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A review by helenmcclory
James Baldwin: Early Novels & Stories by James Baldwin
A short book that felt very, very long.
I am sure this is an important book in the queer canon. But I found it so hard to read because it is full of loathing for non-masculine people (across the genders). Full of 'jokes' about hitting women. David looking at queer men in horror. Ropey characterisation of women. Hella in particular is unconvincing when she says 'making babies' is all she is good for. Urgh. Some of that may not have been Baldwin's viewpoints, true, but it keeps coming and coming in different forms that all boil down to the fear of the feminine as the motivator of action. I suppose I could deal with that if the writing were less purple, the dialogue less leaden. But I couldn't. I barely made it through the 149 pages this takes up.
I am sure this is an important book in the queer canon. But I found it so hard to read because it is full of loathing for non-masculine people (across the genders). Full of 'jokes' about hitting women. David looking at queer men in horror. Ropey characterisation of women. Hella in particular is unconvincing when she says 'making babies' is all she is good for. Urgh. Some of that may not have been Baldwin's viewpoints, true, but it keeps coming and coming in different forms that all boil down to the fear of the feminine as the motivator of action. I suppose I could deal with that if the writing were less purple, the dialogue less leaden. But I couldn't. I barely made it through the 149 pages this takes up.