Giovanni's Room - James Baldwin

Giovanni's Room

By James Baldwin

  • Release Date: 2013-09-12
  • Genre: LGBTQIA+ Fiction
4.5 Score: 4.5 (From 329 Ratings)

Description

From one of the most brilliant and provocative literary figures of the past century comes a groundbreaking novel set among the bohemian bars and nightclubs of 1950s Paris, about love and the fear of love—“a book that belongs in the top rank of fiction” (The Atlantic).

One of The Atlantic’s Great American Novels of the Past 100 Years

In the 1950s Paris of American expatriates, liaisons, and violence, a young man finds himself caught between desire and conventional morality. 

David is a young American expatriate who has just proposed marriage to his girlfriend, Hella. While she is away on a trip, David meets a bartender named Giovanni to whom he is drawn in spite of himself. Soon the two are spending the night in Giovanni’s curtainless room, which he keeps dark to protect their privacy. But Hella’s return to Paris brings the affair to a crisis, one that rapidly spirals into tragedy.

David struggles for self-knowledge during one long, dark night—“the night which is leading me to the most terrible morning of my life.” With a sharp, probing imagination, James Baldwin's now-classic narrative delves into the mystery of loving and creates a deeply moving story of death and passion that reveals the unspoken complexities of the human heart.

Reviews

  • Quite literally the greatest book of

    5
    By Annie1999215
    Baldwin’s eloquence has always baffled me, and this story continues to push society’s understanding of queer expression. I love how he so accurately describes the battle of internalized homophobia and the truths behind how love double dips between its many forms— specifically love for friends and love for romantic partners— and how they look versus how they feel. I am such a huge fan of his work and this story really hit home for me. His imagery alone has me planning a trip to France and my thoughts cannot escape the beautiful and emotional scenes he paints with his words. 12/10 book. I will recommend it forever.

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