Under this title, Fred d’Aguilar, in December 6th TLS, reviews Baldwin’s memoir, No Name in the Street, “beautifully reissued by Penguin Classics,” and several recently published books on the author, who was born on August 2, 1924, among which:
Colm Tóibín’s On James Baldwin is a concise and pungent work of literary criticism, reminiscent of Jay Parini’s Borges and Me: An encounter (2021). The Irish novelist reflects on his early appreciation for Baldwin’s textures, tones, rhythms, insinuations, and “auras” – elements that underpin the meaning-as-feeling in Baldwin’s fiction. He recounts his teenage encounter with Go Tell It on the Mountain (1953) through the lens of an adult’s admiration for its formal qualities, suggesting that his appreciation has evolved. This enthusiasm for the novel’s structure contrasts with his initial impression. Which phase of admiration holds more significance? For this reader Tóibín’s lingering sense of wonder from that first encounter highlights the importance of interiority over outward signs and meaning.
Colm Tóibín, On James Baldwin, Brandeis University Press, 2024.
Gabriel François