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4.61 AVERAGE
4.61 AVERAGE
This was my first Baldwin book that I actually discovered through "The Black Panther Pary: A Graphic Novel History". Baldwin's observation of the times during and surrounding the civil rights era is powerful. He examines how black Americans can escape oppression and how some of the thoughts of freedom are flawed. Ultimately concluding that "color is a political reality" and in the west, any color other than white is not the priority. I haven't read a book quite like this one before and was able to take many nuggets from it.
Ultimately I agreed with Baldwin's observations but I also got a sense of what it was like during those times as many black Americans sought equality and how that stands against the efforts being made now. Have we finally come to see the political reality of color? By we, I mean Black Americans. Have white Americans made any progress when it comes to understanding the effects of slavery?
The answer of course is not nearly as much as we probably should. By we, I mean Americans. There is still a disassociation between the race issue and politics.
Ultimately I agreed with Baldwin's observations but I also got a sense of what it was like during those times as many black Americans sought equality and how that stands against the efforts being made now. Have we finally come to see the political reality of color? By we, I mean Black Americans. Have white Americans made any progress when it comes to understanding the effects of slavery?
The answer of course is not nearly as much as we probably should. By we, I mean Americans. There is still a disassociation between the race issue and politics.
challenging
informative
inspiring
reflective
slow-paced
2 essays
challenging
emotional
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inspiring
reflective
fast-paced
This was by far an incredibly perceptive book on challenges that are extremely present even today. James Baldwin 👏🏼
informative
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fast-paced
challenging
emotional
informative
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sad
medium-paced
informative
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"The glorification of one race and the consequent debasement of another—or others—always has been and always will be a recipe for murder. "
One of most beautiful and poignant essays I've read in my life so far. Love seems to be the aspect that James Baldwin promoted the most in his essays, for he wrote to his nephew:
"We have not stopped trembling yet, but if we had not loved each other none of us would have survived. And now you must survive because we love you, and for the sake of your children and your children’s children."
To love oneself and to love others, regardless of their skin color, or religion. In his second essay he questioned the values of both Christianity in which he was raised in, and Islam in which he heard about it from the rallies of Elijah Muhammad. James Baldwin seems to be discussing the impact of religion and how it shapes one's view on politics and race and criticizes the hatred one hold for a specific race, which I fully agree with because just as he said "perseverance has no color".
However, I wish that anyone who is curious about Islam and it values to not take what Elijah said as a fact. Because Islam forbids racism of all kinds and there's is no difference between one race or another, and there's no such thing as calling white people the devils.
However, I wish that anyone who is curious about Islam and it values to not take what Elijah said as a fact. Because Islam forbids racism of all kinds and there's is no difference between one race or another, and there's no such thing as calling white people the devils.
informative
reflective
slow-paced
informative
reflective
medium-paced
emotional
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
inspiring
reflective
slow-paced
Baldwin’s writing style is exceptionally punchy, but still beautiful. Listening to his stories through his lens, while also sharing his thoughts on race and class, was really excellent. I won’t lie, I think because it was on audiobook, I got a little lost in the sauce in the middle when he got really in the weeds on theory.