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jwells's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
We should be mentioning James Baldwin every time someone makes a list of the great American writers. He's so wise and compassionate, so insightful and so eloquent. I only wish this book wasn't still so fresh and relevant as it was when it was written.
As an aside, I almost died when he was talking to the kid from the separatist movement.
Baldwin: So, when all the black people move out of the U.S., and form a new Black Muslim country, what will the economy of this new Black Muslim country be based on? Is there a plan for that?
The kid: *blank stare*
(Apparently no one but Baldwin thought to ask about that kind of thing...) LOL
As an aside, I almost died when he was talking to the kid from the separatist movement.
Baldwin: So, when all the black people move out of the U.S., and form a new Black Muslim country, what will the economy of this new Black Muslim country be based on? Is there a plan for that?
The kid: *blank stare*
(Apparently no one but Baldwin thought to ask about that kind of thing...) LOL
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism
Minor: Alcoholism, Police brutality, War, Addiction, Drug abuse, Rape, and Slavery
I feel like we need two tags for racism, sometimes. One for a book that is racist, and another for a book that sensitively discusses racism from the perspective of a person of color trying to educate. This is the latter. It describes racism in a way that is uncomfortable to read, but it's an absolute classic for a reason.theuncannydani's review against another edition
challenging
informative
inspiring
reflective
slow-paced
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism, Islamophobia, and Racial slurs
Moderate: Police brutality, Acephobia/Arophobia, and Religious bigotry
Minor: Child abuse, Alcoholism, Colonisation, Slavery, Drug abuse, Hate crime, and Trafficking
samchase112's review against another edition
challenging
dark
medium-paced
4.5
If we--and now I mean the relatively conscious whites and the relatively conscious blacks, who must, like lovers, insist on, or create, the consciousness of the others--do not falter in our duty now, we may be able, handful that we are, to end the racial nightmare, and achieve our country, and change the history of the world. If we do not now dare everything, the fulfillment of that prophecy, re-created from the Bible in song by a slave, is upon us: "God gave Noah the rainbow sign, No more water, the fire next time!"
James Baldwin's essay is a masterpiece, and should absolutely be read by every American. The personal, intelligent nature of his prose is incredibly powerful. There is really no describing this book; it must be experienced.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism and Violence
Moderate: Slavery
Minor: Drug abuse, Alcoholism, and Child abuse
lowri_'s review against another edition
5.0
“Life is tragic simply because the earth turns and the sun inexorably rises and sets, and one day, for each of us, the sun will go down for the last, last time. Perhaps the whole root of our trouble, the human trouble, is that we will sacrifice all the beauty of our lives, will imprison ourselves in totems, taboos, crosses, blood sacrifices, steeples, mosques, races, armies, flags, nations, in order to deny the fact of death, the only fact we have. It seems to me that one ought to rejoice in the fact of death--ought to decide, indeed, to earn one's death by confronting with passion the conundrum of life. One is responsible for life: It is the small beacon in that terrifying darkness from which we come and to which we shall return.“
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism and Hate crime
Moderate: Drug abuse
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