Welcome to Litsy!

PROVENANCE is a thrilling and emotional tale about the redemptive power of love, the healing influence of the arts and the ultimate aspiration--freedom. In an expansive saga that weaves historical fact with fiction across five decades and three generations, PROVENANCE is the story of one American family determined to escape the barriers of race, class and gender. A fateful accident changes the course of Hank Whitaker's life. Now, decades later, another accident forces him to change everything for his family. On his death bed, Hank confesses to his wife, Maggie, and 18-year-old son, Lance, that he is a black man--passing for white. Hank's revelation and Virginia's racial integrity laws make Maggie a criminal and, despite his racially ambiguous appearance, Lance must now abide by the brutally restrictive laws that govern the lives of Negroes in the segregated south. At the insistence of Maggie's indomitable mother Charlotte, the family flees the provincial south for Paris; hoping to defy racism like many African Americans did in the early 20th century. Seeking solace in the cafEs, clubs, salons and art galleries, as well as the boudoirs of the City of Light, Lance eventually finds purpose within the vibrant community of talented artists and wealthy expatriates who define the art world after World War I. Like his father before him, Lance's glorious life, based on secrets and lies, eventually begins to unravel, exacting a heavy toll on him and the woman he dares to love. By challenging a privileged society designed to make it impossible to achieve anything, PROVENANCE's flawed and captivating characters succeed by gaining unparalleled access to everything. However, they must ultimately come to terms with who they are--evoking Shakespeare's caution, "to thine own self be true," or pay the price for living a lie.