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If Beale Street Could Talk Mass market paperbound - 1986
by James A. Baldwin
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About this book
If Beale Street Could Talk, James Baldwin's fifth novel is a love story set in Harlem in the early 70's.
Young Tish and Fonny, who are in love and expecting a child. They plan on marrying until Fonny is falsely accused of a terrible crime and imprisoned. Their tragic love story paints a bleak picture of racism and injustice. It is the only Baldwin novel narrated by a woman.
Young Tish and Fonny, who are in love and expecting a child. They plan on marrying until Fonny is falsely accused of a terrible crime and imprisoned. Their tragic love story paints a bleak picture of racism and injustice. It is the only Baldwin novel narrated by a woman.
Reader reviews for If Beale Street Could Talk
Review summary
Most readers praised the novel’s lyrical prose and its unsparing look at love, family, and the U.S. criminal justice system. Many described a quiet but intense emotional impact and applauded the effectiveness of its female narration, with some calling it essential reading. Dissenting views cited flat or idealized characterization, questionable legal plausibility in key scenes, and a frustrating ending, with a few judging it slighter than Baldwin’s major works.
Readers say this book is:
heartbreakinglyrical proseheavythought-provokingsocially incisivequietemotionalengrossinguneven charactersdivisive endingWrite a review for this book
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First line
I look at myself in the mirror.
First edition identification
The first edition of If Beale Street Could Talk was published by Dial Press in 1974.
Details
- Title If Beale Street Could Talk
- Author James A. Baldwin
- Binding Mass Market Paperbound
- Edition [ Edition: Repri
- Pages 213
- Volumes 1
- Language ENG
- Publisher Laurel Press, New York, U.S.A.
- Publication date January 1, 1986
- ISBN 9780440340607 / 0440340608
- Weight 0.25 lbs (0.11 kg)
- Dimensions 6.74 x 4.12 x 0.62 in (17.12 x 10.46 x 1.57 cm)
- Category Literature - Classics / Criticism
- Library of Congress subjects Afro-Americans - Fiction
- Library of Congress Catalogue Number 00003173
- Dewey Decimal Code FIC
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If Beale Street Could Talk
by James Baldwin
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If Beale Street Could Talk
by James Baldwin
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If Beale Street Could Talk
by James Baldwin
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If Beale Street Could Talk
by Baldwin, James
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