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On James Baldwin
Colm Tóibín’s personal account of encountering James Baldwin’s work, published in Baldwin’s centenary year.
Acclaimed Irish novelist Colm Tóibín first read James Baldwin just after turning eighteen. He had completed his first year at an Irish university and was struggling to free himself from a religious upbringing. He had even considered entering a seminary and was searching for literature that would offer illumination and insight. Inspired by the novel Go Tell It on the Mountain, Tóibín found a writer who would be a lifelong companion and exemplar.
From On James Baldwin
Baldwin was interested in the hidden and dramatic areas in his own being, and was prepared as a writer to explore difficult truths about his own private life. In his fiction, he had to battle for the right of his protagonists to choose or influence their destinies. He knew about guilt and rage and bitter privacies in a way that few of his White novelist contemporaries did. And this was not simply because he was Black and homosexual; the difference arose from the very nature of his talent, from the texture of his sensibility. “All art,” he wrote, “is a kind of confession, more or less oblique. All artists, if they are to survive, are forced, at last, to tell the whole story, to vomit the anguish up.”
On James Baldwin is a magnificent contemporary author’s tribute to one of his most consequential literary progenitors.
Acclaimed Irish novelist Colm Tóibín first read James Baldwin just after turning eighteen. He had completed his first year at an Irish university and was struggling to free himself from a religious upbringing. He had even considered entering a seminary and was searching for literature that would offer illumination and insight. Inspired by the novel Go Tell It on the Mountain, Tóibín found a writer who would be a lifelong companion and exemplar.
From On James Baldwin
Baldwin was interested in the hidden and dramatic areas in his own being, and was prepared as a writer to explore difficult truths about his own private life. In his fiction, he had to battle for the right of his protagonists to choose or influence their destinies. He knew about guilt and rage and bitter privacies in a way that few of his White novelist contemporaries did. And this was not simply because he was Black and homosexual; the difference arose from the very nature of his talent, from the texture of his sensibility. “All art,” he wrote, “is a kind of confession, more or less oblique. All artists, if they are to survive, are forced, at last, to tell the whole story, to vomit the anguish up.”
On James Baldwin is a magnificent contemporary author’s tribute to one of his most consequential literary progenitors.
1 pages, Audio CD
First published August 16, 2024
29 people are currently reading
550 people want to read
About the author
Colm Tóibín
238 books5,256 followersColm Tóibín FRSL, is an Irish novelist, short story writer, essayist, playwright, journalist, critic, and poet. Tóibín is currently Irene and Sidney B. Silverman Professor of the Humanities at Columbia University in Manhattan and succeeded Martin Amis as professor of creative writing at the University of Manchester.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 42 reviews
January 1, 2025
I adored the author’s careful analysis of Baldwin the activist and writer, and his careful reading of three of Baldwin’s key texts. I especially loved the way the author leveraged his commanding knowledge of Irish literature to contextualize themes of exile, memory, and resistance in African-American literature. Swift, Yeats, Wilde, Joyce and others are set alongside Wright, Ellis, Baldwin and others. The author’s own experience as a homosexual writer was also useful in illuminating many of the artistic and political choices Baldwin made.
August 1, 2025
A great companion to my nascent readings of Baldwin, replete with (fucking crazy) excerpts of books, essays and interviews - what a writer, what a thinker, what a man.
The discussions about the inner life and its relationship with fiction were very interesting, as were Toibin’s reflections on sexuality and masculinity in Baldwin’s thinking. The most interesting takeaway was perhaps Baldwin’s view that the problems faced by individual Americans (at a time of rampart racism and fierce struggles for civil rights) were due to some deficiency or infection in the inner life - an infection which perpetuates problematic structures, rather than the inverse occurring.
I was periodically bogged down by extended technical discussions about language, as well as the ever expanding catalogue of textual references to both Baldwin’s and Toibin’s contemporaries and peers.
But, overall, the book was awesome :)
The discussions about the inner life and its relationship with fiction were very interesting, as were Toibin’s reflections on sexuality and masculinity in Baldwin’s thinking. The most interesting takeaway was perhaps Baldwin’s view that the problems faced by individual Americans (at a time of rampart racism and fierce struggles for civil rights) were due to some deficiency or infection in the inner life - an infection which perpetuates problematic structures, rather than the inverse occurring.
I was periodically bogged down by extended technical discussions about language, as well as the ever expanding catalogue of textual references to both Baldwin’s and Toibin’s contemporaries and peers.
But, overall, the book was awesome :)
July 17, 2024
i really love this one. really proud to be a part of its journey :)
December 2, 2024
Always the keenest most sensitive reader of others, especially when reading lesbian or gay writers like Elizabeth Bishop or Henry James, here we get a very personal, sometimes tender, affectionate but almost line reading of James Baldwin's novels and essays. Interesting even to scan at the back the list of authors cited in the bibliography, of course, as mentioned in these pages references to Wright, Yeats, James, Cullen,but no mention of Joyce who is set side by side to Baldwin's Go Tell it on the Mountain. Book recommended to me by a goodreads friend.
August 18, 2024
I am a fan of Colm Toibin's work, both fiction and non fiction. This book is a personal analysis of the ife and work of James Baldwin[another of my favourite author's!]. It is a short book which concentrates on three of Baldwin's novels - "Go Tll it to a Mountain", "Giovanni's Room" and "Another Country" plus a small selection of his essaysd.
Toibin gives a personal Isympathetic appreciation at Baldwin's profound visions of race and freedom which is rewardingly insightful An acadaemic work but easy to read and which highlights the talents of both writers.
Toibin gives a personal Isympathetic appreciation at Baldwin's profound visions of race and freedom which is rewardingly insightful An acadaemic work but easy to read and which highlights the talents of both writers.
September 2, 2024
a compelling and accessible academic read. appreciated the hands-on textual analysis and discussions of musicality which i am a sucker for. i love baldwin and i love ireland so this was perfect.
June 3, 2025
Beautifully written. For any fans of Baldwin, this is easy but insightful reading full of parallels and ideas which Tobin clearly draws out. Would definitely recommend.
January 12, 2025
i need to read „go tell it on the mountain“ and „another country“ now
March 5, 2025
Really enjoyed this thoughtful exploration of Baldwin's work, exploring the social and political history both of the states but also how as an Irishman he can relate. Alongside his thoughts as a gay writer considering another gay writer. Many literary references in this book including Joyce, Yeats, Wright, Ellison, Heany and Didion. Recommended for anyone wishing to further understand Baldwin's work.
October 2, 2025
Three-page review of Colm Tóibín's "On James Baldwin."
Page 1: Introduction and Baldwin's Early Life
Colm Tóibín’s "On James Baldwin" isn't a regular biography. It's more like a deeply personal and insightful look at the life and work of James Baldwin, one of America's most important writers. Tóibín, himself a celebrated novelist, doesn't just tell us what Baldwin did; he tries to understand why he did it. He explores Baldwin's books, essays, and life experiences to paint a picture of a complex and often conflicted man.
The book starts by looking at Baldwin's difficult childhood in Harlem. Baldwin grew up poor, with a strict stepfather who was a preacher. Tóibín shows how this religious upbringing both shaped and haunted Baldwin. On the one hand, the church gave him a powerful voice and a sense of community. He became a captivating young preacher himself. But on the other hand, he felt trapped by the church's rigid rules and its condemnation of his homosexuality.
Tóibín emphasises the importance of Baldwin’s early escape from Harlem. At 24, he moved to Paris, seeking freedom from American racism and homophobia. This move was crucial for Baldwin's development as a writer. In Paris, he could observe America from a distance, gaining a clearer perspective on its problems. He could also explore his identity as a gay man without the same level of social pressure he faced back home.
Tóibín does a great job of showing how Baldwin's early life experiences – poverty, religion, racism, and his sexuality – all fed into his writing. These weren't just background details; they were the core of who he was and what he wrote about.
Page 2: Key Themes in Baldwin's Work
A major theme in Baldwin’s work, as highlighted by Tóibín, is race. Baldwin wrote powerfully about the black experience in America, exposing the deep-seated racism that permeated every aspect of society. He didn't shy away from uncomfortable truths. He challenged white Americans to confront their own prejudices and to see black people as fully human. Tóibín discusses Baldwin's famous essays, like "Notes of a Native Son" and "The Fire Next Time," showing how Baldwin used his personal experiences to explore the larger issues of race and identity. He notes how Baldwin's writing was both deeply personal and politically charged.
Tóibín also delves into Baldwin’s exploration of sexuality. Baldwin was one of the first African American writers to openly write about homosexuality. This was a brave act at a time when homosexuality was widely stigmatised. Tóibín examines how Baldwin's sexuality influenced his writing, particularly his novels like "Giovanni's Room" (which notably features white characters). He argues that Baldwin's exploration of love and desire, regardless of gender, was a challenge to societal norms and expectations.
Another key aspect of Baldwin’s work that Tóibín explores is the theme of identity. Baldwin was constantly grappling with his own identity as a black man, a gay man, an American, and an expatriate. He questioned what it meant to be any of these things, and he challenged the labels that society placed on people. Tóibín demonstrates how Baldwin's search for identity was a central driving force in his writing. He wasn't just writing about race or sexuality; he was writing about the universal human need to find belonging and meaning in a complex world.
Page 3: Baldwin's Later Life and Legacy
In the final part of the book, Tóibín examines Baldwin's later life and his lasting impact. He discusses Baldwin's growing disillusionment with the Civil Rights Movement and his increasing sense of despair about the state of race relations in America. While Baldwin initially offered a message of hope and reconciliation, he became more critical and pessimistic as he witnessed the slow pace of change and the persistence of racism.
Tóibín also looks at Baldwin's relationships with other writers and activists, such as Richard Wright, Marlon Brando and Martin Luther King Jr. He shows how Baldwin was both influenced by and critical of these figures. He was a complex and independent thinker who refused to be easily categorised.
Ultimately, Tóibín argues that Baldwin's legacy lies in his unflinching honesty and his willingness to confront difficult truths. Baldwin forced America to look in the mirror and see its own flaws. He challenged readers to think critically about race, sexuality, and identity. His writing remains relevant today because the issues he grappled with are still very much with us.
"On James Baldwin" is a valuable contribution to our understanding of this important writer. It's not just a summary of Baldwin's life and work; it's a thoughtful and engaging exploration of his complex and enduring legacy. Tóibín's book will encourage readers to pick up Baldwin's books and essays and to engage with his ideas in a new and meaningful way. It's a reminder of the power of literature to challenge, provoke, and inspire.
Page 1: Introduction and Baldwin's Early Life
Colm Tóibín’s "On James Baldwin" isn't a regular biography. It's more like a deeply personal and insightful look at the life and work of James Baldwin, one of America's most important writers. Tóibín, himself a celebrated novelist, doesn't just tell us what Baldwin did; he tries to understand why he did it. He explores Baldwin's books, essays, and life experiences to paint a picture of a complex and often conflicted man.
The book starts by looking at Baldwin's difficult childhood in Harlem. Baldwin grew up poor, with a strict stepfather who was a preacher. Tóibín shows how this religious upbringing both shaped and haunted Baldwin. On the one hand, the church gave him a powerful voice and a sense of community. He became a captivating young preacher himself. But on the other hand, he felt trapped by the church's rigid rules and its condemnation of his homosexuality.
Tóibín emphasises the importance of Baldwin’s early escape from Harlem. At 24, he moved to Paris, seeking freedom from American racism and homophobia. This move was crucial for Baldwin's development as a writer. In Paris, he could observe America from a distance, gaining a clearer perspective on its problems. He could also explore his identity as a gay man without the same level of social pressure he faced back home.
Tóibín does a great job of showing how Baldwin's early life experiences – poverty, religion, racism, and his sexuality – all fed into his writing. These weren't just background details; they were the core of who he was and what he wrote about.
Page 2: Key Themes in Baldwin's Work
A major theme in Baldwin’s work, as highlighted by Tóibín, is race. Baldwin wrote powerfully about the black experience in America, exposing the deep-seated racism that permeated every aspect of society. He didn't shy away from uncomfortable truths. He challenged white Americans to confront their own prejudices and to see black people as fully human. Tóibín discusses Baldwin's famous essays, like "Notes of a Native Son" and "The Fire Next Time," showing how Baldwin used his personal experiences to explore the larger issues of race and identity. He notes how Baldwin's writing was both deeply personal and politically charged.
Tóibín also delves into Baldwin’s exploration of sexuality. Baldwin was one of the first African American writers to openly write about homosexuality. This was a brave act at a time when homosexuality was widely stigmatised. Tóibín examines how Baldwin's sexuality influenced his writing, particularly his novels like "Giovanni's Room" (which notably features white characters). He argues that Baldwin's exploration of love and desire, regardless of gender, was a challenge to societal norms and expectations.
Another key aspect of Baldwin’s work that Tóibín explores is the theme of identity. Baldwin was constantly grappling with his own identity as a black man, a gay man, an American, and an expatriate. He questioned what it meant to be any of these things, and he challenged the labels that society placed on people. Tóibín demonstrates how Baldwin's search for identity was a central driving force in his writing. He wasn't just writing about race or sexuality; he was writing about the universal human need to find belonging and meaning in a complex world.
Page 3: Baldwin's Later Life and Legacy
In the final part of the book, Tóibín examines Baldwin's later life and his lasting impact. He discusses Baldwin's growing disillusionment with the Civil Rights Movement and his increasing sense of despair about the state of race relations in America. While Baldwin initially offered a message of hope and reconciliation, he became more critical and pessimistic as he witnessed the slow pace of change and the persistence of racism.
Tóibín also looks at Baldwin's relationships with other writers and activists, such as Richard Wright, Marlon Brando and Martin Luther King Jr. He shows how Baldwin was both influenced by and critical of these figures. He was a complex and independent thinker who refused to be easily categorised.
Ultimately, Tóibín argues that Baldwin's legacy lies in his unflinching honesty and his willingness to confront difficult truths. Baldwin forced America to look in the mirror and see its own flaws. He challenged readers to think critically about race, sexuality, and identity. His writing remains relevant today because the issues he grappled with are still very much with us.
"On James Baldwin" is a valuable contribution to our understanding of this important writer. It's not just a summary of Baldwin's life and work; it's a thoughtful and engaging exploration of his complex and enduring legacy. Tóibín's book will encourage readers to pick up Baldwin's books and essays and to engage with his ideas in a new and meaningful way. It's a reminder of the power of literature to challenge, provoke, and inspire.
December 23, 2024
ONE MILLION STARS. What a pleasure this was to read.
August 11, 2025
A wonderful book that illuminates both Baldwin & Tòibin’s work & lives. The interweaving of the history & operation of US & Irish exile, racism, etc are well judged & very moving.
February 14, 2025
To possess the same clarity of thought!
July 11, 2025
Ever since I saw James Baldwin's Interviews on you tube I was impressed by his words and how he spoke. My son told me Giovanni's Room was a great book, so I read it a few years ago. He was so right and I wanted to find out more. This book shows the appreciation (by one of our own great Irish novelists) of Baldwin's style and powerful writing. Can't wait to get my hands on more of his books and Essays.
September 6, 2024
Part literary criticism, part biography, and part autobiography, Colm Tóibín’s exploration of James Baldwin gives you the sense that Baldwin has been a significant presence in Tóibín's life for half a century.In the opening paragraph, Tóibín writes about feeling that certain memories of his religious upbringing were "embarrassing," and he wished these memories "belonged to someone else." This reflection helped me process my own upbringing.
As a teenager, I was raised Christian but quickly became a hidden atheist, playing the role of a believer. Listening to sermons every week shaped the imagination I now have as an adult, even though I didn’t believe in any of it. The preacher often twisted scripture to suit his needs, especially when it came to tithing: "The more you sow, the more you reap," he would say repeatedly as the tithe bucket was passed around. At 13, I agreed to be baptized, despite not believing a single word the preacher taught. This happened around the time of the Jerry Springer musical, which, according to the preacher, was a satanic evil (I haven’t seen it, so I can't confirm or deny that claim).
Like Tóibín’s memories of almost joining the seminary, which he described as embarrassing, my baptism was a ritual in shame. At 13, I performed a ceremony that betrayed the principles I held even at that age. Soon after, I refused to go to church, much to my family’s displeasure—a memory I take pride in. Leaving was my source of pride. But when my head went beneath the water during that baptism, that moment became my shame. This book helped me reflect on my own past from the very first paragraph, and there are many more paragraphs as equally poignant if you feel like you relate to any of the many aspects of Baldwins whole being.
I give a full-throated recommendation for you to read this book.
As a teenager, I was raised Christian but quickly became a hidden atheist, playing the role of a believer. Listening to sermons every week shaped the imagination I now have as an adult, even though I didn’t believe in any of it. The preacher often twisted scripture to suit his needs, especially when it came to tithing: "The more you sow, the more you reap," he would say repeatedly as the tithe bucket was passed around. At 13, I agreed to be baptized, despite not believing a single word the preacher taught. This happened around the time of the Jerry Springer musical, which, according to the preacher, was a satanic evil (I haven’t seen it, so I can't confirm or deny that claim).
Like Tóibín’s memories of almost joining the seminary, which he described as embarrassing, my baptism was a ritual in shame. At 13, I performed a ceremony that betrayed the principles I held even at that age. Soon after, I refused to go to church, much to my family’s displeasure—a memory I take pride in. Leaving was my source of pride. But when my head went beneath the water during that baptism, that moment became my shame. This book helped me reflect on my own past from the very first paragraph, and there are many more paragraphs as equally poignant if you feel like you relate to any of the many aspects of Baldwins whole being.
I give a full-throated recommendation for you to read this book.
December 14, 2024
Irish novelist Colm Toibin's short (147 pages), well-written, informative appreciation of author/activist James Baldwin with a focus on insightful analysis of his writing style was my welcomed first exposure to the author's tender, empathetic works and sensibility outside of the documentary "I Am Not Your Negro." Toibin puts Baldwin in context with his peers Henry James, Oscar Wilde, and others, and highlights his particular relationships with Paris, the American South, Greenwich Village, and the Harlem of his youth.
Favorite excerpts:
From Baldwin's novel "Giovanni's Room" :
"There are so many ways to be despicable it quite makes one's head spin. But the way to be really despicable is to be contemptuous of other people's pain."
Toibin's critique of a story Baldwin wrote around the same time of his decision to return to America from Europe to join the civil rights struggle of the 1960s:
"The story ('Going to Meet the Man') belongs to the rage of its moment. Its tone is inflammatory, as the story seeks to connect racist violence with sexual excitement--as it tries to connect the most vile public images with the most private urges. The story offers the sheriff's lack of humanity as a demonstration of Baldwin's views on race and sex and violence and the South. Clearly, this is not a time for distance from the burning world."
Recommended.
Favorite excerpts:
From Baldwin's novel "Giovanni's Room" :
"There are so many ways to be despicable it quite makes one's head spin. But the way to be really despicable is to be contemptuous of other people's pain."
Toibin's critique of a story Baldwin wrote around the same time of his decision to return to America from Europe to join the civil rights struggle of the 1960s:
"The story ('Going to Meet the Man') belongs to the rage of its moment. Its tone is inflammatory, as the story seeks to connect racist violence with sexual excitement--as it tries to connect the most vile public images with the most private urges. The story offers the sheriff's lack of humanity as a demonstration of Baldwin's views on race and sex and violence and the South. Clearly, this is not a time for distance from the burning world."
Recommended.
August 25, 2024
Colm Toibin first encountered Baldwin when he was 18 and struggling with life decisions. He found a lifelong companion and exemplar. I'm glad I read this after recently reading three of Baldwin's most famous novels because Toibin's reflections on what Baldwin was trying to do in his fiction resonated. Baldwin's characters transcend race because he was willing to explore difficult and universal truths about the human condition. "all art," he wrote, "is a kind of confession, more or less oblique. All artists, if they are to survive, are forced, at last, to tell the whole story, to vomit the anguish up." To me, Baldwin's genius has not been diminished over the years. Baldwin's experiences growing up as an African American, living in Harlem, accepting his sexuality and living abroad in Paris opened his mind to truths that few people recognize: "People who have had no experience have no compassion. People who have had no experience suppose that if a man is a thief, he is a thief; but, in fact, that isn't the most important thing about him. The most important thing about him is that he is a man, and furthermore, that if he's a thief or a murderer or whatever he is, you could also be and you would know this, anyone would know this who had really dared to live."
September 26, 2024
Using Baldwin's body of work, Toibin analyzes the meaning of Baldwin's life experience as it is expressed in his fiction and nonfiction, his lectures and interviews. He also deconstructs Baldwin's unique stylistic genius.
What was it like to be a Black man in mid-century America, in the south or in the north, in Harlem or in Greenwich Village. What was the release from tension that American artists sought in Paris then, the Paris that was at war in Algeria at the time. American Blacks may have felt more free, but racism flourished there too, only in a different key.
Toibin finds some personal identification with Baldwin. He also struggled with his homosexuality in the context of his religious upbringing.
Baldwin moves between the political and the philosophical. From tensions outside to the inner drama with which we all contend.
His solution to life and all its vagaries is, in the end, the Scriptural message: love one another.
Lose the binary mentality. Racism hurts both the guilty and the victim.
People struggle within bec we are not (yet?) 'whole'.
I am a fan of both Toibin and Baldwin, which was why I chose to read the book.
What was it like to be a Black man in mid-century America, in the south or in the north, in Harlem or in Greenwich Village. What was the release from tension that American artists sought in Paris then, the Paris that was at war in Algeria at the time. American Blacks may have felt more free, but racism flourished there too, only in a different key.
Toibin finds some personal identification with Baldwin. He also struggled with his homosexuality in the context of his religious upbringing.
Baldwin moves between the political and the philosophical. From tensions outside to the inner drama with which we all contend.
His solution to life and all its vagaries is, in the end, the Scriptural message: love one another.
Lose the binary mentality. Racism hurts both the guilty and the victim.
People struggle within bec we are not (yet?) 'whole'.
I am a fan of both Toibin and Baldwin, which was why I chose to read the book.
December 31, 2024
“There was a sense that once you left, you belonged neither in the place you had gone to or the place you might have once called home.”
“Fiction and Poetry and songs may be the best ways to explore the estrangement that comes with displacement; the idea that what is missing has become almost unnamable but stays in the air-palpable, potent-is part of the lure of this subject for a writer.”
“A novelist can create a self-portrait; a woman novelist can make a man; a contemporary novelist can make a German; a straight novelist can make a homosexual; an African American novelist can make a White American.”
“Baldwin’s imagination remained passionately connected to the destiny of his country.”
“All art,” he wrote, “is a kind of confession, more or less oblique. All artists, if they are to survive, are forced, at last, to tell the whole story, to vomit the anguish up.”
“Fiction and Poetry and songs may be the best ways to explore the estrangement that comes with displacement; the idea that what is missing has become almost unnamable but stays in the air-palpable, potent-is part of the lure of this subject for a writer.”
“A novelist can create a self-portrait; a woman novelist can make a man; a contemporary novelist can make a German; a straight novelist can make a homosexual; an African American novelist can make a White American.”
“Baldwin’s imagination remained passionately connected to the destiny of his country.”
“All art,” he wrote, “is a kind of confession, more or less oblique. All artists, if they are to survive, are forced, at last, to tell the whole story, to vomit the anguish up.”
April 12, 2025
A lovely read with interesting insights into Baldwin's personal and social context, alongside Tóibín's personal feelings about Baldwin and his work. I liked the line by line analysis of passages from Baldwin's novels and am keen to re-read them with these ideas in mind.
It didn't blow me away though, it feels like it's trying to do too much in too few pages and doesn't reach a conclusion. The combination of literary analysis, personal reflection and biography felt a little muddled and meant that none of these elements were executed truly well. I believe this was originally a lecture series and I can see it being better suited to that context than print.
It didn't blow me away though, it feels like it's trying to do too much in too few pages and doesn't reach a conclusion. The combination of literary analysis, personal reflection and biography felt a little muddled and meant that none of these elements were executed truly well. I believe this was originally a lecture series and I can see it being better suited to that context than print.
October 8, 2024
Baldwin is captured in these essays - his influences, his voice and his subject matter set out and analysed with great rigour. It is, however, Toibin, who's essence is most clearly reflected in this collection. The author's attention and care as a reader and his deep well of cultural understanding are highlighted above all else. Toibin's Irishness and his advocacy for the tradition from which he emerged and to some extent, has shaped throughout his career, are front and centre. Baldwin's life and work are the backbone of these speeches but it is Toibin who is captured across this text.
September 5, 2025
What a beautiful, emotional tribute that made me feel even closer to Baldwin’s work. I’ve only read two of his novels so far (Giovanni’s Room and Go Tell It on the Mountain), but even with that limited familiarity, I found myself deeply moved by the way Tóibín traces Baldwin’s brilliance and humanity. It’s tender without being overly reverent, and it gave me fresh eyes for why Baldwin continues to matter so much. I highly recommend it to anyone who loves Baldwin or wants to step into his world with both insight and feeling.
January 19, 2025
It's relatively interesting but an odd compound. It's a mix of personal memoir, literary criticism and literary biography. My frustration with it is that I didn't feel it succeeded in being any one of these. It's a very slight volume and that's the biggest issue with it. Just not sure what this is.
August 27, 2025
Colm Tóibín is such a good writer and likeable person. This book is like a nice chat with a smart friend about a well known person you both like, but I do think it might have benefitted from a deeper dive.
There's an absolute doorstop of a book about Baldwin that just came out - ideally something between this and that, please?
There's an absolute doorstop of a book about Baldwin that just came out - ideally something between this and that, please?
September 7, 2025
4.25 stars. i know a lot of james baldwin from his work as an author and civil rights activist, but found that this exploration of his work and life so refreshing. colm toibin is also an incredible writer and this book was basically him fangirling over our favourite author. an absolute gem, but maybe not for starter fans of james baldwin.
Read
January 3, 2025Not quite a memoir, not quite literary criticism, but in the way of Baldwin’s own The Devil Finds Work also kind of both. Each informs the other.
Tóibín is an insightful reader and a precise writer. I’ll always value these insights on reading, fiction and art from one author to another.
Tóibín is an insightful reader and a precise writer. I’ll always value these insights on reading, fiction and art from one author to another.
March 24, 2025
Absolutely gorgeous analyses and I found myself moving so slowly over the 120ish pages just to underline phrases and observations. Makes me want to re-read all the Baldwin I have and I of course, also just find Colm Tóbín’s writing really mesmerising.
June 13, 2025
reading JB
What a brilliant collection of lectures or essays on and about the first serious writer I ever read who examined in his novels and non-fiction writing the lives and existence of Black African-Americans. As explained by the great Irish writer - Colm Toibin.
What a brilliant collection of lectures or essays on and about the first serious writer I ever read who examined in his novels and non-fiction writing the lives and existence of Black African-Americans. As explained by the great Irish writer - Colm Toibin.
July 14, 2025
Tóibín explores how Baldwin and other writers grapple with what it means to be human, the concept of not having a place where one belongs, and the effects of generational trauma and suffering.
"The Pitch of Passion"
"Crying Holy"
"Paris, Harlem"
"The Pitch of Passion"
"Crying Holy"
"Paris, Harlem"
October 26, 2025
This is a well written and thorough literary critique of Baldwin’s work. The author went too deeply into other writers (Richard Wright, Henry James, James Joyce, Saul Bellow, Joan Didian, and even Joyce Carol Oats) for what I wanted.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 42 reviews