Welcome to Litsy!

This book actually contains four interviews conducted between 1967 and 1987. He speaks of race and sexuality, literature, politics, and his friendship with Miles Davis. The “last” was conducted at Baldwin‘s home in France 🇫🇷, (where he found love and solace in his later years) because he was ill and failing. There is just no one like him and never will be. Truly brilliant 😓

#authoramonth2021 #bookspinbingo

@Helen19 shared this article about James Baldwin‘s books. He‘s our #AuthorAMonth for July 2021.

https://www.penguin.co.uk/articles/2021/january/where-to-start-with-james-baldwi...

Love everything about this article - books, culture, food, radicalism .... 👍🏼

https://www.theparisreview.org/blog/2020/12/04/cooking-with-james-baldwin/

The country doesn't know what it has done to Negroes. And the country has no notion whatsoever — and this is disastrous — of what it has done to itself. North and South have yet to assess the price the pay for keeping the Negro in his place; and, to my point of view, it shows in every single level of our lives, from the most public to the most private.

Today's reading.

Superb book, and a great intro to Baldwin's ideas. The book starts off with a striking interview by Studs Terkel from 1961, and ends with his last interview from 1987. Baldwin said, "The country doesn‘t know what it has done to Negroes. And the country has no notion whatever—and this is disastrous—of what it has done to itself." Highly recommended!

Best advice I ever got was from an old friend of mine, a black friend, who said you have to go the way your blood beats. If you don't live the only life you have, you won't live some other life, you won't live any life at all. That's the only advice you can give anybody.

The only Baldwin I've read so far is The Fire Next Time, so it was interesting getting a wider range of his thoughts and opinions. Definitely has given me much more to think about.

Another day another #bookmail. Two men I admire greatly. And those covers, I want the whole set!