The Gilded Years

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Acaptivating historical novel based on the true story of Anita Hemmings, the first Black student to attend the prestigious Vassar College by passing as white. For fans ofThe Vanishing Half and The Gilded Age.

SOON TO BE A MAJOR MOTION PICTURE

Since childhood, Anita Hemmings has longed to attend the countrys most exclusive school for women, Vassar College. Now, a bright, beautiful senior in the class of 1897, she is hiding a secret that would have banned her from admission: Anita is the only African-American student ever to attend Vassar. With her olive complexion and dark hair, she has successfully passed as white, but now finds herself rooming with Lottie Taylor, an heiress of one of New Yorks most prominent families.

Though Anita has kept herself at a distance from her classmates, Lotties sphere of influence is inescapable, her energy irresistible, and the two become fast friends. Pulled into her elite world, Anita learns what its like to be treated as a wealthy, educated white woman the person everyone believes her to be and even finds herself in a heady romance with a well-off Harvard student. But when Lottie becomes curious about Anitas family the situation becomes particularly perilous, and as Anitas graduation looms, those closest to her will be the ones to dangerously threaten her secret.

Set against the vibrant backdrop of the Gilded Age, an era when old money traditions collided with modern ideas, The Gilded Years is a story of hope, sacrifice and betrayal and a gripping account of how one woman dared to risk everything for the chance at a better life.

Smart and thoughtful A must-read PopSugar

Insightfully grapples with complex and compelling issues Booklist

The beautiful and the damned takes on a whole new meaning A poignant imagining inside the most complex survival phenomenon: passing. With the grandeur of the Gilded Age intertwined with romance and suspense, you wont be able to put this period piece down until you know how her story ends.Vanity Fair

Author Bio

Karin Tanabe is the author of A Woman of Intelligence, The Gilded Years, The Price of Inheritance, A Hundred Suns, The Diplomats Daughter, and The List. A former Politico reporter, her writing has also appeared in the Miami Herald, Chicago Tribune, Newsday, and The Washington Post. She has made frequent appearances as a celebrity and politics expert on Entertainment Tonight, CNN, and The CBS Early Show. A graduate of Vassar College, Karin lives in Washington, DC. To learn more visit KarinTanabe.com.