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The Short Fiction of Nella Larsen
Nella Larsen was an important writer associated with the Harlem Renaissance. While she was not prolific her work was powerful and critically acclaimed. Collected here are all three of her published short stories; "Freedom," "The Wrong Man," and "Sanctuary." These stories are about love, loss, mistaken identity, and death.
48 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1930
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About the author
Nella Larsen
33 books654 followersNellallitea 'Nella' Larsen (first called Nellie Walker) was an American novelist of the Harlem Renaissance who wrote two novels and a few short stories. Though her literary output was scant, what she wrote earned her recognition by her contemporaries and by present-day critics.
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
October 10, 2016
Just three very good short stories in this collection from Nella Larson. Being from a mixed race family of immigrants in early 20th century Chicago, her view of race and racial discrimination comes from a different perspective than other writers of her generation.
February 21, 2019
In January, I bought a bind-up edition of the complete fiction of Nella Larsen and this was honestly the best decision ever. Her literary output was scant (three short stories, two novels) but brilliant. And that's what really matters. Just FYI: this is my review of her short stories, I'll review her novels seperately once I've read them.
I – The Wrong Man (1926)
As the spots her secret ex-husband at a chic party she's attending with her current husband, her facade crumbles and she does everything in her power to avert the inevitable.
The story had a certain charm to it and I couldn't help but marvel at how solid Nella's writing was. The Wrong Man got me immediately hooked for everything else she had up her sleeve and fortified my intention of making her my 'author of choice' for Black History Month.
II – Freedom (1926)
III – Sanctuary (1930)
Sanctuary is a brutal depiction of how far African Americans go when it comes to being loyal to their people. In the story, we are confronted with a mother who learns, after having hid Jim (a young black man), in her house, that said Jim has just killed her son. Instead of turning him in, she lies to the police officers and feigns nescience. It's a hard-hitting depiction of the "us versus them"-mentality in a racially divided America.
In conclusion
Ya gurl is shook. Nella Larsen's writing style is fucking beautiful and, brace yo self, kind of reminiscent of Fitzgerald's. I know, I know, this might not seem like a compliment coming from me since I hate Scottie with a passion. However, she kind of has all of his good qualities (which are far and few between, I agree... but, damn, the man can write short stories. Let's not speak about his novels tho, they belong in the trash alongside with his ego). Anyways, Nella's writing is so polished and seems so effortless, I stan!
I – The Wrong Man (1926)
"Nothing, nothing. I just feel small, so futile in this crush; sort of trapped, you know."The first story is about a woman who technically has everything she wants in life: a husband who loves her, financial stability and the respect of the people she associates with.
As the spots her secret ex-husband at a chic party she's attending with her current husband, her facade crumbles and she does everything in her power to avert the inevitable.
The story had a certain charm to it and I couldn't help but marvel at how solid Nella's writing was. The Wrong Man got me immediately hooked for everything else she had up her sleeve and fortified my intention of making her my 'author of choice' for Black History Month.
II – Freedom (1926)
As autumn approached, with faint notice on his part, his anger and resentment retreated, leaving in their wake a gentle stir of regret and remorse.Oh boy, this was some serious Romeo and Juliet-type of bullshit but I was here for it all the waaaay, not gonna lie. :> Stories about love and loss usually don't tickle my fancy but the fact that this story was super short (only six pages), yet engaging with all of those twists and turns midway through, made it actually fun to read.
III – Sanctuary (1930)
It seemed a long time before Obadiah's mother spoke. When she did there were no tears, no reproaches; but there was a raging fury in her voice as she lashed out, "Git outer mah feather baid, Jim Hammer, an' outen mah house, an' don' nevah stop thankin' yo' Jesus he done gib you dat black face."This is the only story with a focus on race and lawd, did it pack a punch. This story made me soooo pumped for reading her two full-length novels which both focus on the idea of white passing. Aye.
Sanctuary is a brutal depiction of how far African Americans go when it comes to being loyal to their people. In the story, we are confronted with a mother who learns, after having hid Jim (a young black man), in her house, that said Jim has just killed her son. Instead of turning him in, she lies to the police officers and feigns nescience. It's a hard-hitting depiction of the "us versus them"-mentality in a racially divided America.
In conclusion
Ya gurl is shook. Nella Larsen's writing style is fucking beautiful and, brace yo self, kind of reminiscent of Fitzgerald's. I know, I know, this might not seem like a compliment coming from me since I hate Scottie with a passion. However, she kind of has all of his good qualities (which are far and few between, I agree... but, damn, the man can write short stories. Let's not speak about his novels tho, they belong in the trash alongside with his ego). Anyways, Nella's writing is so polished and seems so effortless, I stan!
February 27, 2025
These are three very short stories, all under 10 pages, which I read from The Complete Fiction of Nella Larsen: Passing, Quicksand, and The Stories
The Wrong Man
At a large party, Rebecca saw an old flame across the crowded room. She was now happily married and she didn’t want the flame to recognize her.
Freedom
An unnamed narrator is away from home for a few months, and when it is time to return, he dreads facing his wife who he has come to dislike.
Sanctuary
"Miz Poole, I's need to hide. I done shot somebody."
The Wrong Man
At a large party, Rebecca saw an old flame across the crowded room. She was now happily married and she didn’t want the flame to recognize her.
Freedom
An unnamed narrator is away from home for a few months, and when it is time to return, he dreads facing his wife who he has come to dislike.
Sanctuary
"Miz Poole, I's need to hide. I done shot somebody."
October 31, 2020
Three well written short stories. All had just enough of an element of surprise in the endings that took them beyond just an average read. It’s a pity she didn’t write more.
December 25, 2022
📖 🅼🅸🅲🆁🅾 🅻🅸🆃 🆁🅴🆅🅸🅴🆆 📖
|| 𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝙎𝙝𝙤𝙧𝙩 𝙁𝙞𝙘𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣 𝙤𝙛 𝙉𝙚𝙡𝙡𝙖 𝙇𝙖𝙧𝙨𝙚𝙣 by Nella Larsen ||
𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗱𝗼 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗸 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗯𝗼𝗼𝗸’𝘀 𝗰𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿?
- I think the book’s cover is plain, but highlights the simplicity and sheer brilliance of the author. The cover is simply a photo of the esteemed author and nothing more. It is one that I’ve seen numerous time in my own research of her. Later, in life, she became a nurse and nobody knew her as a writer so there was no need for this cover to be overdone because the work makes up for that. It’s not necessary.
𝗪𝗵𝗶𝗰𝗵 𝘀𝗵𝗼𝗿𝘁 𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆 𝗱𝗶𝗱 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗹𝗶𝗸𝗲 𝗯𝗲𝘀𝘁?
- I stan Nella Larsen so this is hard to ask me to choose. It’s a close race between “Freedom” and “Sanctuary.” However, I’m going to choose Freedom because of the “loved and lost” factor. “Freedom” made me have a visceral reaction and I screamed at the ending, which gives it the edge over “Sanctuary.” The story is about two lovers who must cut ties from one another. The man now understand his “freedom” from this woman, but also understand his emotions along the way.
𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘀𝗶𝗺𝗶𝗹𝗮𝗿𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝗱𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝘀𝗲 𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝘀𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗲?
- The short stories all share the death or ending of relationships or persons in one’s life. Larsen uses irony at the end of each story to keep you thinking further as well.
𝗜𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗯𝗼𝗼𝗸 𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗼𝗿 𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗱?
- Oh, this collection is clearly underrated. Larsen is a national treasure from the Harlem Renaissance. Her work is to be studied and brought back into fold. These stories hold your attention, offer a message, and even throw in an ironic twist.
𝗜𝗳 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗰𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 𝗮𝘀𝗸 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗮𝘂𝘁𝗵𝗼𝗿 𝗮𝗻𝘆𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴, 𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘄𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 𝗶𝘁 𝗯𝗲?
- Why didn’t you continue writing even after you became a nurse? Your writing helped so many people like me, biracial and navigating identity in this social world, understand the constraints and pressure of Black womanhood, sexuality, and ambition. Your legacy is not forgotten, Nella. We remember you and continue to keep you alive here today.
|| 𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝙎𝙝𝙤𝙧𝙩 𝙁𝙞𝙘𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣 𝙤𝙛 𝙉𝙚𝙡𝙡𝙖 𝙇𝙖𝙧𝙨𝙚𝙣 by Nella Larsen ||
𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗱𝗼 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗸 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗯𝗼𝗼𝗸’𝘀 𝗰𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿?
- I think the book’s cover is plain, but highlights the simplicity and sheer brilliance of the author. The cover is simply a photo of the esteemed author and nothing more. It is one that I’ve seen numerous time in my own research of her. Later, in life, she became a nurse and nobody knew her as a writer so there was no need for this cover to be overdone because the work makes up for that. It’s not necessary.
𝗪𝗵𝗶𝗰𝗵 𝘀𝗵𝗼𝗿𝘁 𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆 𝗱𝗶𝗱 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗹𝗶𝗸𝗲 𝗯𝗲𝘀𝘁?
- I stan Nella Larsen so this is hard to ask me to choose. It’s a close race between “Freedom” and “Sanctuary.” However, I’m going to choose Freedom because of the “loved and lost” factor. “Freedom” made me have a visceral reaction and I screamed at the ending, which gives it the edge over “Sanctuary.” The story is about two lovers who must cut ties from one another. The man now understand his “freedom” from this woman, but also understand his emotions along the way.
𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘀𝗶𝗺𝗶𝗹𝗮𝗿𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝗱𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝘀𝗲 𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝘀𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗲?
- The short stories all share the death or ending of relationships or persons in one’s life. Larsen uses irony at the end of each story to keep you thinking further as well.
𝗜𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗯𝗼𝗼𝗸 𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗼𝗿 𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗱?
- Oh, this collection is clearly underrated. Larsen is a national treasure from the Harlem Renaissance. Her work is to be studied and brought back into fold. These stories hold your attention, offer a message, and even throw in an ironic twist.
𝗜𝗳 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗰𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 𝗮𝘀𝗸 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗮𝘂𝘁𝗵𝗼𝗿 𝗮𝗻𝘆𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴, 𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘄𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 𝗶𝘁 𝗯𝗲?
- Why didn’t you continue writing even after you became a nurse? Your writing helped so many people like me, biracial and navigating identity in this social world, understand the constraints and pressure of Black womanhood, sexuality, and ambition. Your legacy is not forgotten, Nella. We remember you and continue to keep you alive here today.
Read
January 26, 2021I read this just after I read another book of short stories by a Harlem Renaissance writer, Hitting a Straight Lick with a Crooked Stick by Zora Neale Hurston. In contrast, I found these stories much stronger and more polished. Larsen's voice is musical and vibrant.
I read Laren's novels a few years ago and was very impressed by her complex portrayal of racial politics. Of her three short stories, however, only one addresses race. These stories reminded me of Edith Wharton in their voice and their twists at the end, especially the first one, as it dealt with posh people with dark secrets.
I read Laren's novels a few years ago and was very impressed by her complex portrayal of racial politics. Of her three short stories, however, only one addresses race. These stories reminded me of Edith Wharton in their voice and their twists at the end, especially the first one, as it dealt with posh people with dark secrets.
August 16, 2020
My first exposure to a writer of the Harlem Renaissance period. Three short stories which I found interesting but not exceptional.
February 10, 2021
3.5 stars
September 30, 2023
Larsen’s an awesome writer, but I don’t reckon any of these three short stories will stick with me.
April 22, 2025
Such a shame she didn’t write more
December 30, 2023
I found myself itching for more from Sanctuary.
September 9, 2011
Wonderful! Wished there were more of them.
October 13, 2022
Freedom--2
The Wrong Man--3
Sanctuary--2
The Wrong Man--3
Sanctuary--2
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews