for some time. Passing strange is a uniquely american biography of clarence king, who hid a secret from his gilded age cohorts and prominent family. A gilded age tale of love and deception across the color line, princeton professor martha a. It is indeed a story about passing, in every sense of the term, and historian martha sandweiss tells it with a scholars rigor and a storytellers verve. This is a common problem with airds inspector sloan books. A caucasian man named clarence king is descended from a wealthy family of importers from newport ri. Passing was often used adverbially in the renaissance, which had a keen sense of. Passing strange is not only a lesson in the intricacies of class, race, and gender relations.
Irene, knowing it is from a woman named clare kendry, thinks the letter is just like clare always on the edge of danger. Irene redfield is in chicago to visit her father while her children are away at summer camp. In the last book, the sons of ramero set up an elaborate prank, karen desonne is shot down by a police officer and. Freebooknotes found 9 sites with book summaries or analysis of passing strange. This site is like a library, use search box in the widget to get ebook that you want. But as martha sandweiss shows in passing strange, king led a double life, passing as a black man in order to marry ada copeland, who was very likely born a slave and who was as far outside kings social and intellectual circle as a woman could possibly be.
Passing strange meticulously sometimes too meticulously. This heavilyresearched novella goes deep into the history of the lesbian community in 1940 san francisco as it tells the story of a romance between a pulp magazine artist and a singer. Set primarily in the harlem neighborhood of new york city in the 1920s, the story centers on the reunion of two childhood friendsclare kendry and irene redfieldand their increasing fascination with each others lives. Passing strange tells the dramatic tale of a family built along the fault lines of celebrity, class, and racefrom the todds wedding in 1888 to the 1964 death of ada, one of the last surviving americans born into slavery, to finally the legacy inherited by clarence kings granddaughter, who married a white man and adopted a white child in order to spare her family the legacies of racism. A gilded age tale of love and deception across the color line by martha a. Click download or read online button to get passing strange book now. Thanks for exploring this supersummary plot summary of passing strange by martha a. She discovers a letter from clare kendry, an old acquaintance, and this document sets off a chain of memories. A gilded age tale of love and deception across the color line presents one mans story in an effort to crystallize the state of u. Overwhelmed by the intense heat, irene hails a cab and allows the driver to take her to drayton hotel where she hopes to enjoy a cool wind along with her iced tea. Rock musician stew makes a powerful debut as playwright and narrator, telling the story of a nameless youth who is on a quest to find the real. Clarence king is a hero of nineteenthcentury western history. A gilded age tale of love and deception across the color line by sandweiss, martha a click here for the lowest price. Download passing strange pdfepub or read online books in mobi ebooks.
Irene recalls clares difficult childhood and cunning temperament, but is most preoccupied with a recent meeting between clare and herself that had taken. In the last book, the sons of ramero set up an elaborate prank, karen desonne is shot down by a police officer and later let go by the same officer. Passing is a unique novel about race, love and human nature. Irene and clare clearly have a fraught relationship, as is evident from the book s very first pages. Passing is a novel by american author nella larsen, first published in 1929. Aug 19, 2009 passing strange is one of the best musicals ive seen. The facts upon which this book is based are fairly simple. Clarence king is a hero of 19thcentury western history. They all have an intriguing premise but the narrative does not stay on point. Passing strange is a comedydrama rock musical about a young african american s artistic journey of selfdiscovery in europe, with strong elements of philosophical existentialism, metafiction especially selfreferential humor, and the artistic journey. Passing strange is a current nebula nominee, and i read this as part of my voting packet. Clares request to spend time with irene and the black community feels intrusive and presumptuous to irene. Passing strange a gilded age tale of love and deception across the color line book. Passing opens with irene redfield finding a letter in her mail stack written in purple ink on italian paper, just like one she received two years earlier.
See a complete list of the characters in the stranger and indepth analyses of meursault, raymond sintes, and marie cardona. This is a film of the last performance of the musical passing strange at the belasco theatre on july 20, 2008. Clarence king has often been written about by historians, but mostly in academic books about the mapping and geological exploration of the. Inspired by the pulps, film noir, and screwball comedy, passing strange is a story as unusual and. The press sheet positions it solidly in amongst the paranormal romance genre, as typified by what it calls the twilight phenomenon. For tickets, call the box office at 215 24799, or purchase them. Passing strange book the indianapolis public library. Though passing has not yet been brought up, the reader can already see the tension it causes. Feb 09, 2009 passing strange a gilded age tale of love and deception across the color line. Aug 14, 2012 passing strange daniel waters summary. A gilded age tale of love and deception across the color line. For the 2017 science fiction book, see passing strange novella. Read a plot overview of the entire book or a chapter by chapter summary and analysis.
Karen desonne is used to pretending to be something shes not. As passing begins, irene redfielda sophisticated and comfortably married woman of africanamerican descentis opening her mail. Sandweiss about a man named clarence king, who was known in nineteenthcentury history as a brilliant scientist, charmer, and surveyor, but who lived a secret double life as a black pullman porter named james todd. He was the representative of the midclass of america. Passing summary as passing begins, irene redfield a sophisticated and comfortably married woman of africanamerican descentis opening her mail. And now that karens dead, shes still passing this time, as alive. A gilded age tale of love and deception across the color line presents one mans story in an effort. Waters series is a book about tolerance and injustice, suppressed rage and hope and fear and love, and these books, passing strange in particular, mimic a familiar history with tommy spreading his message of equality and understanding, marching on washington d. A gilded age tale of love and deception across the color line, examines why king chose to live a double life and how his experience reflects and represents how. Jan 22, 2018 passing strange plays through sunday, february 18, 1018 at the wilma theater 265 south broad street, in philadelphia, pa.
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