James Baldwin in Context

A collection of approaches to the work of an essential black American author who is just as relevant now as he was during his turbulent heyday.

This volume is for newcomers to Baldwin's work as well as those who are familiar with that work and with established ways to approach it. The language and perspectives of the two dozen authors contained herein are diverse, and yet all of the essays are accessible to specialists and non-specialists alike.James Baldwin in Context provides a wide-ranging collection of approaches to the work of an essential black American author who is just as relevant now as he was during his turbulent heyday in the mid-twentieth century. The perspectives range from those who knew Baldwin personally, to scholars who have dedicated decades to studying him, to a new generation of scholars for whom Baldwin is nearly a historical figure. This collection complements the ever-growing body of scholarship on Baldwin by combining traditional inroads into his work, such as music and expatriation, with new approaches, such as intersectionality and the Black Lives Matter movement.