> I would suggest others name crime novels that include
"passing," but
this could produce a lot of spoilers.>
"Passing" is actually a common theme in many mainstream
novels by
American Southern authors. Racial concerns in the South had
long
dominated Southern fiction, often in combination with sexual
secrets and
long-hidden sins of various kinds. Repressive "Jim Crow" laws
that
remained enforceable through the middle of this century made
passing,
and the fear of exposure a very real thing in the lives of
many people,
particularly in families where there were light-skinned
members passing
for white and other light-skinned members living openly as
black. I
understand from black friends that such exists even to this
day.
-- ************************************** Robert E. Skinner, Director Xavier University of Louisiana Library 7325 Palmetto Street New Orleans, LA 70125 (504) 483-7303 (voice) (504) 485-7917 (FAX) e-mail: rskinner@mail.xula.edu ************************************** # # To unsubscribe, say "unsubscribe rara-avis" to majordomo@icomm.ca. # The web pages for the list are at http://www.vex.net/~buff/rara-avis/.