Welcome to Litsy!

Found at the library. It doesn't seem to add anything to the film, but the film is good, and therefore, so is the book.

Watched this documentary last night and then finished the last few pages of this book. Both so good - highly recommend. I need to go back and re-read more Baldwin. My 50+ self, who has now witnessed so much of the continued racial strife in this country, was taking in his words in a more visceral way and with deeper understanding than did my college aged self who first read his words in the '80s.

“History is not the past
It is the present.“

In June 1979, acclaimed author James Baldwin commits to a complex endeavor: tell his story of America through the lives of three murdered friends:

Medgar Evers
Martin Luther King Jr
Malcolm X

Baldwin never got past his 30 pages of notes entitled: Remember This House

#FirstLineFridays

I saw the documentary with the same name some years ago and it left an impression on me. So when I saw this book based on that, I had to have it.

Baldwin planed to write a book about Medgar Evers, Malcom X. and Martin Luther King Jr. Baldwin died before he was able to complete it and this is based on his notes.

There‘s some powerful quotes in here both by him and from movies.

The saddest thing is that not much has changed.

#AuthorAMonth

The book is a transcript of the narration of Raoul Peck's film, based on the words of James Baldwin, and revolving around Baldwin's final, unfinished project: An exploration of the connections between the lives and works of his three murdered friends, Medgar Evers, Malcolm X and Martin Luther King.
I can only imagine the bitter tears of grief and rage these four would shed at the present state of the US and the world at large.
#BLM

“To look around the United States today is enough to make prophets and angels weep.
This is not the land of the free;
it is only sporadically the home of the brave.”

"When the Israelis pick up guns, or the Poles, or the Irish, or any white man in the world says "give me liberty, or give me death," the entire white world applauds. When a black man says exactly the same thing, word for word, he is judged a criminal and treated like one and everything possible is done to make an example of this bad n*****, so there won't be any more like him."

"The question is really a kind of apathy and ignorance, which is the price we pay for segregation. That‘s what segregation means. You don‘t know what‘s happening on the other side of the wall, because you don‘t want to know."

“One of the first principles of nonviolence is a willingness to be the recipient of violence, while never inflicting violence on another.”

Martin Luther King Jr. responding to Malcolm X's comment that King's nonviolent approach to protesting civil rights made him a modern Uncle Tom, persuading Black people to keep themselves defenceless in the face of brutal oppression.

I read the book first, but it‘s really a companion to the film. I highly recommend watching, then reading.

Baldwin envisioned writing his story of America through the lives and deaths of his murdered friends: Medgar Evers, Malcolm X, and Martin Luther King Jr. While he never finished it, Peck‘s documentary draws on Baldwin‘s writings and interviews. The book is good. The documentary is phenomenal. You should watch it.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️book
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️film

I Watched "I Am Not Your Negro" and it was very eye-opening for me. I do now realize how oblivious I've been to the hardships and sufferings of others. A heartbreaking documentary, but a very educational one!

Empathy can be a very painful experience, but it is absolutely necessary. If everyone could feel and understand the pain others are going through and try to relieve it, eventually the world would stop hurting so much.

#BlackLivesMatter ?

This book is basically the notes, essays, letters etc etc that James Baldwin had planned to pull together for his book 'Remember this House' which remained unfinished at the time of his death.
See my full review gere:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2877565514?book_show_action=false&from_rev...

This falls under "something I was not looking for" as I basically picked this up on a whim whilst on a hunt for something to read as I had forgotten to pack a book in my handbag (even though I have loads on unread books. ??)
#nonfiction2019

This book ended up on my bookshelf owing to the fact that I was out one day, and then realised I didn't have a book in my bag with some time to kill. Stopped at a nearby bookshop and managed to find this.
Am in a bit of a reading slump recently so these short notes may be a good way of eating back into reading.

Tried something a little different by re-watching the movie, I Am Not Your Negro (text/script from James Baldwin's work & directed by Raoul Peck) or reading the book.
📚
The first time I watched the book, I loved it but wanted to go back and read the text. This experiment allowed me to do that. While also enjoying the imagery of the movie.
📚
Baldwin was an oracle. #thatsall

Happy Birthday, James Baldwin!

Book nr 6

Saw this documentary a year ago and was completely blown away. I had no idea it was also a book. So of course I had to have it.

Incisive and ruthless, this book perfectly illustrates Mr. Baldwin's incredible voice. Though to me it feels more like an addendum to the documentary with the same name, the terrible realities still unravel through Mr. Baldwin's clear prose, his thoughts impeccable in their actuality. Had he finished the manuscript to "Remember This House", I think the literary world would've gained a masterpiece.

Working on my knowledge of the Civil Rights Movement

My haul from the second Liverpool Anarchist Bookfair 📚😊📚

I am saying that a journey is called that because you cannot know what you will discover on the journey, what you will do with what you find, or what you find will do to you.

So this is on PBS. I missed the first 15 minutes. So powerful.

Sadly I think there are people who feel@this way today. How little progress we‘ve made. 💔

Because you don't want to.

A wonderful read, but saddening at the same time. It is overwhelming that no matter how things may change, they always stay the same. A read that is as necessary today as when the essays were originally written. Looking forward to watching the documentary tonight.

Current read. So important in our current world and culture.

One of the times you can say that the movie was better. Mainly because the documentary gets to use actual footage of Baldwin who is AMAZING to listen to. I would actually subscribe to his podcast if he had one. And were still alive.

I was disappointed in this book at first, because it starts with background on how the film was made, and I wasn't that interested in that. But then it gets to the material written by James Baldwin. Amazing, incisive - there are not enough positive words for Baldwin's comments on race in America. I cannot WAIT until I can stream this documentary somewhere. I'm also ready to do a deep dive into Baldwin's writing. Short but excellent read.

The story of the Negro in America
is the story of America.
It is not a pretty story.

A bunch of library holds came in on Overdrive! I'm going to have to adjust my May reading plans to get all these finished on time.

I started reading this around 11 last night and finished some time after midnight. I loved the insight into the film's creation, and while I haven't yet seen it, think I will get more out of the film having read the script and text. I'll probably pick this one up again.

I saw this last night at the local theatre and whoa, Litsy! I recommend it 1000% as soon as you gals and guys can see it. Very powerful, very very good. I learned things.

I. Am. Still. Learning. Things. 🙋🏻

And I want to read more by James Baldwin.

This was in my paper this morning, for the love of an editor. Sigh. 🙄

Oh my goodness, does this make you hot for James Baldwin. If you haven't read him, you'll want to read him. If you have read him, you'll want to re-read him. His words (his message) remains profound and timely.

I Am Not Your Negro is a newly released documentary apparently viewable in select venues. I am patiently waiting. In the meantime, I read the book which is a how-and-why-I-did-it statement by Raoul Peck with several snippets of words from television appearances made by James Baldwin and essays written by him.

I just got back from seeing this film, based in part on the notes for a book Baldwin intended to write, and including much archival footage of him speaking. It was stunning and moving and powerful and many other wonderful things--go see it if at all possible. I'm going to go read Giovanni's Room ASAP.

This was so, so good. Seriously, if you can see it - do.

GO SEE THIS FILM. Stunning. His writing is as timely now as it was then.

Here are some quotes. Trigger warning.

"But the future of the Negro in this country is precisely as bright or as dark as the future of the country."

"What white people have to do, is try and find out in their own hearts why it was necessary to have a n***** in the first place, because I'm not a n*****, I'm a man, but if you think I'm a n*****, it means you need it."