Quicksand (AmazonClassics Edition)

A woman wrestles with stifling race and gender expectations in this debut novel by Nella Larsen, one of the most important voices of the Harlem Renaissance.

Born to a Danish mother and an African American father, Helga Crane is heir to two distinct cultures. Unsettled in both, she strives for personal fulfillment in a series of fluctuating goals: the acquisition of material possessions, career success, the creation of a new family, and love. These ambitions take her from the American South to Chicago, Harlem, Denmark, and back again, but with each new step, Helga’s frustrations seem only to grow, until a fortuitous encounter opens up a new world of possibilities. It could finally put an end to Helga’s restless searching—or it could compel her to devise yet another plan of escape.

Revised edition: Previously published as Quicksand, this edition of Quicksand (AmazonClassics Edition) includes editorial revisions.