Giovanni's Room
Oct 2001 · Penguin UK
4.5star
39 reviewsreport
Ebook
176
Pages
family_home
Eligible
info
reportRatings and reviews aren’t verified Learn More
About this ebook
One of the BBC's '100 Novels That Shaped Our World'
Baldwin's ground-breaking second novel, which established him as one of the great American writers of his time
David, a young American in 1950s Paris, is waiting for his fiancée to return from vacation in Spain. But when he meets Giovanni, a handsome Italian barman, the two men are drawn into an intense affair. After three months David's fiancée returns and, denying his true nature, he rejects Giovanni for a 'safe' future as a married man. His decision eventually brings tragedy.
Filled with passion, regret and longing, this story of a fated love triangle has become a landmark of gay writing. James Baldwin caused outrage as a black author writing about white homosexuals, yet for him the issues of race, sexuality and personal freedom were eternally intertwined.
'Exquisite... a feat of fire-breathing, imaginative daring' Guardian
'Excruciating beauty' San Francisco Chronicle
'Audacious... remarkable... elegant and courageous' Caryl Phillips
Baldwin's ground-breaking second novel, which established him as one of the great American writers of his time
David, a young American in 1950s Paris, is waiting for his fiancée to return from vacation in Spain. But when he meets Giovanni, a handsome Italian barman, the two men are drawn into an intense affair. After three months David's fiancée returns and, denying his true nature, he rejects Giovanni for a 'safe' future as a married man. His decision eventually brings tragedy.
Filled with passion, regret and longing, this story of a fated love triangle has become a landmark of gay writing. James Baldwin caused outrage as a black author writing about white homosexuals, yet for him the issues of race, sexuality and personal freedom were eternally intertwined.
'Exquisite... a feat of fire-breathing, imaginative daring' Guardian
'Excruciating beauty' San Francisco Chronicle
'Audacious... remarkable... elegant and courageous' Caryl Phillips
Ratings and reviews
4.5
39 reviews
Lorraine See
- Flag inappropriate
- Show review history
November 12, 2022
DNF. I want to like this book, but I find the story pretty dull and the writing style too long-winded.
grass gaming
- Flag inappropriate
December 8, 2020
im really gay but this was not gay enough were was the gay sex
1 person found this review helpful
Grahame Crookes-Blyde
- Flag inappropriate
September 25, 2020
I read this book and I thought it was great I give 5 stars
2 people found this review helpful
About the author
Born in Harlem in 1924, Baldwin had an early career as a teenage preacher. He lived in Paris from 1948-1956 and his first novels, the autobiographical GO TELL IT ON THE MOUNTAIN and GIOVANNI'S ROOM established him as a promising novelist and anticipated some of the themes of his later works, such as racism and sexuality. He became a prominent spokesperson for racial equality, especially during the civil rights movement. He lived in France during his last years. Baldwin died in 1987.
Rate this ebook
Tell us what you think.
Reading information
Smartphones and tablets
Install the Google Play Books app for Android and iPad/iPhone. It syncs automatically with your account and allows you to read online or offline wherever you are.
Laptops and computers
You can listen to audiobooks purchased on Google Play using your computer's web browser.
eReaders and other devices
To read on e-ink devices like Kobo eReaders, you'll need to download a file and transfer it to your device. Follow the detailed Help Center instructions to transfer the files to supported eReaders.
