Its story of a white man strangely choosing, in our raceriven society, to pass as a black man is passing that is, exceedingly strange from beginning to end. Passing strange untangles some of the history of americas gilded age through an amazing story of clarence king and ada copeland. King first laid eyes on his father, a china trader, at age three. In order to marry the woman he loved, he lived a double life as a black man. A gilded age tale of love and deception across the color line. Clarence rivers king january 6, 1842 december 24, 1901 was an american geologist, mountaineer, and author. What do you think clarence king would think of your book, if he could read it. Passing strange also provides a revealing glimpse into ada copelands life before, during, and after her marriage to kingher rise from slavery to a comfortable middleclass life in new york city, her determined legal battles to recover the trust fund she was sure king had left for her, her devoted family life, and most of all, the. King is a fascinating fellow and the information about him is very interesting. Jun 17, 2011 clarence kings ancestry went back to alfred the great, the magna carta, and the massachusetts bay colony. Clarence king is a hero of nineteenthcentury western history. Clarence king s ancestry went back to alfred the great, the magna carta, and the massachusetts bay colony. A gilded age tale of love and deception across the color line, examines why king chose to live a double. Martha sandweiss talked about her book passing strange.
A gilded age tale of love and deception across the color line sandweiss, martha a. Passing strange goodreads meet your next favorite book. Frick readers series passing strange the frick pittsburgh. But king hid a secret from his gilded age cohorts and prominent family in. He served as the first director of the united states geological survey from 1879 to 1881. Clarence king kept his secret from his colleagues, family, and his wife, who believed she was married to james todd until his death. Secretary of state john hay named king the best and brightest of his generation.
He was a friend of many prominent politicians and public figures including john hay, the secretary of state under mckinley and theodore roosevelt. He lived an elaborate double life, and his story told by martha sandweiss in her book, passing strange. Sandweiss read in passing that clarence king a caucasian male famous in the 19th century as a surveyor of the vast frontier and a bestselling author about. Almost as fascinating is what happened to ada and her children after kings death. The book does not claim to be anything but a history book and its a very lively and engaging one. Passing strange book central rappahannock regional. Sandweiss unearths a compelling tale of secret racial identity. Passing strange meticulously sometimes too meticulously. Clarence king 1842 1901 white geologist, black husband. In his adulthood, he becomes quite wellknown as an explorer and surveyor of the american west and associates with the upper echelon of high society, business, and government. Passing strange tells the story of clarence king who is best known for his work as a geologist and writer. Clarence king has often been written about by historians, but mostly in academic books about the mapping and geological exploration of the american west. He also turns up in biographies and literary histories, since he moved in glittering circles and was once widely held in high regard. Passing strange is historian martha sandweiss strange but true tale of an accomplished 19thcentury white man who passed for black so he could marry his true love, a black woman.
Passing strange tells the dramatic tale of a family built along the fault lines of celebrity, class, and race from the todds wedding in 1888 to the 1964 death of ada, one of the last surviving americans born into slavery, and finally to the legacy inherited by clarence king s granddaughter, who married a white man and adopted a white child. Born into a family of wealth and privilege that could trace its roots back to the mayflower and the magna carter. Sandweiss i wrote before how i stumbled across the strange story of clarence king 18421901, the first director of the us geological survey who for the last years of his life, led a secret double life as a black man in order to marry a. Double life crossed racial lines for love the denver post. Brilliant scientist and witty conversationalist, bestselling author and architect of the great surveys that mapped the west after the civil war, king hid a secret from his gilded age cohorts and prominent newport family. Sandweiss 2009, cd, unabridged at the best online prices at ebay. One as a prominent american leader in the realm of geology, literature and science. Sandweisss posts on the penguin blog the secret double life of the man who mapped the american west, and the woman he loved clarence king was a late nineteenthcentury celebrity, a brilliant scientist and. Clarence king has often been written about by historians, but mostly in academic books about the mapping and geological exploration of the. A uniquely american story of selfinvention, love, deception, and race. Sandweiss about a man named clarence king, who was known in nineteenthcentury history as a brilliant scientist, charmer, and surveyor, but who lived a secret double life as a black pullman porter named james todd. Sandweiss read in passing that clarence king a caucasian male famous in the 19th century as a surveyor of the vast frontier and a.
Sandweiss takes a mountain of information and transforms it into a smooth, captivating narrative. How clarence king, a 19thcentury white geologist and explorer, passed for years as james todd, a black pullman porter. A gilded age tale of love and deception across the color line by martha a. A gilded tale of love and deception across the color line is a work of nonfiction by martha a. But people believe what they want to, and pale, blueeyed king lived a double life as a white man and a black man, which spanned the breadth of new york.
Martha a sandweiss clarence king is a hero of nineteenthcentury western history. See more ideas about double life, alfred the great and color lines. Wellborn traveler, scientist, explorer and writer clarence king enjoyed great privilege. But king hid a secret from his gilded age cohorts and prominent family in newport. Passing strange passing strange audiobook, by martha a. Jul 22, 2019 passing strange tells the dramatic tale of a family built along the fault lines of celebrity, class, and racefrom the todds wedding in 1888 to the 1964 death of ada, one of the last surviving americans born into slavery, to finally the legacy inherited by clarence kings granddaughter, who married a white man and adopted a white child in.
The facts upon which this book is based are fairly simple. The story of the marriage between ada copeland and clarence king is a terrific tale, especially given the era and his prominence. Mar 08, 2009 passing strange meticulously sometimes too meticulously. In her book passing strange, history professor martha sandweiss uncovers the secret double life of clarence king, a wellknown figure in the. Weir is a visiting professor of history at umass and a freelance writer. Passing strange is the fascinating story of clarence king. Passing strange tells the dramatic tale of a family built along the fault lines of celebrity, class, and racefrom the todds wedding in 1888 to the 1964 death of ada, one of the last surviving americans born into slavery, to finally the legacy inherited by clarence king s granddaughter, who married a white man and adopted a white. Passing strange tells the dramatic tale of a family built along the fault lines of celebrity, class, and racefrom the todds wedding in 1888 to the 1964 death of ada, one of the last surviving americans born into slavery, to finally the legacy inherited by clarence kings granddaughter, who married a white man and adopted a white. Passing strange and millions of other books are available for instant access. Passing strange tells the strange story of clarence king, a late 19th century american scientist, writer, and adventurer. Mar 23, 2009 clarence king kept his secret from his colleagues, family, and his wife, who believed she was married to james todd until his death.
This book is destined for awards, and it will deserve every one of them. In postcivil war america, clarence king lived two lives. Passing strange is ultimately a book about a couple, and sandweiss has used her formidable skills as a researcher to reconstruct as much of their lives as possible. Sandweiss book presents king s work, love, and life, in the context of racial politics from the late 19th century into the. Brilliant scientist and witty conversationalist, bestselling author and architect of the great surveys that mapped the west after the civil war, king was named by john hay the best and brightest of his generation. A gilded age tale of love and deception across the color line penguin press.
Pdf passing strange download full pdf book download. Clarence king was a late nineteenthcentury celebrity, a brilliant scientist and explorer once described by secretary of state john hay as. Feb 05, 2009 the true story of clarence king, a 19thcentury scientist from the highest reaches of new england society, who lived a second life passing as a black man, married to a black woman. Join us this fall for our final frick readers series session of 2020 as we discuss the biography passing strange by martha a. Passing strange a gilded age tale of love and deception across the color line book. Passing strange martha epub download ebook pdf, epub. Much more is known about clarence king than about ada copeland. A caucasian man named clarence king is descended from a wealthy family of importers from newport ri. Sandweiss delivers her material with a cool, even hand, allowing the reader to step back from the fury of prejudice and interpret the material relevant to the times. This event was hosted by vromans bookstore in pasadena, california.
Passing strange tells the dramatic tale of a family built along the fault lines of celebrity, class, and racefrom the todds wedding in 1888 to the 1964 death of ada, one of the last surviving americans born into slavery, to finally the legacy inherited by clarence king s granddaughter, who married a white man and adopted a white child in. A caucasian man named clarence king is descended from a wealthy family of. Clarence king was a late nineteenthcentury celebrity, a brilliant scientist and explorer once described by secretary of state john hay as the best and brightest of his generation. The secret double life of the man who mapped the american west, and the woman he loved. Ada changed her last name to king and lived to the age of 103. Brilliant scientist and witty conversationalist, bestselling author and architect of the great surveys that mapped the west after the. Brilliant scientist and witty conversationalist, bestselling author and architect. He leads an exciting life and is a 19th century celebrity. Passing strange is a solid work which pieces together the exotic life of an eccentric man. Photos courtesy beinecke rare book and manuscript library, yale university top. Clarence king was the son of james rivers king and florence little king. Aug 18, 2010 clarence king was a geologist, a bestselling author and a liar. Passing strange martha epub download ebook pdf, epub, tuebl. In the words of western historian sandweiss american studiesamherst coll print the legen.
A gilded age tale of love and deception across the color line kindle edition by sandweiss, martha a download it once and read it on your kindle device, pc, phones or tablets. Passing strange new hampshire state library overdrive. A gilded age tale of love and deception across the color line sheds light on our complicated ideas about race. Passing strange toledo lucas county public library. King was noted for his exploration of the sierra nevada. A gilded age tale of love and deception across the color line 9780143116868 by sandweiss, martha a. Feb 15, 2009 clarence left ada a house and a small stipend, an arrangement that turns out to have been subsidized by a friend king was broke. From the book description, clarence king is a hero of nineteenth century western history. This postcivil war history examines the boundaries of race through the remarkable story of clarence king, a celebrated. Clarence left ada a house and a small stipend, an arrangement that turns out to have been subsidized by a friend king was broke.
These words were uttered in 1885 by clarence king, a renowned figure in his day. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading passing strange. Passing strange tells the dramatic tale of a family built along the fault lines of celebrity, class, and racefrom the todds wedding in 1888 to the 1964 death of ada, one of the last surviving americans born into slavery, and finally to the legacy inherited by clarence king s granddaughter, who married a white man and adopted a white child. Publication date 2009 topics king, clarence, 18421901, king, ada, 18601964. Clarence king was a geologist, a bestselling author and a liar. But as martha sandweiss shows in passing strange, king led a double life. Sandweisss posts on the penguin blog the secret double life of the man who mapped the american west, and the woman he loved clarence king was a late nineteenthcentury celebrity, a brilliant scientist and explorer once described by secretary of state john hay as the best and brightest of his. Covering a century of american history, including geographical expansion, economic trends, and social values could have proved too plodding for one read. Clarence king was a late nineteenthcentury celebrity, a brilliant scientist and explorer once described by. Sandweisss posts on the penguin blog the secret double life of the man who mapped the american west, and the woman he loved clarence king was a late nineteenthcentury celebrity, a brilliant scientist and explorer once described by secretary of state john hay as the best and brightest of his generation. Sandweisss posts on the penguin blog the secret double life of the man who mapped the american west, and the woman he loved clarence king was a late nineteenthcentury celebrity, a brilliant scientist and explorer once described by secretary of state john hay as the best and brighte.
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