Book · 1956 · Race relations
Giovanni's Room
- mentions
- 5
- people
- 3
- podcast
- 1
- episodes
- 3
- recommendations
- 0
I wrote the whole first book, Giovanni's Room, and I really struggled.
The best things said about it
Yeah I first encountered Baldwin as an undergrad a friend or actually a woman who I had been dating kind of in the process of breaking up with me recommended that I read James Baldwin which I realize now was about her telling me I need to do some growing and so I originally read the fire next time in.
Why people recommend it
Giovanni's Room is a 1956 novel by James Baldwin that explores the complex romantic and existential struggles of an American man living in Paris. On The Book Review podcast, guest Nicholas Boggs discussed the intense creative struggles he faced while writing a biography about Baldwin, noting that he had first encountered the author by stealing his twin sister's copy of the novel in the ninth grade and never returning it. During the same podcast, Jenny Schusler noted discovering a fascinating television screenplay adaptation of the novel within a newly acquired archive. Barry Jenkins also appeared on the podcast to recall his undergraduate introduction to James Baldwin, remarking that a romantic partner recommended the author as a hint that he needed personal growth. Furthermore, Jenkins observed that the novel feels deeply interior rather than outwardly cinematic. The recurring mentions underscore the profound and lasting impact of Baldwin's writing on both literary biographers and filmmakers seeking to understand the psychological depth, interiority, and emotional resonance characteristic of his mid-century masterpieces.
Every mention
Barry Jenkins I can't say it felt more cinematic per se because you read a book like giovan's room it's all in these Inte… 2
“yeah I first encountered Baldwin as an undergrad a friend or actually a woman who I had been dating kind of in the process of breaking up with me recommended that I read James Baldwin which I realize now was about her telling me I need to do some growing and so I originally read the fire next time in”
“I can't say it felt more cinematic per se because you read a book like giovan's room it's all in these Interiors”
Nicholas Boggs I wrote the whole first book, Giovanni's Room, and I really struggled. 2
“I wrote the whole first book, Giovanni's Room, and I really struggled.”
“The first James Baldwin book I read was Giovanni's Room. I stole my twin sister's copy of it in ninth grade and I never gave it back.”
Jennifer Schuessler one kind of amazing thing I saw was a a teleplay I think it was sort of a screen television screenplay adap… 1
“one kind of amazing thing I saw was a a teleplay I think it was sort of a screen television screenplay adaptation of giovan's room his great 1956 novel”
Other mentions (1: passing, ad reads, own books)
“so Baldwin had published his first novel In 1953 and he he' published by then three novels go tell on the mountain giovan's room in another country”