"There's no way not to suffer. But you try all kinds of ways to keep from drowning in it." The men and women of eight short stories grasp the aforesaid truth on an elemental level, and their tales, as told by James Baldwin, detail the ingenious and often desperate ways in which they try to keep their heads above water. With characters ranging from a jazz pianist and his heroin addiction, to a redneck deputy scarred by his childhood vision of a lynch mob in action, Baldwin's stories are haunting, heartbreaking, and horrifying, vivifying Baldwin's uncanny knowledge of the wounds racism has left in both its victims and its perpetrators.
The Rockpile

The Outing

The Man Child

Previous Condition

Sonny's Blues

This Morning, This Evening, So Soon

Come Out the Wilderness

Going to Meet the Man
James Baldwin (1924–1987) was a novelist, essayist, playwright, poet, and social critic. His first novel, Go Tell It on the Mountain, appeared in 1953 to excellent reviews, and his essay collections Notes of a Native Son and The Fire Next Time were bestsellers that made him an influential figure in the growing civil rights movement. Baldwin spent much of his life in France, where he moved to escape the racism and homophobia of the United States. He died in France in 1987, a year after being made a Commander of the French Legion of Honor. View titles by James Baldwin

About

"There's no way not to suffer. But you try all kinds of ways to keep from drowning in it." The men and women of eight short stories grasp the aforesaid truth on an elemental level, and their tales, as told by James Baldwin, detail the ingenious and often desperate ways in which they try to keep their heads above water. With characters ranging from a jazz pianist and his heroin addiction, to a redneck deputy scarred by his childhood vision of a lynch mob in action, Baldwin's stories are haunting, heartbreaking, and horrifying, vivifying Baldwin's uncanny knowledge of the wounds racism has left in both its victims and its perpetrators.

Table of Contents

The Rockpile

The Outing

The Man Child

Previous Condition

Sonny's Blues

This Morning, This Evening, So Soon

Come Out the Wilderness

Going to Meet the Man

Author

James Baldwin (1924–1987) was a novelist, essayist, playwright, poet, and social critic. His first novel, Go Tell It on the Mountain, appeared in 1953 to excellent reviews, and his essay collections Notes of a Native Son and The Fire Next Time were bestsellers that made him an influential figure in the growing civil rights movement. Baldwin spent much of his life in France, where he moved to escape the racism and homophobia of the United States. He died in France in 1987, a year after being made a Commander of the French Legion of Honor. View titles by James Baldwin

Books for Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander Heritage Month

Every May we celebrate the rich history and culture of Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders. Browse a curated selection of fiction and nonfiction books by AANHPI creators that we think your students will love. Find our full collection of titles for Higher Education here.

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