Sign in
If Beale Street Could Talk

If Beale Street Could Talk

by James Baldwin

  • 1974
  • ~210 pages
  • 4.3 ★
In this honest and stunning novel that inspired the award-winning major motion picture of the same name, James Baldwin has given America a moving story of love in the face of injustice. "A major work of Black American fiction." –The New Republic Told through the eyes of Tish, a nineteen-year-old girl, in love with Fonny, a young sculptor who is the father of her child, Baldwin’s story mixes the sweet and the sad. Tish and Fonny have pledged to get married, but Fonny is falsely accused of a terrible crime and imprisoned. Their families set out to clear his name, and as they face an uncertain future, the young lovers experience a kaleidoscope of emotions–affection, despair, and hope. In a love story that evokes the blues, where passion and sadness are inevitably intertwined, Baldwin has created two characters so alive and profoundly realized that they are unforgettably ingrained in the American psyche.

Meetups

No meetups scheduled for this book right now. Consider hosting one!

More by James Baldwin

  1. Following: Giovanni's RoomJames Baldwin
  2. Following: The Fire Next TimeJames Baldwin
  3. Following: Go Tell It on the MountainJames Baldwin
  4. Following: Another CountryJames Baldwin
  5. Following: Notes of a Native SonJames Baldwin
  6. Following: I Am Not Your NegroJames Baldwin
See all →