It's a little hard for me to recall how I felt after I finished Giovanni's room for example (as I first read the book back in high school) but I can kind of remember feeling a big swirl of emotions in me afterward.
It's a little hard for me to recall how I felt after I finished Giovanni's room for example (as I first read the book back in high school) but I can kind of remember feeling a big swirl of emotions in me afterward.
He was an incredible writer. I would say definitely read 'Another Country' as it is just so brutal and beautiful at the same time.
He truly was. I remember walking away from Giovanni's room as a teen misty eyed. He was such a talented man.
Loved Giovanni’s room. Slightly separate , but Swimming in the dark is a book about a queer boy growing up in Soviet Union Poland in the 60s, and he reads Giovanni’s room and has a relationship with the book which was banned by the communist party
Came here to comment "Swimming in the Dark." its a must read.
Baldwin was one of the unsung literary heroes of the 20th century and Giovanni's Room was (and still is) one of his best works.
I read that first. And some others. Go Tell It On The Mountain is devastating. It was a very hard read for thewhite young man I was when I read it. It’s heartbreakingly honest. He pulls no punches. It opened my eyes to the true America, which we’re currently seeing again and more openly racist. His writing is sublime.
Such a good book! Imo its essential reading
I just realized I never read a gay book except maybe the Dorian Gray one
Read Giovanni's room! It's a great read, and by a Gay man!
YOu owe it to yourself to read Giovanni's Room
It's beautiful and devastating, without trying to be.
Read it last week. I read a lot of books, especially gay lit, and this one was one of the few times I had to stare out my window after reading it. It's so devastating and heartbreaking and lyrical and beautiful.
Incredible book by an incredible man.
I’ve read some of his essays and I was horrified by how hateful and jealous he was. Baldwin reminded me of Larry Kramer, whining about all the hot guys who weren’t interested in him. The kind of toxic pity party gay friend that you quickly learn to drop in real life.