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applesaucecreachur 's review for:
The Fire Next Time
by James Baldwin
challenging
reflective
medium-paced
The Fire Next Time was my first book by James Baldwin after years of hearing interviews and reading quotes attributed to him in the civil rights movement. Similar to bell hooks, his words are powerful without much fluff, requiring the reader to cling to each one; I was worried for this reason that comprehending this book would take a slow and concerted effort, with many stops and starts. I blazed through it in under a week. This is not because his language was simple or messages were always straightforward, but rather, because he has a unique way of writing that felt like climbing into a minecart each time I picked up the book: Starting was creaky and required some backtracking to build momentum. But with momentum and a bit of blind faith, I found myself shooting off into dips and climbs that felt dangerous and disorienting and utterly exhilarating. This being a letter to his nephew and an essay, Baldwin did not accomplish this through gratuitous plot twists or cliff hangers. It was all thanks to a marriage of his pure talent with the essential exploration of race in the U.S.
Other than with bell hooks, I will not draw comparisons between Baldwin and his contemporaries and fellow Black liberation scholars and fighters (although it was fascinating to see how his story overlapped with Malcom X's). Baldwin's writing simply holds its own in a powerful section of history's library with how it leans unflinching on love to carry its message. Whether pointing a spotlight at white racism, grieving for Harlem's lost Black youth, or placing Africa in its rightful place alongside the other continents and world powers, Baldwin leads with love. This was hardly an easy read, but it was a beautiful and necessary one.
Other than with bell hooks, I will not draw comparisons between Baldwin and his contemporaries and fellow Black liberation scholars and fighters (although it was fascinating to see how his story overlapped with Malcom X's). Baldwin's writing simply holds its own in a powerful section of history's library with how it leans unflinching on love to carry its message. Whether pointing a spotlight at white racism, grieving for Harlem's lost Black youth, or placing Africa in its rightful place alongside the other continents and world powers, Baldwin leads with love. This was hardly an easy read, but it was a beautiful and necessary one.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism
Moderate: Slavery, Police brutality
Minor: Rape, Sexual violence