Nella Larsen wrote Passing, first published in 1929. It is a work of classics and is rated 'Essential Read' in our catalogue.

Is there a book club guide for Passing?

Yes — Book Verdict has a free reading guide for Passing with key themes and five original discussion questions at https://247bookverdict.com/reading-guides/nella-larsen-passing/.

Essential Read

Passing

Name: Passing
Author: Nella Larsen

by Nella Larsen · 1929

Classics · ranked #45 in category

Reviewed by the Book Verdict editorial team

Two light-skinned Black women meet by chance in Chicago in the 1920s: Irene is secure in her Black identity, while Clare is 'passing' as white in a marriage to a man who doesn't know. Larsen's compressed, devastating novella explores race, class, desire and the specific psychological violence of a world that forces people to choose.

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The verdict

Category: Classics
First published: 1929 · 1920s
Author: Nella Larsen
Standing: Essential Read

About Classics

The classics earned their place by surviving. These are the books that generations of readers have returned to because they remain useful — illuminating, moving and asking questions without easy answers.