and one of the earliest overtly queer fictions in the African American tradition.
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. While stowing away on a transatlantic ship, Lafala is
discovered and locked in a frigid closet. Badly frostbitten by the time the boat docks, the once-nimble dancer loses
both of his lower legs. 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.
-
Creators
-
Publisher
-
Release date
February 11, 2020 -
Formats
-
OverDrive Listen audiobook
- ISBN: 9781980060727
- File size: 163359 KB
- Duration: 05:40:19
-
-
Languages
- English
-
Reviews
-
Publisher's Weekly
December 16, 2019
Harlem Renaissance writer McKay’s poignant, previously unpublished novel of 1920s black life in the French port city of Marseilles strengthens the legacy built by his novels Banjo and Home to Harlem. Lafala, a young and carefree traveler from West Africa, drifts “impressionably from change to change” until his heart is broken by Aslima, a Marseille prostitute. Lafala stows away on a ship bound for the U.S., only to be caught and locked up “in a miserable place” onboard, consequently losing both legs to frostbite. With the help of his lawyer and an American friend named Black Angel, Lafala wins a large settlement from the shipping company. More than the money, he wants his legs back, and lingers on the promise of the cork legs that will make him feel like a man again. Returning to Marseille to show his new self to his old friends in the “fascinating, forbidding and tumultuous” neighborhood of Quayside, Lafala encounters Aslima, and their affair resumes despite the increasing ire of Tintin, her violent pimp, and the machinations of others eager to get their hands on Lafala’s fortune. Marseille comes to life in McKay’s descriptions of Quayside cafés, frequented by a vibrant social mix of black intellectuals like the Marxist Etienne St. Dominique, white laborers such as the queer Big Blonde, and sex workers including the North African Aslima and her rival, La Fleur. This will move readers to consider large questions about the need to belong and the desire for love. Agent: Faith Childs Literary Agency of New York. -
AudioFile Magazine
Dion Graham's lively voice draws listeners into the world of this long ignored masterpiece, unpublished for nearly 90 years. His stellar narration begins with a thorough introduction that familiarizes listeners with Mckay's work during the Harlem Renaissance and provides historical context for the book's importance. The story follows an African man whose discovery as a stowaway aboard a transatlantic ship results in the loss of his legs. After winning a lawsuit against the shipping company, he returns to Marseille and the prostitute he fell in love with there. Graham's agile narration captures the messy underworld of 1920s Marseille. He delivers French, African, and American accents, creating memorable voices for the sailors, prostitutes, and radicals of many genders, races, and sexualities. L.S. © AudioFile 2020, Portland, Maine
-
Formats
- OverDrive Listen audiobook
Languages
- English
Loading
Why is availability limited?
×Availability can change throughout the month based on the library's budget. You can still place a hold on the title, and your hold will be automatically filled as soon as the title is available again.
The Kindle Book format for this title is not supported on:
×Read-along ebook
×The OverDrive Read format of this ebook has professional narration that plays while you read in your browser. Learn more here.