Clarence King was a famed explorer, scientist, and hero of late nineteenth century history. But the blue-eyed and fair-skinned King also led a secret double life passing as a black man. A historian examines the secret King only revealed on his deathbed to his black wife of thirteen years.
Martha Sandweiss: "Passing Strange" (Penguin)
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3 comments:
I finally had the time to listen to it. I'm really glad I did. That story sounds so intriguing!
I think my favorite part was Martha saying something like if she were a novelist she could be omniscient and write a compelling story, but she was just a historian and could only present facts (in a lot of footnotes). It made me perk up my ears. I wasn't just listening any longer after that remark but seeing the story, you know?
Thank you Noelle for sharing this. I really learned a lot by listening to it!
Oh, cool! I haven't heard of this. As an historian, I find the true life, stranger than fiction stories to be fascinating. Curiously, I have no desire to write a book about my area of research, the early to mid 19th century American West. Although there are many characters and stories I've run across in my research that are worthy of fictionalization, that's for sure! I'll have to check this one out.
Thanks Ladies I thought others might enjoy it as much as I did. History is one of the greatest places to find inspriration for Fiction.
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