1995
WISE Score
James Baldwin’s searing, prophetic take on race in America that’s somehow more relevant now than when he wrote it.
Our reviews and ratings are 100% unbiased, but as an Amazon Associate, Screenwise earns an affiliate fee if you buy a book or game by clicking one of our links. We don't get any credit if you just Google it instead :)
If you want your kid to actually understand the tectonic plates of American society, this is the manual. It's not a 'fun' weekend read, but it's electric. Baldwin writes with a clarity and a controlled fury that makes modern social media 'takes' look like finger painting.
It’s a short book—two essays—but it packs more into its 100-odd pages than most textbooks do in 500. It’s the kind of reading that sticks to your ribs and changes how you look at the person sitting across from you on the bus.
Best for 14 and up. The vocabulary is sophisticated and the concepts require a level of historical and social maturity that most middle schoolers are just starting to develop. It's a high school essential.
Baldwin's writing is deeply human and rooted in a desperate kind of love for humanity, even as he dissects its greatest failings. It's emotionally heavy but profoundly moral.
The prose is a masterclass in perspective. It forces the reader to inhabit a reality and a future they might not have otherwise considered, which is the highest form of imagination.
It's a book of essays. There's no 'shock' content, though it describes the very real and violent history of American racism. It's safe for anyone with the maturity to handle the subject matter.
This is foundational literacy for understanding the American experiment. It builds empathy, vocabulary, and critical thinking skills simultaneously.
Get a personalized guide on any topic
