James Baldwin's "Giovanni's Room" impressed me both for its exploration of love, sex, and sexual identity and for the skill with which the author has the narrative unfold; I was gripped from beginning to end.

Although the protagonist is white, I know that some critics believe that the theme of race is obliquely present by virtue of the salience of various kinds of minority identity throughout the novel.

Quite aside from it being a "good read", I would recommend it to anybody interested in the literary treatment of bisexuality.

Expatriation also figures as an important theme. These words hit home with this migrant:

>> You don't have a home until you leave it and then, when you have left it, you never can go back. <<

"Home", of course, can be more than a geographical location.

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Currently reading Giovanni's Room [1956!!!] by James Baldwin and wow, what a fabulous writer, what a beautiful book!

"I did not, I must say" - this with that look at me - "altogether succeed in remaining untouched by him, he has more hands than an octopus, and no dignity whatever, but" - grimly throwing down another oyster and refilling our glasses of wine - "I do now have a carte de travail and I have a job."

#JamesBaldwin #GiovannisRoom #TheStoryGraph #bookstodon

📚 James Baldwin on Giovanni's Room (1956) 📚

I just finished Giovanni's Room and it has found a space on my favorite books of all time list. Perhaps I should have read this novel 40 years ago when I was in my mid 20s - but I'm not at all upset that I only discovered it now. I'm sure that it resonated in quite a different way for this 60 something single man.

#jamesbaldwin #giovannisroom #books #book #mybookshelf #myreadinglist #favoritebooks #theauthorspeaks #inhisownwords #writer #author #readinglist #livre #livres #libro #libros #library #novel #fiction #buch #bücher #livros #libri #authorinterview

📚 James Baldwin on Giovanni's Room (1956) 📚

I just finished Giovanni's Room and it has found a space on my favorite books of all time list. Perhaps I should have read this novel 40 years ago when I was in my mid 20s - but I'm not at all upset that I only discovered it now. I'm sure that it has resonated in quite a different way for this 60 something single man.

#jamesbaldwin #giovannisroom #books #book #mybookshelf #myreadinglist #favoritebooks #theauthorspeaks #inhisownwords #writer #author #readinglist #livre #livres #libro #libros #library #novel #fiction #buch #bücher #livros #libri #authorinterview

Starting a #literature #book classic!

Giovanni's Room by James Baldwin! Already quite the haunting first chapter. The word choice and structure immediately sucks you into what the main character is going through.

Excited to read more.

#GiovannisRoom #JamesBaldwin

The #Nation's #Oldest #LGBTQ+ #Bookstore #GiovannisRoom Is Ready for 50 More Years

This is how #Philadelphia's Giovanni's Room #survived #AIDS, #gentrification, the #internet, and #COVID.

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