What do you think?
Rate this book
James Baldwin
Discusses the life of James Baldwin, his activism in civil rights, and the importance of his writings
95 pages, Library Binding
First published January 1, 1996
1 person is currently reading
13 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 of 1 review
July 23, 2015
When I was in elementary school I tried to read James Baldwin's book "Go Tell It On the Mountain" but I had to stop because of the brutal way the father, in the story, treated his family. Sadly it hit too close to home. Later, as an adult, I bought his book "Giovanni's Room" at a thrift store and after reading it and disliking it immensely, I vowed never to read anything about or by James Baldwin again. One day, while at the library, I saw "The Importance Of James Baldwin" by James Tackach on a table celebrating Gay literature and I became curious so I checked it out.
At 81 pages, I examined it and decided it would be a quick read. Organized into eight chapters that chronicle Baldwin's life from his activism to his legacy, I learned how to appreciate the way he confronted the issues of abuse, religion, racism, homosexuality and death with such unflinching courage. As I looked at the black and white photos of Rosa Parks sitting on a bus, a rundown street in Harlem that resembled one he grew up in, and the ones featuring a segregated water fountain and waiting room, I began to understand why he is considered a literary genius.
I don't know if it's because I'm an African-American writer too that made me connect with this book, and him, at this time in my life, or the fact that I'm dealing with racism, this time mostly from Hispanics, in a renewed resurgence of prejudice resurrected as a result of immigration from countries where racism is tolerated and competition for jobs among minorities, but I do know this book wasn't as quick a read as I'd originally anticipated. It was, instead, an influential and hopeful one that's helped me put the current racial climate into perspective.
At 81 pages, I examined it and decided it would be a quick read. Organized into eight chapters that chronicle Baldwin's life from his activism to his legacy, I learned how to appreciate the way he confronted the issues of abuse, religion, racism, homosexuality and death with such unflinching courage. As I looked at the black and white photos of Rosa Parks sitting on a bus, a rundown street in Harlem that resembled one he grew up in, and the ones featuring a segregated water fountain and waiting room, I began to understand why he is considered a literary genius.
I don't know if it's because I'm an African-American writer too that made me connect with this book, and him, at this time in my life, or the fact that I'm dealing with racism, this time mostly from Hispanics, in a renewed resurgence of prejudice resurrected as a result of immigration from countries where racism is tolerated and competition for jobs among minorities, but I do know this book wasn't as quick a read as I'd originally anticipated. It was, instead, an influential and hopeful one that's helped me put the current racial climate into perspective.
Displaying 1 of 1 review