James Baldwin - Biography

James Baldwin (1924-1987)
commentary by Karen Bernardo

James Baldwin is probably best-known for his novel Go Tell It On The Mountain, a searing account of the religious conversion experience of a black adolescent. The story, set in Harlem in the 1930s, in many ways parallels Baldwin's own boyhood. Baldwin himself excelled in his New York City public high school and edited the school's literary magazine. Because his boyhood and adolescence had been so insular, however, he did not discover the full brunt of racism until he moved out into the world of work. It was at this time that he realized he wanted to be a novelist, and in his harrowing depictions of the effects of racism he had discovered a theme worthy of a long and prolific career. "Sonny's Blues," one of his most famous stories, reflects Baldwin's lifelong love of jazz, but also his recognition of the pain that underlies it. James Baldwin offers unique insights into the black situation in America, underscored by a literary power that is unsurpassed.

Read Storybites' analysis of...

Sonny's Blues

This Morning, This Evening, So Soon

These stories can be found in Baldwin's collection "Going to Meet the Man."

"Going to Meet the Man" is available from Amazon as a paperback here:

or as an Audible audio download here:

It can also be purchased from Barnes and Noble as a paperback here:

or as a book on CD here: