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The Quality of Hurt: The Early Years, the Autobiography of Chester Himes
Offers a look at the author's early life in the Black ghetto and his later literary success
360 pages, Paperback
First published February 1, 1997
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About the author
Chester Himes
129 books490 followersChester Bomar Himes began writing in the early 1930s while serving a prison sentence for armed robbery. From there, he produced short stories for periodicals such as Esquire and Abbott's Monthly. When released, he focussed on semi-autobiographical protest novels.
In 1953, Himes emigrated to France, where he was approached by Marcel Duhamel of Gallimard to write a detective series for Série Noire, which had published works from the likes of Raymond Chandler, Dashiell Hammett and Jim Thompson. Himes would be the first black author included in the series. The resulting Harlem Cycle gained him celebrity when he won France's Grand Prix de Littérature Policière for La Reine des Pommes (now known in English as A Rage in Harlem) in 1958. Three of these novels have been adapted into movies: Cotton Comes to Harlem, directed by Ossie Davis in 1970; Come Back, Charleston Blue (based on The Heat's On) in 1972; and A Rage in Harlem, starring Gregory Hines and Danny Glover in 1991.
In 1968, Himes moved to Spain where he made his home until his death.
In 1953, Himes emigrated to France, where he was approached by Marcel Duhamel of Gallimard to write a detective series for Série Noire, which had published works from the likes of Raymond Chandler, Dashiell Hammett and Jim Thompson. Himes would be the first black author included in the series. The resulting Harlem Cycle gained him celebrity when he won France's Grand Prix de Littérature Policière for La Reine des Pommes (now known in English as A Rage in Harlem) in 1958. Three of these novels have been adapted into movies: Cotton Comes to Harlem, directed by Ossie Davis in 1970; Come Back, Charleston Blue (based on The Heat's On) in 1972; and A Rage in Harlem, starring Gregory Hines and Danny Glover in 1991.
In 1968, Himes moved to Spain where he made his home until his death.
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
January 18, 2023
“My feelings are too intense. I hate too bitterly, I love too exaltingly, I pity too extravagantly, I hurt too painfully. We American blacks call that “soul”.”
Chester Himes is known for his Harlem crime thriller series, but as a writer he was capable of much more. “The Quality of Hurt” is the first installment of his autobiography.
Himes was a good student but got kicked out of school. Working as a bellhop he was badly injured falling down an elevator shaft and refused treatment at an all white hospital. He turned to crime and ended up in the Ohio penitentiary for armed robbery. His criminal career is written up in a suspenseful style in this book, I was on edge waiting for his arrest to finally happen. In prison Himes started to write stories full of biting social commentary and on his release he committed to becoming a serious writer. His literary novels are not easy to come by these days - unless you specifically order a paperback online - I've only read “Lonely Crusade” about a black union worker, Lee Gordon. Himes gives us a grim vision of communists, unionists and industry bosses on the US West Coast during World War Two. Lee Gordon is the victim of racism and backstabbing, and you can feel Himes's anger in the way he writes. Some have called “Lonely Crusade”, which also deals with antisemitism, a Dostoevskyian work. Himes's novels never really took off and he was always broke, he writes about the lead up to the release of various novels and then the bitter disappointment when they weren't given the attention he was hoping for. In Los Angeles, where he worked as a script writer, he found a city so racist that he gave up on the United States and moved to France. The first part of “The Quality of Hurt” that deals with Himes's life in America is gripping. Unfortunately he skips over his prison experience.
Once in France the book loses pace. There are a string of problems with his white girlfriends caused by racial tensions but also Himes's violent temper and alcoholism. He certainly does not try to make himself out to be a hero. He has serious money problems until a French editor suggests he write pulp novels about black characters in Harlem - a place Himes had never been. The thing was he could write - and his pulp novels starting with "A Rage in Harlem" took off. It’s interesting when a literary writer like Himes turns to pulp to make money, Yukio Mishima's "Life for Sale" is another example I recently came across - the results in both cases were thrilling page turners with some quirky depths.
Himes's bitter life in America inspired some excellent raw writing, but his European experience with other boozy expats was nothing original. His relationships with other more successful black writers like James Baldwin were complicated, largely because Himes knew that he was being willfully ignored at times. At the end of "The Quality of Hurt" Himes is in his forties and the second part of his autobiography "My Life of Absurdity" accounts for his later life as an expat writer in Spain - I can't say I want to read it. However, I'm looking forward to reading more of Himes's fiction, both his crime thrillers of which I’ve read four or five, and his more ambitious literary novels. I’m surprised he is not more well known.
Chester Himes is known for his Harlem crime thriller series, but as a writer he was capable of much more. “The Quality of Hurt” is the first installment of his autobiography.
Himes was a good student but got kicked out of school. Working as a bellhop he was badly injured falling down an elevator shaft and refused treatment at an all white hospital. He turned to crime and ended up in the Ohio penitentiary for armed robbery. His criminal career is written up in a suspenseful style in this book, I was on edge waiting for his arrest to finally happen. In prison Himes started to write stories full of biting social commentary and on his release he committed to becoming a serious writer. His literary novels are not easy to come by these days - unless you specifically order a paperback online - I've only read “Lonely Crusade” about a black union worker, Lee Gordon. Himes gives us a grim vision of communists, unionists and industry bosses on the US West Coast during World War Two. Lee Gordon is the victim of racism and backstabbing, and you can feel Himes's anger in the way he writes. Some have called “Lonely Crusade”, which also deals with antisemitism, a Dostoevskyian work. Himes's novels never really took off and he was always broke, he writes about the lead up to the release of various novels and then the bitter disappointment when they weren't given the attention he was hoping for. In Los Angeles, where he worked as a script writer, he found a city so racist that he gave up on the United States and moved to France. The first part of “The Quality of Hurt” that deals with Himes's life in America is gripping. Unfortunately he skips over his prison experience.
Once in France the book loses pace. There are a string of problems with his white girlfriends caused by racial tensions but also Himes's violent temper and alcoholism. He certainly does not try to make himself out to be a hero. He has serious money problems until a French editor suggests he write pulp novels about black characters in Harlem - a place Himes had never been. The thing was he could write - and his pulp novels starting with "A Rage in Harlem" took off. It’s interesting when a literary writer like Himes turns to pulp to make money, Yukio Mishima's "Life for Sale" is another example I recently came across - the results in both cases were thrilling page turners with some quirky depths.
Himes's bitter life in America inspired some excellent raw writing, but his European experience with other boozy expats was nothing original. His relationships with other more successful black writers like James Baldwin were complicated, largely because Himes knew that he was being willfully ignored at times. At the end of "The Quality of Hurt" Himes is in his forties and the second part of his autobiography "My Life of Absurdity" accounts for his later life as an expat writer in Spain - I can't say I want to read it. However, I'm looking forward to reading more of Himes's fiction, both his crime thrillers of which I’ve read four or five, and his more ambitious literary novels. I’m surprised he is not more well known.
May 26, 2011
Hime's autobiography is honest, hard boiled, fascinating. One of the better autobiographies out there.
April 6, 2020
Deeply conflicted about this book but still it was such an amazing book!! Want to read more of his work.
Long review
Long review
August 5, 2023
Mr. Himes is a very interesting person! Great read for anyone that is interested in learning about Chester Himes.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews