Passin'

By Karen E. Quinones Miller

Book Overview

Shanika Ann Jenkins is the pride of her African-American family; smart, beautiful, and born with blue eyes and blonde hair. Though her grandmother and father are happy because she represents years of passing down light skin and marrying well, Shanika's mother insists on her name reflecting her African-American heritage so that she will always be proud of who she is. When Shanika gets the opportunity to work for a PR firm in New York, she finds that everyone assumes she is white; she also notices that being white has it advantages, from getting respect at work to getting picked up by a cab when other African-Americans are passed by. When she starts dating a successful white colleague, she continues with the lie, despite the guilt she feels at disappointing her mother and her heritage. When she falls for a handsome African-American business man, she must finally face who she is and what she's done, even if it means losing everything and everyone she loves.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0446696056
• ISBN13: 9780446696050
• Release Date: February 2008
• Publisher: Grand Central Publishing
• Length: 306 Pages
• Weight: 0.60 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.8" x 6.3" x 8.0"

Customer Reviews

She keeps on passin'.....

This book made me really think about race in America. I mean is it really necessary to "pass" in this day and age? Karen did a great job with this novel. Shanika Ann Jenkins was born with light skin and blue eyes, making it possible for people to assume she is white. Shanika's father side of the family is pleased with the baby's light skin. Shanika grows up proud to be black, thanks to her mother and her ethenic name "Shanika". But when she gets turned down for her dream job for not being "black enough", Shanika decides to "pass". Her name changes to Nicole Jensen and she takes on the roll of being white. Nikkie gets the job and starts living a whole new life, to the dissapointment of her mother and older brother. Nikki never tells anyone she is white they just assume. Nikkie also won't admit she is African American. How long will Nikki get away with her "white lie"? All her new friends and co workers think she is White! This book explores the bias, stereotypes and prejudices that we are still faced with in America. MUST READ!!!

This Book is Really Good!

I started the book not at all feeling sorry for the heroine. I mean, how you can feel sorry for someone who would turn their backs on their own race? But then as I got into the book my feelings began to change. I never did fully sympathize with Shanika/Nicole, but yeah . . . there were times when I feel a bit sorry for her, even though I still think the majority of her problems were of her own making. And it was something else reading how Shanika/ Nicole carried on while trying to act like she thought white folks act. Like using the "n" word. Yeah, that's right. She said it. And when she let her white boyfriend call the cops on her own cousin . . . well! This is one of the best books I've read in years, and I can't wait to see the movie, because I just know there has to be one.

A Must Read!!

As a long time fan of KQM I was anxiously waiting for here next book. As usual, she doesn't disappoint her readers. This is a thought provoking book and will make you go hmmm.....unfortunately passing is much of African American history as slavery. A long time ago it was often used for just survival. Now a days it's just plain ugly, self hate within our race.

Kinda funny, kinda sad, but all good.

Even though Shanika Jenkins was born light, bright, and damn near white, her mother and older brother did their best to instill racial pride inside her. And it seems at first it works, until Shanika graduates from an HBCU and can't find a job. She interviews for a big-time PR firm in New York, but when she doesn't get the job she goes back and tries again . . . but this time she changes her name to Nicole Jenson. Well, lo and behold she does get the job. She promises herself that she's only going to pass at the job, but situation after situation arises -- and she soon finds herself totally living her life as a white woman. She even snubs her own cousin when she sees him in the street and makes believes he's crazy for calling her Shanika. "I don't know him," she tells the police. But Shanika is miserable in her existence, until she meets a handsome and rich African-American Wall Street mogul and the two fall in love. But just who is he in love with, Shanika Jenkins or Nicole Jenson? I'm a huge Karen E. Quinones Miller fan anyway, so I'd been waiting for this book for months. I was surprised to see it in the stores already yesterdy, but I hurried up and bought it. I finished it just a few minutes ago. This is a must have book. I'll be honest and admit I never really thought about the topic of passing, and when I did think about it I only thought about it as something that went on back in the 1920s and such. But it seems it does still go on today and not always for the same reason people were passing in the past. If I could give the book 10 stars I would. Ms. Miller, you've outdone yourself!

Thinks that make you go, hmmmmmm

The book was not only good, but it was an eye-opener. I've always said I wouldn't pass even if I were light enough to, but after reading this book I wonder what my real decision would be if I were in that situation. It's so easy to say what you wouldn't do when you know there's no way you'd be in that situation. After reading this book, I think I understand the other view a little more. I still don't agree with it, but I do better understand it.