The novel follows no real plot, it’s mostly about this small group of friends and acquaintances (Cass, Eric, Yves, Vivaldo, Ida, Richard, Ellis, Leona and, of course, Rufus, the center of the whole group), and all the love, anger, recentment, tension (erotic and political), between these people. Baldwin’s prose is as purple and wordy as ever (if not more) and there is some repetitiveness to his ideas, but they’re all so smart and well put its hard to fault him for this. Although some of the politics here are a bit dated, and it does feel like this is just a combination of Baldwin’s other books, it’s all forgiven by its sheer potency in thought and emotion. This is a novel about rage, lust, race, gender, sex, bodies, cosmopolitanism, anger, justice and injustice, and about that other country, Love. Sex becomes political, Politics become eroticized
His performance made for a rich listening experience. He portrays African American, Southerner, Puerto Rican, and French accents with skill and craft. There are some places and circumstances that are too toxic for personal and spiritual growth.A person implodes if a way out is not found.ĭion Graham gives a masterful performance.
Had I not moved to San Francisco, I would have turned out like Rufus, too. Had James Baldwin not moved to Paris, he would have turned out like Rufus. Once again, Rufus was the most memorable character in Another Country. Who was the most memorable character of Another Country and why? Even though he was not present for four-fifths of the book, he exerted a ghost presence on all. Rufus' death early in the book sets off a chain of events that impacted his family and friends who had to deal with the aftermath. Rufus Scott's slow descent into suicide when he jumped off the George Washington Bridge riveted me because Baldwin made me feel his pain and isolation. Of the three books, I found this to be the most relevant and accessible to me because of the questions the characters struggled with. Baldwin's jazzy writing style in Another Country rocked and rattled me. Other books I compared Another Country to are Baldwin's Go Tell It On the Mountain and Giovanni's Room. What other book might you compare Another Country to and why? The freshness of his prose was like jazz to me ears. He was ahead of his time and hos book is still relevant with its discussions on race, sex, and identity. It felt like Baldwin was speaking directly to me.
Where does Another Country rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?Īnother Country ranks as the best James Baldwin audiobook I have listened to so far. Tragic, beautifully tragic with a touch of hope It is a group of people who are completely without inhibitions, but still have rules to follow. You feel empathy for some of the most heinous moments. This book perfectly explains how people go through love and pain and just getting along. All the emotions and thoughts and feelings are described so artfully and so exactly that the reader has no doubts or questions about what is happening. It is so detailed and so descriptive, but it’s never stale. I want to say beautifully written, but that’s not quite it either. And the drama is not so heavy that it feels cumbersome and ugly. They sometimes are ugly, but it’s not a book filled with ugly people. It’s filled with people who are wretched. Never one to shy away from taboos, Baldwin gives a eloquent and nuanced study of the complexities of interracial relationships, queerness, and non-monogamy in mid-century America.This review is difficult to write because it’s difficult to put into a box.
Another Country paints a vivid depiction of bohemian life in 1950s New York, following a year in the lives of eight very different protagonists. SCARCE FIRST EDITION of the third novel from one of the greatest American writers of the 20th century. Dust-jacket unclipped and remains distinct and colourful, with some small chips and minor shelf-wear Very Good in Very Good dust-jacket. Clean, square, tight copy with no inscriptions or annotations. Very slight fading to cloth on top board-edges and split to end paper at inner front hinge, tooling bright. Original cream publishers' dust jacket with bold midnight-blue and maroon text, designed by Paul Bacon crimson red endpapers. Publishers' original black cloth, white spine titles, and Baldwin's signature tooled in white on upper board.
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