Having read and really enjoyed a couple of James Baldwin’s novels I was really looking forward to this book. I think Baldwin is both a great writer and thinker and as a result I’m inclined to suggest that this is not a book to like or dislike, but rather, it is a book to agree or disagree with.
So, what is it about? Well, within the subjects such as the portrayal of the Negro in art (e.g. Uncle Tom’s Cabin), his relationship with his father and his experiences of living in Paris, I think the overarching subject is the alienation felt by the American Negro. This alienation has two key elements; the power of the white man over the black man throughout society, and more interestingly to me, the loss of ancestral heritage through being the children of slaves taken from Africa (at the point of being sold their personal history was lost/discarded).
I did sometimes have an issue with his tendency to make (unsubstantiated?) sweeping generalisations to make his point. In fairness this may be due to his relatively young age (low thirties), but I did find his position was rather let down with claims such as:
“the French are the earth’s least sentimental people and must also be numbered among the most proud …” (from Equal in Paris)
and
“the white man prefers to keep the black man at a certain human remove because it is easier for him thus to preserve his simplicity and avoid being called to account for crimes committed by his forefathers, or neighbours”.
I also found the book to be unremittingly bleak. If you accept the role of a writer like Baldwin is to provide insights into society, then, when this reflection is so awful I think he also needs to suggest ways of improvement or to offer reasons for hope. On finishing this book, I was left somewhat deflated.
However, setting aside these reservations, Baldwin is undoubtedly a powerfully provocative writer who everyone ought to read if they have any interest in todays' multi-cultural society. I suspect a number of his observations on the Negro in the 1950’s can be applied to today’s disadvantaged minorities in general.

Flip to back
Flip to front
Follow the Author
Something went wrong. Please try your request again later.
OK
Notes of a Native Son (Penguin Modern Classics) Paperback – 2 November 2017
by
James Baldwin
(Author)
James Baldwin
(Author)
Find all the books, read about the author, and more.
See search results for this author
|
See all formats and editions
Hide other formats and editions
Price
|
New from |
Kindle Edition
"Please retry"
|
— |
Paperback
"Please retry"
|
—
|
₹ 811.00 |
Preloaded Digital Audio Player, Unabridged, Import
"Please retry"
|
—
|
— |
-
ISBN-100241334004
-
ISBN-13978-0241334003
-
PublisherPenguin Classics
-
Publication date2 November 2017
-
LanguageEnglish
-
Print length208 pages
Customers who bought this item also bought
Page 1 of 1 Start overPage 1 of 1
- I Am Not Your NegroPaperback
- Go Tell it on the Mountain (Penguin Modern Classics)Paperback
- The Fire Next Time (Vintage International)Paperback
- White Teeth (Penguin Essentials)Paperback
- OrientalismPaperback
- All About Love: New Visions (Love Song to the Nation)Paperback
Customers who viewed this item also viewed
Page 1 of 1 Start overPage 1 of 1
- The Adivasi Will Not Dance: StoriesPaperback
- Crime and PunishmentPaperback
- Heart of DarknessPaperback
- The Picture of Dorian GrayPaperback
- Go Tell it on the Mountain (Penguin Modern Classics)Paperback
- Guns, Germs And Steel: 20th Anniversary EditionPaperback
Product description
Review
A straight-from-the-shoulder writer, writing about the troubled problems of this troubled earth with an illuminating intensity that should influence for the better all who ponder on the things books say -- Langston Hughes ― The New York Times
Powerful . . . I wish I could press this book into the hands of every American - actually, every human. -- Celeste Ng ― Guardian
Edgy and provocative . . . entertainingly satirical -- Robert McCrum ― Guardian
A classic . . . Take the words out of the 1950s, when they were published, and they could apply to the women in pink hats, the scientists, the Black Lives Matter activists, the climate-change believers and the LGBTQ-rights supporters who have flooded the streets of Washington this year ― Washington Post
A classic ... In a divided America, James Baldwin's fiery critiques reverberate anew ― Washington Post
Cemented his reputation as a cultural seer ... Notes of a Native Son endures as his defining work, and his greatest ― Time
Powerful . . . I wish I could press this book into the hands of every American - actually, every human. -- Celeste Ng ― Guardian
Edgy and provocative . . . entertainingly satirical -- Robert McCrum ― Guardian
A classic . . . Take the words out of the 1950s, when they were published, and they could apply to the women in pink hats, the scientists, the Black Lives Matter activists, the climate-change believers and the LGBTQ-rights supporters who have flooded the streets of Washington this year ― Washington Post
A classic ... In a divided America, James Baldwin's fiery critiques reverberate anew ― Washington Post
Cemented his reputation as a cultural seer ... Notes of a Native Son endures as his defining work, and his greatest ― Time
About the Author
Born in Harlem in 1924, James Baldwin was a novelist, essayist, playwright, poet, social critic, and the author of more than twenty books. His first novel, Go Tell It on the Mountain, appeared in 1953 to excellent reviews, and his essay collection The Fire Next Time was a bestseller that made him an influential figure in the civil rights movement. Baldwin spent many years in France, where he moved to escape the racism and homophobia of the United States. He died in 1987.
Enter your mobile number or email address below and we'll send you a link to download the free Kindle App. Then you can start reading Kindle books on your smartphone, tablet, or computer - no Kindle device required.
Start reading Notes of a Native Son (Penguin Modern Classics) on your Kindle in under a minute.
Don't have a Kindle? अपना Kindle यहां पाएं, or download a FREE Kindle Reading App.
Don't have a Kindle? अपना Kindle यहां पाएं, or download a FREE Kindle Reading App.
Product details
- Publisher : Penguin Classics (2 November 2017)
- Language : English
- Paperback : 208 pages
- ISBN-10 : 0241334004
- ISBN-13 : 978-0241334003
- Item Weight : 157 g
- Generic Name : Book
-
Best Sellers Rank:
#194,407 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #1,930 in Essays (Books)
- #6,805 in Society & Culture (Books)
- Customer Reviews:
Deals related to this item
Page 1 of 1 Start overPage 1 of 1
- Heart of DarknessPaperback
- The Picture of Dorian GrayPaperback
- The Great GatsbyF. Scott FitzgeraldPaperback
- NationalismPaperback
Customer reviews
4.8 out of 5 stars
4.8 out of 5
114 global ratings
How are ratings calculated?
To calculate the overall star rating and percentage breakdown by star, we don’t use a simple average. Instead, our system considers things like how recent a review is and if the reviewer bought the item on Amazon. It also analyses reviews to verify trustworthiness.
Top reviews from other countries

Bryn Griffith
4.0 out of 5 stars
The American Negro and not belonging.
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 7 February 2020Verified Purchase
5 people found this helpful
Report abuse

Jonas Green
5.0 out of 5 stars
Essential reading for anyone engaging with our world
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 5 June 2020Verified Purchase
Fantastic collection of essays and articles by one of the great thinkers of the 20th century. Baldwin’s prose stares frankly into the violence and racism that make up his world and the potential for violence that this creates in himself and his fellow citizens. Baldly, Baldwin reflects not only on the heritage of racism but also on the effects this has on the psychology of anyone growing up in such a society. Sadly, the subject of racism and the battle against violence is as important today as it was when Baldwin wrote these essays.
2 people found this helpful
Report abuse

shelley baldwin
5.0 out of 5 stars
Beautiful challenging touching writing
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 23 July 2020Verified Purchase
James baldwin is a beautiful writer

Christian Stevens
5.0 out of 5 stars
A masterful essayist. On par with Orwell/Levi.
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 6 November 2020Verified Purchase
A beautiful study of race and mankind itself. One of Americas literary titans.

Master blaster Brown
5.0 out of 5 stars
Impressive and very informative
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 26 April 2019Verified Purchase
Very good book and worth reading for any person of colour.