The Fire Next Time by James Baldwin
A Review By: SY
At once a powerful evocation of his early life in Harlem and a disturbing examination of the consequences of racial injustice to both the individual and the body politic, James Baldwin galvanized the nation in the early days of the civil-rights movement with this eloquent manifesto. The Fire Next Time stands as one of the essential works of our literature.
Review Notes:
Audio Book Publication Year: 2008
An installment in a Series? No
Narrator (s): Jesse L. Martin
An old spiritual gloss on this verse says, “God gave Noah the rainbow sign, no water but the fire next time.”
Baldwin’s essays are written from the perspective of a man enlightened to the ways of human behavior and their quests for control, if not over others, over one’s self. His words make clear that he is a man of his own mind, developing profound insights on the world around him through astute observations and surprising interactions, such as the one he describes with the Honorable Elijah Muhammad of the Nation of Islam.
Written in 1963, Baldwin reflects back to the writings of W.E.B Dubois (60 years prior) and chronicles with cringeworthy accuracy, the continued experience of Black people in America 60 years later. The first essay is a cautionary warning to his nephew about how he should perceive the world around him and how it perceives him. In the second essay are the musings of a man that has given a great deal of thought to Christianity and the role it plays in the lives of Black and white Americans - how the execution of its religious principles rarely reconcile with the foundation of its religious doctrine.
Jesse L. Martin does an incredible job of embodying the thoughtful and intelligent Baldwin. He pairs a calm and melodic voice with this particular title, and it is a joy for the listener. In the beginning of the book, Martin seemed to be reading the words a little too quickly for the listener to absorb the wisdom being shared. However, shortly thereafter, it appeared that Martin came to understand that there was a weight to Baldwin's words that should be recognized in their delivery; the cadence became more intentional, hitting the listener with the appropriate impact.
Poignant and relevant - excellent read.
Reading Recommendation? Yes!
Rating: NORTH STAR RATING
Content Warnings? None
