Born in Harlem in 1924, Baldwin had an early career as a teenage preacher. He lived in Paris from 1948-1956 and his first novels, the autobiographical GO TELL IT ON THE MOUNTAIN and GIOVANNI'S ROOM established him as a promising novelist and anticipated some of the themes of his later works, such as racism and sexuality. He became a prominent spokesperson for racial equality, especially during the civil rights movement. He lived in France during his last years. Baldwin died in 1987.
Like many debuts, it’s autobiographical, which may explain why
Baldwin was so good at rendering a child’s thoughts with adult
intelligence, but without losing their raw power — right up to the
chilling, Orwellian ending
*The Times*
It broke my heart and made me want to jump up and down... It
captures an essential aspect of life in America, its contradictions
and seductions, that bittersweet mix of love and hate that so many
feel towards the country
*Independent*
His prose hit me, almost winding me with its intensity. I'd never
read a novel that described loneliness and desire with such burning
eloquence
*Guardian*
Vivid imagery, with lavish attention to details
*The New York Times*
A beautiful, enduring, spiritual song of a novel
*Andrew O'Hagan*
One of the few essential novelists of our time
*New Statesman*
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