PASSING

Larsen's landmark novel was first published in 1929. Its author was one of the celebrated writers of the Harlem Renaissance. Clare Hendry, a black woman who passes for white, marries a white man who doesn't know his wife's true heritage. Irene Redfield, Clare's childhood friend, is also fair enough to pass but has remained true to her community. When the two women accidentally meet as adults, their lives become entwined in the complexity of segregated America in the 1930s. Robin Miles gives an excellent performance. The novel countered racial stereotyping of African-American speech, and Miles has held true to the author's intention. P.R. © AudioFile 2005, Portland, Maine [Published: JUNE/JULY 05]