Nella Larsen Nella Larsen, author of Quicksand (1928), photographed in 1927 by James L. Allen. (more) Quicksand novel by Larsen Written by Nicky Marsh Nicky Marsh works at the University of Southampton, where she is director of the Center for Cultural Poetics. Her work has appeared in journals including New Formations, Postmodern Culture,... Nicky Marsh Fact-checked by Britannica Editors Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree.... Britannica Editors Last updated Mar. 23, 2026 •History Quicksand, novel by American writer Nella Larsen, published in 1928. A loosely autobiographical work, it was the first of two novels by the Harlem Renaissance author. Helga Crane is Quicksand’s protagonist. Born of a white Danish mother and an absent West Indian father, she is a restless and rootless figure in search of sexual and social acceptance. The novel begins in the claustrophobic atmosphere of Naxos, an elite (and fictional) boarding school for Black students...

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