PassingPassing
Score Classic
What it's about
Nella Larsen's short 1929 novel, a landmark of the Harlem Renaissance.
Why it's worth reading
It's on the Guardian's list of 1,000 novels everyone must read. It established Larsen as one of the leading women writers of the Harlem Renaissance.
You'll love it if you liked
Their Eyes Were Watching God
The Bluest Eye
The Human StainGood to know
It's short enough to read in an afternoon.
By the numbers
- Readers67 out of 100 · counts 42%
- Critics30 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
- Bestseller25 out of 100 · counts 14%
- Buzz0 out of 100 · counts 10%
Critics and Bestseller are two ways to earn a place: a book's stronger one counts more. Buzz rewards recent bestseller weeks and prizes, so older books start at zero. The parts combine into the Must-Read Score, shown on a scale where the best book we found scores 99 and the last book to make the ranking scores 50.
Where it ranks
- #80 of the 124 historical novels we rank
- #441 of the 924 classics we rank
- #1383 of the 3,057 books we rank
Why it made the list
Reads as
Moving
If you like this, read next
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Quick answers
Is Passing worth reading?
Yes. It's on the Guardian's list of 1,000 novels everyone must read. It ranks #1,383 of the 3,057 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 69.9 (the best book we found scores 99).
What is Passing about?
Nella Larsen's short 1929 novel, a landmark of the Harlem Renaissance.
How long does it take to read Passing?
About 3 hours (128 pages), or about 6 days at 30 minutes a day.
What should I read after Passing?
If you liked it, try Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston, The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison or The Human Stain by Philip Roth.