"Baldwin's critique of American society at the height of the civil rights movement brings his prescient thoughts on social isolation, race, and police brutality to a new generation of readers"-- Provided by publisher
Novelist, essayist, and public intellectual, James Baldwin was one of the most brilliant and provocative literary figures of the postwar era, and one of the greatest African-American writers of this century. A self-described "transatlantic commuter" who spent much of his life in France, Baldwin joined a cosmopolitan sophistication to a fierce engagement with social issues. Here are the complete texts of his early landmark collections, Notes of a Native Son (1955) and Nobody Knows My Name (1961), which established him as an essential intellectual voice of his time, fusing in unique fashion the personal, the literary, and the political. The classic The Fire Next Time (1963), perhaps the most influential of his writings, is his most penetrating analysis of America's racial divide, and an impassioned call to "end the racial nightmare...and change the history of the world." The later volumes No Name in the Street (1972) and The Devil Finds Work (1976) chart his continuing response to the social and political turbulence of his era. A further thirty-six essaysnine of them previously uncollected - include some of Baldwin's earliest published writings, as well as revealing later insights into the language of Shakespeare, the poetry of Langston Hughes, and the music of Earl Hines
An essential compendium of James Baldwin’s most powerful nonfiction work, calling on us “to end the racial nightmare, and achieve our country.” Personal and prophetic, these essays uncover what it means to live in a racist American society with insights that feel as fresh today as they did over the 4 decades in which he composed them. Longtime Baldwin fans and especially those just discovering his genius will appreciate this essential collection of his great nonfiction writing, available for the first time in affordable paperback. Along with 46 additional pieces, it includes the full text of dozens of famous essays from such books as: • Notes of a Native Son • Nobody Knows My Name • The Fire Next Time • No Name in the Street • The Devil Finds Work This collection provides the perfect entrée into Baldwin’s prescient commentary on race, sexuality, and identity in an unjust American society.
A deluxe edition of James Baldwin's groundbreaking novel, with a new introduction by Kevin Young and special cover art designed by Baldwin's friend and contemporary Beauford Delaney Giovanni's Room is set in the Paris of the 1950s, where a young American expatriate finds himself caught between his repressed desires and conventional morality. David has just proposed marriage to his American girlfriend, but while she is away on a trip he becomes involved in a doomed affair with a bartender named Giovanni. With sharp, probing insight, James Baldwin's classic narrative delves into the mystery of love and tells a deeply moving story that reveals the unspoken complexities of the human heart.
This collectible edition celebrates James Baldwin’s 100th-year anniversary, revealing and critiquing the realities of Black life in mid-century US Originally published in Notes of a Native Son, the essays "The Harlem Ghetto," "Journey to Atlanta," and "Notes of a Native Son" will appeal to those interested in the personal and political turmoil of Baldwin's life. “The Harlem Ghetto” introduces readers to the extremities of life in Baldwin’s native city. “Journey to Atlanta” depicts the faulty relationship between the Black community and the politician, following a quartet called The Melodeers on a trip to Atlanta under the auspices of the Progressive Party. Baldwin concludes this collection with “Notes of A Native Son,” a powerful autobiographical essay about his fractured relationship with his father. The Harlem Ghetto: Essays explores the American condition through a mix of analytic and autobiographical essays. This second collection in the Baldwin centennial anniversary series is Baldwin’s most personal as he grapples with his childhood and his own affinity with Blackness.
In seinem 1963 erschienenen Essay thematisierte der afroamerikanische Schriftsteller und Bürgerrechtsaktivist James Baldwin den „Albtraum der Rassenfrage“ in den USA und die Wut in den Gettos der US-Großstädte auf eindringliche Weise. In einem fragmentarischen Selbstzeugnis zeigt sein einflussreicher Text die Komplexität dieser Problematik und behandelt zentrale Fragen zur Konstruktion von Identität angesichts der Rollenvorgaben durch die weiße Mehrheitsgesellschaft und der eigenen Peergroup. Auch mehr als 30 Jahre nach Baldwins Tod bedeutet Schwarzsein in den USA ein Leben, das von Rassismus und Gewalt bedroht ist, und der Text ist von bedrückender Aktualität. Der Titel, inspiriert von einem Spiritual, warnt: „God gave Noah the rainbow sign, no more water, fire next time!“ Der Text wird mit über 100 Fotografien von Steve Schapiro illustriert, der mit Baldwin durch die Südstaaten reiste. Schapiros Bilder zeigen bedeutende Persönlichkeiten der Bürgerrechtsbewegung und zentrale Ereignisse wie den Marsch auf Washington. Die Ausgabe enthält zudem einen Erlebnisbericht Schapiros, eine Einleitung des Bürgerrechtlers John Lewis, Bildunterschriften von Marcia Davis und einen Essay von Gloria Baldwin Karefa-Smart, die mit ihrem Bruder James in Sierra Leone lebte, als er diesen Text begann. Zunächst als Collector’s Edition erschienen, ist sie jetzt in gebundener Standardausgabe erhältlich.
Exploring the complexities of race and identity, this collection offers a profound insight into James Baldwin's reflections on the white American psyche. Through his essays, Baldwin delves into the social and historical context of his era, providing an intimate portrait of both himself and the cultural landscape of his time. The work serves as a compelling examination of racial dynamics and the personal struggles tied to them, highlighting Baldwin's enduring relevance in discussions of race and humanity.
Introduction by Eddie S. Glaude Jr.
Celebrating the centenary of a distinguished essayist, this comprehensive hardcover collection showcases a wide array of his insightful nonfiction works. It highlights his brilliance in tackling diverse themes, reflecting on contemporary issues, and offering profound observations on society and culture. This compilation serves as a tribute to his lasting impact on the literary landscape, inviting readers to explore the depth and richness of his thought-provoking essays.
National Bestseller Nominated for the Academy Award for Best Documentary To compose his stunning documentary film I Am Not Your Negro, acclaimed filmmaker Raoul Peck mined James Baldwin's published and unpublished oeuvre, selecting passages from his books, essays, letters, notes, and interviews that are every bit as incisive and pertinent now as they have ever been. Weaving these texts together, Peck brilliantly imagines the book that Baldwin never wrote. In his final years, Baldwin had envisioned a book about his three assassinated friends, Medgar Evers, Malcolm X, and Martin Luther King. His deeply personal notes for the project have never been published before. Peck's film uses them to jump through time, juxtaposing Baldwin's private words with his public statements, in a blazing examination of the tragic history of race in America. This edition contains more than 40 black-and-white images from the film.
This stunningly personal document and extraordinary history of the turbulent sixties and early seventies displays James Baldwin's fury and despair more deeply than any of his other works. In vivid detail he remembers the Harlem childhood that shaped his early conciousness, the later events that scored his heart with pain--the murders of Martin Luther King and Malcolm X, his sojourns in Europe and in Hollywood, and his retum to the American South to confront a violent America face-to-face.
