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Notes of a Native Son (Beacon Classics) Paperback – November 20, 2012

4.7 4.7 out of 5 stars 2,118 ratings

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#26 on The Guardian's list of 100 best nonfiction books of all time, the essays explore what it means to be Black in America

In an age of Black Lives Matter, James Baldwin's essays on life in Harlem, the protest novel, movies, and African Americans abroad are as powerful today as when they were first written. With films like I Am Not Your Negro and the forthcoming If Beale Street Could Talk bringing renewed interest to Baldwin's life and work, Notes of a Native Son serves as a valuable introduction.

Written during the 1940s and early 1950s, when Baldwin was only in his twenties, the essays collected in Notes of a Native Son capture a view of black life and black thought at the dawn of the civil rights movement and as the movement slowly gained strength through the words of one of the most captivating essayists and foremost intellectuals of that era. Writing as an artist, activist, and social critic, Baldwin probes the complex condition of being black in America. With a keen eye, he examines everything from the significance of the protest novel to the motives and circumstances of the many black expatriates of the time, from his home in “The Harlem Ghetto” to a sobering “Journey to Atlanta.”

Notes of a Native Son inaugurated Baldwin as one of the leading interpreters of the dramatic social changes erupting in the United States in the twentieth century, and many of his observations have proven almost prophetic. His criticism on topics such as the paternalism of white progressives or on his own friend Richard Wright’s work is pointed and unabashed. He was also one of the few writing on race at the time who addressed the issue with a powerful mixture of outrage at the gross physical and political violence against black citizens and measured understanding of their oppressors, which helped awaken a white audience to the injustices under their noses. Naturally, this combination of brazen criticism and unconventional empathy for white readers won Baldwin as much condemnation as praise.

Notes is the book that established Baldwin’s voice as a social critic, and it remains one of his most admired works. The essays collected here create a cohesive sketch of black America and reveal an intimate portrait of Baldwin’s own search for identity as an artist, as a black man, and as an American.

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Editorial Reviews

Review

“Some people who are important to us as young people, wither under our gaze as older adults. And then other people who we know as genius somehow just increase in our estimation. Baldwin is among those people for me.”
—Ta-Nehisi Coates

“Throughout his writing, Baldwin never shies away from a frank and disquieting acknowledgement of feelings.” —
The Guardian

“The wonderful thing about writers like Baldwin is the way we read them and come across passages that are so arresting we become breathless and have to raise our eyes from the page to keep from being spirited away.”
Edward P. Jones, from his new introduction

“Written with bitter clarity and uncommon grace.”
—Time
 
“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
 
“He named for me the things you feel but couldn’t utter . . . articulated for the first time to white America what it meant to be American and a black American at the same time.”
—Henry Louis Gates Jr.

“I owe a tremendous debt to the example of his work.”
—John Edgar Wideman

“Baldwin’s vision, his humor, his tragically beautiful style, make this a book [to] . . . turn to for a long time.”
—Kay Boyle,
The American Scholar

About the Author

James Baldwin (1924–1987) was a novelist, essayist, playwright, poet, and social critic, and one of America’s foremost writers. His writing explores palpable yet unspoken intricacies of racial, sexual, and class distinctions in Western societies, most notably in mid-twentieth-century America. A Harlem, New York, native, he primarily made his home in the south of France. He is the author of several novels and books of nonfiction, including Notes of a Native Son, Go Tell It on the Mountain, Giovanni’s Room, Another Country, Tell Me How Long the Train’s Been Gone, If Beale Street Could Talk, Just Above My Head, The Fire Next Time, No Name in the Street, and The Evidence of Things Not Seen, and of the poetry collection Jimmy’s Blues.

Edward P. Jones is the author of the Pulitzer Prize–winning novel The Known World. He won the Hemingway Foundation/PEN Award and was a finalist for the National Book Award for his debut collection of stories, Lost in the City. His second collection, All Aunt Hagar’s Children, was a finalist for the PEN/Faulkner Award for Fiction.

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ 0807006238
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Beacon Press; 1st edition (November 20, 2012)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Paperback ‏ : ‎ 208 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 9780807006238
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0807006238
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 2.31 pounds
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.47 x 0.61 x 8.45 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.7 4.7 out of 5 stars 2,118 ratings

About the author

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James Baldwin
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James Baldwin (1924-1987) was a novelist, essayist, playwright, poet, and social critic, and one of America's foremost writers. His essays, such as "Notes of a Native Son" (1955), explore palpable yet unspoken intricacies of racial, sexual, and class distinctions in Western societies, most notably in mid-twentieth-century America. A Harlem, New York, native, he primarily made his home in the south of France.

His novels include Giovanni's Room (1956), about a white American expatriate who must come to terms with his homosexuality, and Another Country (1962), about racial and gay sexual tensions among New York intellectuals. His inclusion of gay themes resulted in much savage criticism from the black community. Going to Meet the Man (1965) and Tell Me How Long the Train's Been Gone (1968) provided powerful descriptions of American racism. As an openly gay man, he became increasingly outspoken in condemning discrimination against lesbian and gay people.

Photo by Allan warren (Own work) [CC BY-SA 3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0) or GFDL (http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html)], via Wikimedia Commons.

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4.7 out of 5 stars
2,118 global ratings

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Customers say

Customers find the writing incisive and expertly written. They appreciate the insightful and informative content about society and issues. The book is described as memorable and a timeless classic. Many customers find it a nice gift for history buffs. The arguments have transformative power that is difficult to deny.

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71 customers mention "Writing quality"71 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate the writing quality of the book. They find the prose incisive, expertly written, and relevant. The author is described as one of the greatest writers, thinkers, and orators. Readers also mention that the sentences are clean and precise.

"...Most of all, however, I enjoyed the closing essay of the book where he describes his time as the only Negro is a Swiss alpine village...." Read more

"Great Book" Read more

"...Baldwin sees through the chaos and noise and articulates the problems so well, it's too bad his books aren't a part of every high school Social..." Read more

"Even more than as a novelist I love Baldwin the essayist. Sharp and to the point and accessible by anyone willing to take the time to read these are..." Read more

31 customers mention "Information quality"31 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate the book's insightful and informative content. They find it relevant and interesting, with a unique perspective into American life. The writing is described as witty and funny.

"...He sees the racial divide so clearly, even as he was expending his thoughts on the core issues...." Read more

"His depth of knowledge in these essays is unmatched. I highly recommend this book because it speaks to current issues of race and identity." Read more

"...This deeply honest and articulate essay and book is a must for anyone concerned with modern American writing and also seeking a deeper understanding..." Read more

"Great book. James Baldwin has wonderful insight on society and the issues and the ability to cut through the rhetoric to shine a light on the truth...." Read more

6 customers mention "Era"6 positive0 negative

Customers find the book's era vivid and memorable. They describe it as a timeless classic, with powerful memories of Harlem. The memoir is described as haunting and a good history of the black experience.

"...his time struggling through the French legal system, is vivid and memorable...." Read more

"...to take the time to read these are all excellent and some are acknowledged classics...." Read more

"...The essay that gives the volume its title is a harrowing, haunting memoir without equal in my reading experience, and really ought to be adapted for..." Read more

"A classic, needed a new copy to share with my high schoolers. Received quickly and priced right" Read more

3 customers mention "Gift value"3 positive0 negative

Customers find the book a nice gift for history enthusiasts.

"Gift for husband. He loves it! Will be purchasing more books by Baldwin" Read more

"Given as gift and enjoyed." Read more

"nice gift for history buffs..." Read more

3 customers mention "Power"3 positive0 negative

Customers find the book's arguments powerful and timely. They say it has a rare quality of transformative power that is difficult to deny.

"...His arguments have a rare quality of transformative power that is difficult to deny." Read more

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James Baldwin changed my life!!!
5 out of 5 stars
James Baldwin changed my life!!!
James Baldwin was years beyond his time. This book is a great example of that. Still reading it because I want to take my time to take in all of his very well written words and I even wrote notes in it as well. As you black woman living in America this book and many others by JB is a MUST! Really hope EVERYONE can read his words they will change you!!!
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Top reviews from the United States

  • Reviewed in the United States on November 15, 2020
    I had read James Baldwin when I was younger. I admired some of his short stories and I had studied his play Blues for Mister Charlie. Recently, however, I was brought back to his work and I find the more that I read of it, the more I am impressed by it.

    He is a master stylist. I could spend pages of this review just quoting memorable lines. (“But one cannot claim the birthright without accepting the inheritance.” “I love America more than any other country in the world, and, exactly for this reason, I insist on the right to criticize her perpetually.” “I am not one of the people who believe that oppression imbues a people with wisdom or insight or sweet charity…” “Joyce is right about history being a nightmare—but it may be the nightmare from which no one can awaken. People are trapped in history and history is trapped in them.”) He has a way of melding his wide vocabulary and particular syntax into an engaging prose that is wholly his own. I can imagine him sweating over each sentence to get it just right.

    He is also a fierce critic. His analysis of Native Son and Carmen Jones pulls no punches. But that is nothing compared to when he turns his critical eye upon his own experiences. His memories of Harlem are powerful. His writing about Paris, especially his time struggling through the French legal system, is vivid and memorable. Most of all, however, I enjoyed the closing essay of the book where he describes his time as the only Negro is a Swiss alpine village. The challenge of dealing with a group of people who mean him no offence allows him to interrogate his American experience more deeply.

    A fool might think that these essays are too dated to offer the modern reader much of anything. On the contrary, with only slight alteration, almost every essay here could be published today. His understanding of politics, history, and rage speaks very much to the moment we are in now. This is a book worth reading.
    28 people found this helpful
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  • Reviewed in the United States on November 29, 2024
    Great Book
  • Reviewed in the United States on May 28, 2017
    This was my second book by James Baldwin and it is another very well written view of the 1960's and the role race played. So little has changed since then, Baldwin's observations are that much more insightful. He sees the racial divide so clearly, even as he was expending his thoughts on the core issues. The other book I read just before this one "The Fire Next Time" is a fully realized view and is my 1st pick of Baldwin's writing (so far). The premise that -white folks don't need to learn to accept black folks, instead can black folks accept white folks- continues to occupy my thoughts. I know have a concrete understanding of why it might be impossible to end all the racial injustice and, if we cannot, it's the lack of substance (of a soul) of white folks that will be to blame. Baldwin brought into focus Malcolm X's idea of -the white folk's house is on fire-, a truth that is at the heart of racial discrimination and at the heart of the deeply troubling rise of ignorance and hatred in the US and parts of Europe. Baldwin sees through the chaos and noise and articulates the problems so well, it's too bad his books aren't a part of every high school Social Studies program. But even that idea brings to mind a term I heard in the documentary "Accidental Courtesy" (at the table in Baltimore), "generational trauma", and that is also a very strong point that makes this mess we have now and have been "white-washing" for centuries all the more duanting to see how there ever could be racial parity and peace in the US.

    James Baldwin is an extraordinary writer.
    40 people found this helpful
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  • Reviewed in the United States on August 20, 2017
    His depth of knowledge in these essays is unmatched. I highly recommend this book because it speaks to current issues of race and identity.
    2 people found this helpful
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  • Reviewed in the United States on May 31, 2024
    Even more than as a novelist I love Baldwin the essayist. Sharp and to the point and accessible by anyone willing to take the time to read these are all excellent and some are acknowledged classics. Alas still relevant as well because the world doesn’t improve as quickly as we might like.
    2 people found this helpful
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  • Reviewed in the United States on October 26, 2024
    As described, quick shipping, good value
  • Reviewed in the United States on April 8, 2023
    Such an amazing book of essays from an amazing author and individual. I can’t quite believe that the relevancy of this book still applies to today, even though these essays were written in the 1950s and 60s, it’s troubling but such an important read. Everyone should read this book.
    4 people found this helpful
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  • Reviewed in the United States on April 21, 2013
    The title essay in Baldwin's important collection has been one of those pieces of writing that has been personally important throughout my personal and professional life. Baldwin combines his first experiences of racism with his memories of his strained relationship to his bitter father. The encounter with racism in a New Jersey restaurant where he is refused service leads Baldwin to a better understanding of his father's pain and his attempts to overcome his own.

    The essay is beautifully written, artfully combining and complicating the different themes. I've used it regularly in my teaching, and regard it as one of the best pieces of twentieth-century American prose. While I'm not African American, the writing allows me at least partly to enter Baldwin's feelings about race. Equally moving for me, and I suspect for many readers, is the description of Baldwin's strained relationship to and eventual compassion for his father, and his attempts to overcome his own frustration and anger. This deeply honest and articulate essay and book is a must for anyone concerned with modern American writing and also seeking a deeper understanding of his or her own inner complexities.
    29 people found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

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  • Nancy Bjorgo
    5.0 out of 5 stars James Baldwin was Brilliant
    Reviewed in Canada on May 28, 2023
    I've been wanting to read some James Baldwin, not just settling for watching old interviews on YouTube. First, of all, he was brilliant. A REAL writer. I keep being disappointed by 'new' writers who don't have depth of thought that I can learn from. In desperation, I've returned to Anthony Trollope and George Elliot and am satisfied with them, of course. But what about insights into our own times? There's Baldwin, a modern writer, to read!
  • LACAN jean Michel
    4.0 out of 5 stars La vie d'un homme de couleur
    Reviewed in France on April 28, 2019
    Pour un cadeau d anniversaire
  • A. Maryon
    5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on April 22, 2017
    A timeless classic. So insightful and poetic at the same time. Wonderful
    One person found this helpful
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  • A. K. S.
    5.0 out of 5 stars Life altering stuff
    Reviewed in Canada on November 17, 2019
    James Baldwin was on another level. This is one enlightened man. The essays are so powerful. They flow like music. I re-read them all the time.
  • cornelia fuchs
    3.0 out of 5 stars notes of a native son
    Reviewed in Germany on January 28, 2014
    Ich habe vor kurzem native son von richard wright gelesen und wahr sehr sehr beindruckt und bin gespannt was james baldwin darueberdenkt, weil die beiden sich wohl nicht so sehr gemocht haben sollen vielen dank fuer die prompte zusendung