Going to Meet the Man: StoriesA major collection of short stories by one of America’s most important writers—informed by the knowledge the wounds racism leaves in both its victims and its perpetrators. • “If Van Gogh was our 19th-century artist-saint, James Baldwin is our 20th-century one.” —Michael Ondaatje, Booker Prize-winner of The English Patient In this modern classic, "there's no way not to suffer. But you try all kinds of ways to keep from drowning in it." The men and women in these eight short fictions grasp this truth on an elemental level, and their stories detail the ingenious and often desperate ways in which they try to keep their head above water. It may be the heroin that a down-and-out jazz pianist uses to face the terror of pouring his life into an inanimate instrument. It may be the brittle piety of a father who can never forgive his son for his illegitimacy. Or it may be the screen of bigotry that a redneck deputy has raised to blunt the awful childhood memory of the day his parents took him to watch a black man being murdered by a gleeful mob. By turns haunting, heartbreaking, and horrifying, Going to Meet the Man is a major work by one of our most important writers. |
Other editions - View all
Common terms and phrases
ain't amen asked baby began boat Boona Brother Elisha cigarette Creole cried Daddy dark David discothèque door downstairs drink Eric Eric's father everything eyes face Father James feel felt Folies Bergère Frank Sinatra friends Giovanni's Room girl going grinned hair hallelujah hand happened Harlem Harriet head hear heard Isabel JAMES BALDWIN Jamie Jamie's Jesse Johnnie kids knew laughed light listen living looked Lord Louisa Mahalia Jackson Mama Marlon Brando morning mother moved never nigger night Paul perhaps piano play Raoul Peck rockpile Ruth scream seemed seen shoulder silence singing Sister Daniels Sister McCandless sitting smiled Sonny Sonny's sound stared started stood stopped street sure Sylvia talk tambourine tell things thought trying turned Vidal voice walked watched what's window woman wondered