... a book that is perfect for Baldwin aficionados or anyone experiencing staggering disbelief at America’s state of disarray and trying to make sense of it. What sets this account apart is that Glaude understands how Baldwin’s writing becomes a pathway for one’s own thoughts; he’s able to synthesise the novelist’s work in a way that transcends summation or homage and becomes instead an act of breathtaking literary assimilation that acquires its own generative power.

Glaude is more explicit about looking to Baldwin not just for perspective and inspiration but for instruction and guidance.

... a potent meditation on the enduring legacy of Baldwin’s life and thought, a New York Times bestseller and one of a number of titles that have spoken to the soul of public outrage at George Floyd’s killing in Minneapolis last May.

The strength of Glaude’s book depends on how well he makes the case that Baldwin speaks directly to our times.

...impassioned.

This erudite take frames the election of Donald Trump to replace America’s first black president as a 'betrayal'.

A penetrating study.