Book
1 of 1 Copy Available
- CENTRAL: First Floor Collection
Romance in Marseille
Call Number
- FICTION MCKA (CEN)
Publication Information
[New York, New York] : Penguin Books, [2020]
Physical Description
li, 165 pages : illustrations ; 20 cm
Series
Summary
"Buried in the archive for almost ninety years, Claude McKay's 'Romance in Marseille' traces the adventures of a rowdy troupe of dockworkers, prostitutes, and political organizers - collectively straight and queer, disabled and able-bodied, African, European, Caribbean, and American. Set largely in the culture-blending Vieux Port of Marseille at the height of the Jazz Age, the novel takes flight along with Lafala, an acutely disabled but abruptly wealthy West African sailor."--
Buried in the archive for almost ninety years, Claude McKay's novel traces the adventures of a rowdy troupe of dockworkers, prostitutes, and political organizers. Set largely in the culture-blending Vieux Port of Marseille at the height of the Jazz Age, it features characters who are straight and queer, disabled and able-bodied, African, European, Caribbean, and American. While stowing away on a transatlantic ship, Lafala is discovered and locked in a frigid closet. The dancer loses part of both legs to frostbite. Thanks to a successful lawsuit against the shipping line, Lafala doubles back to Marseille and resumes his trans-African affair with Aslima, a Moroccan courtesan. With its scenes of black bodies fighting for pleasure and liberty, McKay's novel explores the heritage of slavery amid an unforgiving modern economy. -- adapted from publisher info and back cover.
Notes
Place of publication taken from publisher's website.
Contents
- Introduction / by Gary Edward Holcomb and William J. Maxwell
- A note on the text
- Romance in Marseille. First Part ; Second Part ; Third Part
- Suggestions for further reading
- Explanatory notes.