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Notes of a Native Son
Notes of a Native Son | James Baldwin
A new edition published on the twenty-fifth anniversary of Baldwins death, including a new introduction by an important contemporary writer Since its original publication in 1955, this first nonfiction collection of essays by James Baldwin remains an American classic. His impassioned essays on life in Harlem, the protest novel, movies, and African Americans abroad are as powerful today as when they were first written. A straight-from-the-shoulder writer, writing about the troubled problems of this troubled earth with an illuminating intensity. Langston Hughes, The New York Times Book Review Written with bitter clarity and uncommon grace. TimeFrom the Trade Paperback edition.
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danicapage
Notes of a Native Son | James Baldwin
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4 stars

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Robotswithpersonality
Notes of a Native Son | James Baldwin
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Incredible writing. Eloquent, acerbic and personal. Essays on everything from art (film and literature), journalism to religion to the relationship with his father, to the French justice system, through the lens of experience as a Black American man, at home and abroad, which necessarily means discussing the effect of systemic racism, white supremacy, and specific nationality on all aspects of life in the 1950s.

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catiewithac
Notes of a Native Son | James Baldwin
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Essential read for humanity! This was the best book I read in 2021. It made it onto my tiny “bug-out” pile of books to grab in an emergency. The title essay is maybe the best piece of writing I‘ve read ever. Perfection! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

BarbaraBB Such a recommendation! Thanks for putting this on my radar! 3y
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rsteve388
Notes of a Native Son | James Baldwin
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Baldwin, is always so thought provoking in his writing. I didn't like the narrator for this audiobook, but found what Baldwin had to say spot on and applicable to today's United States.

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rsteve388
Notes of a Native Son | James Baldwin
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Look what showed up! What nice handwriting you have @aroc

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Caterina
Notes of a Native Son | James Baldwin
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Here are my final results for #BookSpinBingo! I finished 5 books in August. I didn't get to my #BookSpin at all (maybe next month I will - I'm keeping it on my list!) and I met my goal with my #DoubleSpin (reading half of the tagged). I had two 5 star reads: A Psalm for the Wild-Built and You Are Your Best Thing, and I think the tagged will be 5 stars too! Good month. ❤ #AugustWrapUp @TheAromaOfBooks

TheAromaofBooks Woohoo!! Fantastic month!!! 3y
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Caterina
Notes of a Native Son | James Baldwin
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#BookSpinBingo really said “Continue your James Baldwin kick that began with #AuthorAMonth, Katie!“ and I shall listen. Both my #BookSpin and my #DoubleSpin numbers are .5 of their respective books, because my brain is tired and I read Baldwin's essays very slowly. 😅 @TheAromaofBooks

TheAromaofBooks Yay!!! Looks great!! 3y
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Riveted_Reader_Melissa
Notes of a Native Son | James Baldwin
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Such a great collection of essays. If the first three don‘t grab you because he talks about other books & movies, stick with it. Even though I did not have all those reference points (I still haven‘t read Uncle Tom‘s Cabin) there is some great analysis on how Blacks were and are portrayed by society. The rest of the essays are brilliant, many still very timely. Not only did they shine more info on other stories of his I read this month, ⤵️

Riveted_Reader_Melissa ↪️ a few were highly demonstrative of a certain time and place… the singing tour in the south, that NJ was the south, and Paris bureaucracy were all so vividly portrayed for me. 3y
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Skygoddess1
Notes of a Native Son | James Baldwin
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I thoroughly enjoyed this particular Baldwin book and his examination of the ways Blacks are presented in America (from film to literature) to his interactions with white Parisians. This is definitely a book I plan on buying a physical copy of in order to annotate as there were so many things he said that I want to ensure I make note of. #AuthorAMonth #BookspinBingo

TheAromaofBooks Woohoo!! 3y
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Butterfinger
Notes of a Native Son | James Baldwin
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Completely hypnotized by Baldwin's lyrical writing. Each #essay was gut-wrenching with his brutal honesty and truth. I understand Go Tell It On the Mountain a little bit more. Why believe in the Father if your own father acts the way he does? James Baldwin was brilliant.

#Nonfiction2021 @Riveted_Reader_Melissa something about reading. Baldwin mentions several books and minority written newspapers.

#Booked2021 #antiracism

#BBRC @LibrarianRyan

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Eggs
Notes of a Native Son | James Baldwin
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Look how young he is! Baldwin wrote this when he was only in his twenties. He was able to capture an eloquent view of black thought and black life, at the dawn of social upheaval and the long civil rights movement of late 1950s-early 60s.
#authoramonth2021 @Soubhiville
#bookspinbingo @TheAromaofBooks

Suet624 A brilliant and brave man. 💕💕 3y
Eggs Agreed🙌🏻 @Suet624 3y
TheAromaofBooks Woohoo!! 3y
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ChaoticMissAdventures
Notes of a Native Son | James Baldwin
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#bookspin one down! 2 to go because I missed my double last month.

Baldwin was such a force. I am moving and this was a great meditation for listening and painting. You cannot absorb any Baldwin all at once so I will need to read it again.

#bookspin @TheAromaofBooks #tbrpile

TheAromaofBooks Woohoo!! 4y
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parasolofdoom
Notes of a Native Son | James Baldwin
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Pensive, shrewd, and still pertinent collection that belongs any list of the American canon.

Full review https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/3145311462

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parasolofdoom
Notes of a Native Son | James Baldwin
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This afternoon's listen

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Billypar
Notes of a Native Son | James Baldwin
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Excellent collection of essays. It's easy to understand the fame of the title essay, in which Baldwin reflects on his recently deceased father's life and their relationship. He is equally good at presenting lengthy, well-reasoned arguments and in providing lyrical descriptions of past events from his life. A lot of essays seem to be better at one or the other, but it's rare to find both working so well together.

Cathythoughts Brilliant photo 5y
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Emilymdxn
Notes of a Native Son | James Baldwin
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James Baldwin cementing my opinion that he‘s on of the greatest writers ever. Maybe I slightly prefer his fiction to his nonfiction but that‘s a tiny nitpick with a phenomenal book. He makes quite dry, specific topics deeply emotional and powerful. His writing about his relationship with his father and his experiences in Paris will stay with me forever. I want to read every word he‘s ever written.

Graywacke Those two essays are brilliant. 5y
RaimeyGallant He's on my tbr! 5y
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Emilymdxn
Notes of a Native Son | James Baldwin
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After an unpleasant lunchtime doing increasingly frightening sums with my next month‘s budget, I‘m trying to focus on feeling calm and grateful for things that are going better than my bank balance situation, like getting a short walk in the sun in for my #bookfitnesschallenge and being able to eat my lunch in the sun with a book by one of my all time favourite authors. I might be starting a hard month but at least it‘s reading outdoors weather!

Chrissyreadit Ditto. Summer tuition kicked my balance big time. 5y
BookwormAHN Hang on there. The summer months aren't great financially for me either 🌺 5y
wanderinglynn Praying for you that things get better soon. 💜 5y
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TheSpineView Wishing you better days ahead. 5y
JamieArc Difficult financial times make me forever grateful for libraries. Wishing for things to look up for you... 5y
Tamra 💚 Hang in there with the library! 5y
alisiakae Sending positive vibes for the hard month ahead. 💜 5y
Caterina Looks like the perfect spot to read. I hope after walking, eating, and reading in the sun you're feeling better. ❤ I'll keep you in my prayers for making it through this coming month! 5y
Clwojick Hang in there, and stay positive. Like you said, at least there are a ton of cheap/free outdoor activities in the summer. 💜 5y
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Plaidsticks
Notes of a Native Son | James Baldwin
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Graywacke
Notes of a Native Son | James Baldwin
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Having trouble putting thoughts together on this. His autobiographical essays are pretty powerful, especially the title essay about his 19th birthday spent dealing with his father‘s death, the birth of his youngest sister and the Harlem riots of 1943. However his non-autobiographical essays on racism made me uncomfortable because I didn‘t get them or like reading them and was left wondering what‘s wrong with me.

AlwaysForeverReading I have this book; I just need to read it. (edited) 6y
Graywacke @ProfReader hope you get to it and get more from these than I did. I would like to read any of your thoughts on them. 6y
AlwaysForeverReading Will do!!! 6y
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Graywacke
Notes of a Native Son | James Baldwin
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It‘s been a crappy reading month so far. Nothing is working, these essays have been tough. But this one, the title essay in the collection, is terrific. First time I felt like I could relax, trust the author to lead, and just read.

Theaelizabet Baldwin, for me, is the essays, but my favorite short story is “Sonny‘s Blues.” Guts me every time. Hope the month gets better for you. 6y
Graywacke @Theaelizabet “Sonny‘s Blues” is in Going to Meet the Man. I‘ll get there. Baldwin‘s still a lot of mystery to me. Some of these essays leave me wondering. They‘re his earliest essays and I‘m not sure if that just means these are steps toward creating his voice, or if this is him. (edited) 6y
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Graywacke
Notes of a Native Son | James Baldwin
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It seems it‘s never easy with Baldwin. He fights simplicity, showering the reader with startling unexpected lines and apparent contradictions that are resolved by, and only by, thinking it through a bit more. I‘m reading this now. The opening autobiographical essay required me to put the book down and just think a while. The second essay, quoted above, on Uncle Tom‘s cabin demanded my attention. Trying to get my footing.

jmofo 🖤🖤🖤 6y
TheWintergarden Insightful and truth.🖤 6y
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JamieArc
Notes of a Native Son | James Baldwin
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I need to read more of this man‘s work...

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rachelk
Notes of a Native Son | James Baldwin
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“People who shut their eyes to reality simply invite their own destruction, and anyone who insists on remaining in a state on innocence long after that innocence is dead turns himself into a monster.” #jamesbaldwin #blackhistorymonth

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rachelk
Notes of a Native Son | James Baldwin
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I‘m starting the month off with, ‘Notes of a Native Son‘ by James Baldwin. What books or authors do you recommend for Black History Month? #blackhistorymonth #essays #classic #currentread

Leigh_Medeiros Haven't read them in years, but "Their Eyes Were Watching God" and "Invisible Man" were favorites in my 20's. Also loved "Cane" by Jean Toomer. 7y
melissa.drake I second Their Eyes Were Watching God and Cane. Good stuff. And if you're interested in non-fic, The Warmth of Other Suns is fantastic. 7y
rachelk Thank you for the recommendations @Leigh_Medeiros and @melissa.drake - I‘m adding to my tbr!! 7y
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VinceReads
Notes of a Native Son | James Baldwin
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Really powerful book. A great collection of essays, though the last one, Stranger in the Village, really stood out to me. Baldwin is an incredible writer and I wish I would have started reading him sooner.

5/5

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VinceReads
Notes of a Native Son | James Baldwin
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Next up. Finally getting around to this one, it‘s been on my TBR forever.

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TheNextBook
Notes of a Native Son | James Baldwin
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This was my first Baldwin. Don‘t ask how or why, it just is. With that being said I enjoyed these essays which are in many ways still relevant. Baldwin has a very poignant writing style that is descriptive and detailed and captivating. I liked this but I had to get used to Baldwin and his rhetoric.

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TheNextBook
Notes of a Native Son | James Baldwin
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I‘m looking for the lie... I don‘t see it.

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TheNextBook
Notes of a Native Son | James Baldwin
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Not on the “must read” list but I was very much ready to read Baldwin so I checked it out from the library. Ready to dive in.

Smartypants Native Son is one of my all time favorites since I was 12 years old! 7y
TheNextBook @Smartypants I just need to get used to his writing style. His commentary is so valid and interesting. Have you watched the I Am Not Your Negro doc yet? I plan on it once I finish this 7y
Smartypants For some reason I always preferred Wright‘s style to Baldwin‘s. I haven‘t seen the doc yet, is it on Netflix now? 7y
TheNextBook @Smartypants Yes it‘s on now! 7y
Smartypants Great! I will check it out this week! Thanks! 7y
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Tanzy13
Notes of a Native Son | James Baldwin
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MariettaSG I need to read some Baldwin. 7y
IWriteInTheNight That's beautiful😩 7y
Suet624 Totally agree. And their fear. (edited) 7y
miriamdix I almost want to quote everything he writes ... 7y
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swishandflick
Notes of a Native Son | James Baldwin
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I haven't read his collection of essays yet, but I've been meaning to ever since seeing the documentary I Am Not Your Negro, which is based on an incomplete manuscript for a book Baldwin had started working on.

And it looks like now may be the time to pick this up - the e-book is currently on sale for $1.99! #ebookdeal

andrew61 It was a brilliant film, book looks interesting. 7y
Brooke_H Thanks for the heads up on the kindle book! 7y
swishandflick @Brooke_H Of course! Gotta love a good steal 😄 7y
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ContinuesReading
Notes of a Native Son | James Baldwin
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It must be remembered that the oppressed and the oppressor are bound together within the same society; they accept the same criteria, they share the same beliefs, they both alike depend on the same reality.

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ContinuesReading
Notes of a Native Son | James Baldwin
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You can not describe anything without betraying your point of view, your aspirations, your fears, your hopes. Everything.

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OrangeMooseReads
Notes of a Native Son | James Baldwin
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Finished this on the way home tonight. While the original was published over 60 years ago so much of it still rings true.

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BarbaraTheBibliophage
Notes of a Native Son | James Baldwin
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This collection of essays covers a lot of ground. Baldwin writes critiques and analyses of creative works of the day that include African Americans. He writes about his family, especially his strained relationship with his father. He writes about being a Black man in Europe during the 1940s.

Baldwin's writing is so intense that I wish I'd read this in print rather than listened to the audiobook. He is a master.

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OrangeMooseReads
Notes of a Native Son | James Baldwin
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Waiting and listening. I'm finding these essays very interesting and eye opening. Being white I would never have thought the same way about the literature or movies. Eye opening.

Hobbinol 👍🏻✊🏿 (edited) 7y
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BarbaraTheBibliophage
Notes of a Native Son | James Baldwin
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This is such an odd combination of books to be reading together. Don't you agree? 😜

#litsyatoz #letterN

melbeautyandbooks It's well rounded reading! 7y
batsy I love reading thrillers/mysteries as palate cleansers and usually have one going if I'm reading heavy nonfiction, so this makes total sense to me ☺️ 7y
LeslieO Eclectic! 7y
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BarbaraTheBibliophage Thanks friends - I don't feel so odd now! @melbeautyandbooks @batsy @LeslieO 7y
OrangeMooseReads I just started my listening of 'Notes of a Native Son' today. It's excellent so far. (edited) 7y
BarbaraTheBibliophage @OrangeMooseReads Funny that we're in sync. I need to get some more listening in to settle into his narrative voice. I'm also thinking I need to reread Uncle Tom's Cabin. 7y
OrangeMooseReads @BarbaraTheBibliophage that is funny. I got to thinking that I really need a reread of that as well. 7y
Leftcoastzen Variety is the spice of life!🙂 7y
kspenmoll That is how I lime to read! 7y
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elemreads
Notes of a Native Son | James Baldwin
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timely.

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ErikasMindfulShelf
Notes of a Native Son | James Baldwin
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Mehso-so

Had a hard time staying focused. Maybe reading it would have been better than listening. I borrowed The Fire Next Time from the library but now I'm debating if I should read it or not.

BookMusings Go tell it on the mountain was very good but I couldn't get into Giovanni's Room... so I would say you might want to try it since they could very well be totally different! (edited) 8y
HippieChickHomeschool The Fire Next Time is worth the read! And it's very short, so it doesn't take much time to get through. I enjoyed the audible narration if you have access. 8y
ErikasMindfulShelf Thanks @HippieChickHomeschool I will definitely give it a chance. 8y
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catieohjoy
Notes of a Native Son | James Baldwin
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Notes of a Native Son is only $1.95 today on Audible! I reread essays from this book regularly. An absolutely essential read!

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Britafish
Notes of a Native Son | James Baldwin
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mshelter
Notes of a Native Son | James Baldwin
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We must fight the hatred and build a stronger, resilient, healthy, and morally & ethically just future for our country and world. #love #lovetrumpshate #lovewillprevail #resilient #strength #overthis

So glad this shadow box frame arrived to frame the quote my landlady, roommate, and friend provided me with! ❤️😊

BookishFeminist You framed it! I like it! 8y
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mshelter
Notes of a Native Son | James Baldwin
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"But this did not mean that one could be complacent, for the second idea was of equal power: that one must never, in one's own life, accept these injustices as commonplace, but must fight them with all one's strength."

^this is part of a bigger quote that my landlady, roommate, and friend provided to me and it hits home - especially involving members of the student body I was otherwise convinced was respectful, against hatred, and kind. #overthis

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Abby-J
Notes of a Native Son | James Baldwin
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Over sixty years ago, James Baldwin summed up my thoughts about this election and the state of our country in general. #election2016 #blacklivesmatter

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Yamich49
Notes of a Native Son | James Baldwin
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Oops. I fell down a Kindle rabbit hole and ended up with a bunch of new books. 👀 At least most of them qualify for the #diverseathon. Maybe one of them will be my next read. 🤓

Books_Wine_Repeat Binti has been on my TBR list for a long time! 8y
Yamich49 @Books_Wine_Repeat It's only $2.99 on Kindle right now. 👀 It's been on my TBR forever too! 8y
mhillis Nice! I've been looking at 8y
Yamich49 @mhillis You should definitely get it. At $2.99 it's a great deal! 8y
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