16. Passing by Nella Larsen and books about complicated sisterhood
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Today Chelsey and Sara are chatting about Passing by Nella Larsen. Published in 1929, Passing is a book about two women: Clare and Irene, who grew up in the same middle class Black community in Chicago and come back into each other\'s lives as adults. Irene is living in Harlem with her husband, a successful doctor, while Clare has left the family and friends of her youth behind to marry a white man and pass as white. Clare and Irene\\u2019s bond is built on a shared past and a deep mutual affection, but also curiosity and jealousy over the lives each of them might have had. As their lives become more and more intertwined the tension builds, and a sense of impending doom makes this book impossible to put down.
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Our discussion includes:
- \\xa0Gatsby connections galore, and an argument for replacing Gatsby with Passing [16:35]
- \\xa0Intersectionality and Irene\\u2019s struggle with loyalty across race, gender, and class lines [27:56]
- \\xa0Who should pick this up? [32:15]
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Plus, as always, we\\u2019re recommending six contemporary books to pair with our classic,\\xa0 including a literary thriller and one of this summer\\u2019s buzziest books.
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This episode will be mostly spoiler-free, except for a brief discussion of the ending. We\\u2019ll warn you in advance before we get into it, and timestamps are listed below.\\xa0
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Show Notes:
Pairings listed below!
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Chelsey\\u2019s Pairings:
My Sister the Serial Killer by Oyinkan Braithwaite [40:48]
Black is the Body by Emily Bernard [47:05]
The Only Black Girls in Town by Brandy Colbert [53:17]
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Sara\\u2019s Pairings:
Another Brooklyn by Jacqueline Woodson [37:50]
Born a Crime by Trevor Noah [43:14]
The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennett [50:00]
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Pick of the Week:
You Must Remember This podcast \\u201cPassing for White, Merle Oberon\\u201d
13th the Ava DuVerny documentary
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