Of the books by James Baldwin that I have read so far (The Fire Next Time, No Name In the Street and Notes of a Native Son), this was the one I enjoyed the least. Notes of a Native Son reads like a random collection of rants from Baldwin about his life growing up as a preacher’s kid in Harlem, to anecdotes about racism and the miserable circumstances of Black people in all facets of life in America including in Hollywood films, and somewhat peculiarly, his travels abroad in Europe. In fact, I found Baldwin’s experience of being arrested in Paris perhaps the most intriguing part of the discourse in this book since it shed a light on the lives of black intellectuals who had fled the United States in the 1920s, ’30s and ’40s for greener pastures in Europe (where race ‘didn’t matter much’). Disappointingly, I didn’t detect a coherent thread weaving together the various stories that would encourage me to highly recommend this book. Nevertheless, I appreciated certain aspects of Notes of a Native Son. In particular, Baldwin’s characteristic authoritative, yet fluidly persuasive style of writing, which eloquently compels you sentence after sentence; not to mention his impressive breadth and depth of knowledge of the literary and artistic canon, which he uses as a backdrop for many of his profound insights. Ultimately, what is clear after reading Notes of a Native Son is that Baldwin was a fascinating man who was passionate about combatting racism and improving the plight of Black people in America.

Have you read Notes of a Native Son? or any of James Baldwin’s other works? What are your thoughts after reading his writing? What do you find most striking about his literary work? Thanks as always for stopping by! Please feel free to share your thoughts or reactions in a comment below. Also, if you would like to receive more updates about my writing please consider joining my newsletter mailing list by subscribing below.

“I’m black and I’m proud: yet I suppose that the most accurate term, now, for this history, this particular and peculiar danger, as well as for all persons produced out of it and struggling in it, is: Afro American. Which is but a wedding, however, of two confusions, an arbitrary linking of two undefined and currently undefineable proper nouns.” – James Baldwin

James Baldwin’s No Name In the Street is a ranting social commentary about racial discrimination and injustice in the United States. At times rambling, Baldwin nevertheless eloquently puts his finger on the crux of the racial issues plaguing America since time immemorial. In one hundred and ninety-eight compact pages, he shines a bright light on the systematic disenfranchisement of Black people in all facets of society, from the criminal justice system to the entertainment industry. No Name In the Street highlights Baldwin’s frustration and increasing exasperation at the glacial pace of change in America’s treatment of it’s Black citizens. I would even say the despairing tone of the book captures Baldwin’s ‘bitter ferment‘ after the assisination, in short order, of several prominent Black civil rights leaders, to whom he is personally acquainted, including Malcolm X, Martin Luther King, Bobby Hutton, and Medgar Evans. By the end of this tome one is left with a feeling of vividly hearing Baldwin’s long wailing plea for change. A lament which has sadly, for so long fallen on deaf ears, which makes it’s despondency all the more poignant. Baldwin’s rhetorical style of writing makes his message in No Name In The Street all the more lyrical – literally piercing through your mind unforgetably like a banshee’s siren. This book is without a doubt a must read for anyone who is sincerely interested in informing themselves on the state of race relations between Black and White people in America. 

Have you read No Name In The Street or another of James Baldwin’s books and essays? What did you find most interesting and enjoyable? Please feel free to share your thoughts in a comment below. Thanks for visiting my blog!