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James Baldwin  By  cover art

James Baldwin

By: David Leeming
Narrated by: James Patrick Cronin
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Publisher's summary

This is a biography of James Baldwin, author, one-time preacher, and civil rights activist. He chose David Leeming, a close friend and colleague, to write his biography and granted him access to his correspondence. Leeming traces his life from his birth in Harlem in 1924 to his self-imposed exile in Europe, his later years as political activist, and his public funeral in 1987.

©1994 David Leeming, First Arcade Edition 2015 (P)2014 Audible Inc.

What listeners say about James Baldwin

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A great biography of a great man

This biography of James Baldwin is very well researched, engaging, and very balanced. Baldwin as a black man dealing with racism and oppression, Baldwin as a gay man facing homophobia, Baldwin as religious man seeking the divine, and Baldwin as author perfecting his craft all get more or less equal treatment.

Leeming knows and attends to the history of Baldwin's time and the political and social issues of the day; he is very familiar with Baldwin's fictional and non-fictional texts. The book moves well and can be read along with Baldwin's novels to bring additional depth to the reading of his works. The audio performance is very good.

Highly recommended.

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21 people found this helpful

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Awesome!

Highly recommended! The reader was excellent. This is the most important book that I have read in a long, long, long time!

--Stephen York

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16 people found this helpful

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  • JC
  • 03-23-17

Must read for all Americans

must read for those who want to better understand and appreciate what it to be an American. We are not just black or White.. We're a mixed collective group of people Who have not excepted the fact that we are all related. America will never truly be free until we can see the humanity in each other and not our color.

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13 people found this helpful

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Best Story Ever Told

once I hit play, I couldn't stop listening until the end. James Baldwin was and is a magnificent man. Everything he did and said continues to be relevant in 2020.

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8 people found this helpful

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Masterful narration, beautiful story

I downloaded this book to get an introductory overview to James Baldwin’s body of work. It delivered beyond my wildest imagination.

It’s intimate, detailed but not tedious. I highly recommended it.

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6 people found this helpful

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Notes of a Native Son

James Arthur Baldwin, born August 02, 1924-December 01, 1987, is phenomenal novelist, essayist, playwright, activist and the Prophet with a deep insight into American racism and inequality.
In many of Mr. Baldwin novels he weaves racism, inequality, sexual preferences between men, friends and foes. Mr. Baldwin was a gifted intellectual that understood the struggle of dispossessed human beings in an American society of perpetual racism and discrimination. Mr. Baldwin lived in Istanbul Turkey, Paris France and traveled widely to attend many seminars for the purpose of fellowship with international writers. Mr. Baldwin writings have as much insight into the human psyche as the works of Mr. William Shakespeare “Hamlet” which contain the agony, triumph and resilience of the human spirit. His works are highly recommended.

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5 people found this helpful

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James Baldwin a biography

The author treated the subject with the respect that he was worthy of, his life examines humanity as we are forced to look at our selves.

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4 people found this helpful

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Baldwin a Biography

This book is a must read I highly recommended it, a excellent read. It helped me to understand the man. I love James Baldwin now I understand more about him and his life. Thank you.

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2 people found this helpful

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Fantastic! Moving!

James Baldwin is one of my favorite authors. What a wonderful journey. Expertly written and narrated. A must read.

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1 person found this helpful

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Wonderfully Painful

Wonderful, full discussion of a national treasure. Felt his loss, as a relative and grieved

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