She swore, in faith twas strange, twas passing strange. Sandweiss takes a mountain of information and transforms it into a smooth, captivating narrative. A group of women of very different backgrounds and personalities are thrown together in the way that underground, closeted cultures tend to do. These are the words used by the author to describe the setting of her 2009 book, passing strange. The musical was developed at the sundance institute theatre lab in 2004 and 2005, one of the few works to be invited back.
It exposes the bizarre secret life of a wellknown historical figure, but that secret is its. Perhaps you will think it passing strange this regret for a savage who was no more account than a grain of sand in a black sahara. 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. Passing strange tells an astounding true story that would beggar most novelists imaginations. 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 gilded age tale of love and deception across the color line presents one mans story in an effort. One of the bestknown men of his time crosses the racial dividein reverse. The back and forth was creative and interesting at first, but quickly lost its appeal for me by the end. 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 heritage, but passed as black to marry his wife ada and father five biracial children. 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. Feb 05, 2009 passing strange tells an astounding true story that would beggar most novelists imaginations.
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. Clarence king is a hero of 19thcentury western history. In dickenss novels, characters names often reveal details about their personalities. He was the representative of the midclass of america. Though passing has not yet been brought up, the reader can. Find sample tests, essay help, and translations of shakespeare. This study guide consists of approximately 20 pages of chapter summaries, quotes, character analysis, themes, and more everything you need to sharpen your knowledge of passing. Passing strange by ellen klages is a lightly fantastic tale of life in san franciscos lesbian culture in the 1940s. A gilded age tale of love and deception across the color line by martha a.
It follows a group of queer women, some of which are magical. A uniquely american story of selfinvention, love, deception, and race. Queer history, san francisco history and a pinch of weird tales. My story being done, she gave me for my pains a world of sighs. If the content passing strange not found or blank, you must refresh this page manually or visit our. 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. Passing strange is one of the best musicals ive seen. 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. Its narrative in fact closely parallels the narrative of the spanish tragedy, and thus the events of hieronimos life. This site is like a library, use search box in the widget to get ebook that you want. For the 2017 science fiction book, see passing strange novella.
The play he speaks of is a tragedy not in fact, composed at university, the tragedy of soliman and perseda. Most of the story is set in 1940, but the first chapter takes place in modern day, and from the first page the atmosphere drew me in. For tickets, call the box office at 215 24799, or purchase them. Moving and exciting not only because of book, music and performances. Among the summaries and analysis available for passing strange, there are 1 short summary and 8 book. Irene recalls clares difficult childhood and cunning temperament, but is most preoccupied with a recent meeting between clare and herself that had taken. And now that karens dead, shes still passing this time, as alive. Inspired by the pulps, film noir, and screwball comedy, passing strange is a story as unusual and complex as san francisco itself from world fantasy award winning author ellen klages, and a finalist for the 2017 nebula award for best novella san francisco in 1940 is a haven for the unconventional. Being a teenager, he began searches for true reality. Young adult urban fantasy paranormal romance karen desonne is used to pretending to be something shes not. Passing strange goes from karens point of view 1st person to the narrator telling the reader all about pete 3rd person and what the other zombies are up to, then even to bits of 2nd person where karen is describing her beloved as you.
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. After receiving a telegram informing him of his mothers death, he takes a bus to marengo, where his mother had been living in an old persons home. If there is a passing strange sparknotes, shmoop guide, or cliff notes, you can find a link to each study guide below. Passing strange is one of those books with precisely the right title. Jan 22, 2018 passing strange plays through sunday, february 18, 1018 at the wilma theater 265 south broad street, in philadelphia, pa. Reprinted by arrangement with the penguin press, a member of penguin group. King created an alternate identity as james todd, pullman porter, and hid a thirteenyear. Understand more than 700 works of literature, including to kill a mockingbird, the catcher in the rye, 1984, and lord of the flies at. He is speaking to belimperia, lorenzo and balthazar.
Passing strange summary and analysis like sparknotes free. A gilded age tale of love and deception across the color line paperback illustrated, january 26, 2010 by martha a. 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. Passing study guide contains a biography of nella larsen, literature essays, quiz questions, major themes, characters, and a full summary and analysis. Clarence king has often been written about by historians, but mostly in academic books about the mapping and geological exploration of the. Feb 01, 2009 in addition to writing the book and lyrics to passing strange, stew new york, ny is the shows cocomposer, coorchestrator, and narrator. See a complete list of the characters in the stranger and indepth analyses of meursault, raymond sintes, and marie cardona. 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. Start your 48hour free trial to unlock this passing strange study guide.
Mar 08, 2009 passing strange meticulously sometimes too meticulously. Click download or read online button to get passing strange book now. Passing strange summary and analysis like sparknotes. In the last book, the sons of ramero set up an elaborate prank, karen desonne is shot down by a police officer and. All her life, shes passed as a normal allamerican teenager. Passing strange is a solid work which pieces together the exotic life of an eccentric man. 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. Thanks for exploring this supersummary plot summary of passing strange by martha a. Clares request to spend time with irene and the black community feels intrusive and presumptuous to irene. Covering a century of american history, including geographical expansion, economic trends, and social values could have proved too plodding for one read. 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. 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. Read a plot overview of the entire book or a chapter by chapter summary and analysis.
Clarence king presented himself to ada copeland as pullman porter james todd with good reason. If there is a sparknotes, shmoop, or cliff notes guide, we will have. 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. It was created in collaboration with director annie dorsen. Sandweiss delivers her material with a cool, even hand, allowing the reader to step back from the fury of prejudice and interpret the material relevant to the times. Passing is the second novel by harlem renaissance writer nella larsen. Passing strange is not only a lesson in the intricacies of class, race, and gender relations. Photos courtesy beinecke rare book and manuscript library, yale university top.
Youll get access to all of the passing strange content, as well as access to more than 30,000 additional guides and more. Jan 01, 2010 karen desonne is used to pretending to be something shes not. The musicals lyrics and book are by stew with music and orchestrations by heidi rodewald and stew. 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. Depending on the study guide provider sparknotes, shmoop, etc. Irene, knowing it is from a woman named clare kendry, thinks the letter is just like clare always on the edge of danger. Find the quotes you need to support your essay, or refresh your memory of the book by. I rene redfield, a lightskinned african american woman and prominent member of the harlem community, receives a letter from an old friend named clare kendry. 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. Weir is a visiting professor of history at umass and a freelance writer. This book is destined for awards, and it will deserve every one of them.
Irene and clare clearly have a fraught relationship, as is evident from the book s very first pages. Passing strange book the indianapolis public library. As passing begins, irene redfielda sophisticated and comfortably married woman of africanamerican descentis opening her mail. Gradgrinds name evokes the monotonous grind of his childrens lives, as well as the grinding of the factory machines. Download passing strange pdfepub or read online books in mobi ebooks. Feb 29, 2008 a rock n roll autobiography of an artist in search of himself, passing strange is bursting at the seams with melodic songs, and it features a handful of theatrical performances to. Freebooknotes found 9 sites with book summaries or analysis of passing strange. A gilded tale of love and deception across the color line is a work of nonfiction by martha a. A truly extraordinary story about an extraordinary man and an extraordinary couple, passing strange illuminates, as no other recent book has done, the vexed.
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. A gilded age tale of love and deception across the color line. Well, dont you see, he had done something, he had steered. Passing strange is a comedydrama rock musical about a young african americans artistic journey of selfdiscovery in europe, with strong elements of philosophical existentialism, metafiction, and the artistic journey. She discovers a letter from clare kendry, an old acquaintance, and this document sets off a chain of memories. The chicago tribune passing strange is a passing subtle, detailed intergenerational fantasy with a pulp influenced story and a literary sensibility full of the past and the artefacts it leaves behind. I quote the words because they apply so well to our current social and political situation. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading passing strange. Her book takes place in the usa during the second half of the 1800s and especially the 1890s. The fair, blueeyed son of a wealthy china trader passed across the color line. Sparknotes are the most helpful study guides around to literature, math, science, and more. Summary plot overview meursault, the narrator, is a young man living in algiers. Find all available study guides and summaries for passing strange by martha a. 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.
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