On James Baldwin

“A thoughtful, partly autobiographical reflection on Baldwin’s fiction … emphasiz(ing) Baldwin’s place on the world’s literary stage.” * Wall Street Journal *
“A concise and pungent work of literary criticism. Tóibín may be Baldwin’s ideal interlocutor for a new generation of readers puzzled by the earlier writer’s mental gymnastics with race, history, and sexuality.” * Times Literary Supplement *
“These astute essays are doubly rewarding, shedding light on Baldwin’s profound visions of freedom while offering insight into how Tóibín reads and thinks about fiction. The result is a testament to the talents of both writers.” * Publishers Weekly *
“The writing is lucid, concise, unpretentious, emotionally engaging and, in some instances, deeply personal. (A) brilliant book.” * Sunday Independent *
“The great achievement of On James Baldwin is the same as what Baldwin hoped for himself: to write about the human condition without confinement to race, religion, and sexual orientation.” * New York Sun *
“Tóibín delivers an intimate reading of the American writer’s work in this astute, accessible book. The personal and political resonance of Baldwin’s work is explored sensitively by the author, who shares with his subject a ‘glittering mind’ with thought ‘embodied in style.’” * Irish Times *
“As if Tóibín’s insights about Baldwin were not enough to make this short collection a keeper, we also get Tóibín riffing on his own experiences as a young gay man. Tóibín (has) the breadth of vision to see Baldwin’s life and work from many angles.” * The Gay and Lesbian Review *
“A freewheeling, erudite account of James Baldwin… I would highly recommend it as a primer to anyone interested in Baldwin and wanting to know more about his trajectory.” * Something Curated *

Colm Tóibín is a renowned Irish novelist, poet, essayist, journalist, playwright, professor, and literary critic. He is the author of ten novels, including Long Island; The Magician, winner of the Rathbones Folio Prize; The Master, winner of the Los Angeles Times Book Prize; Brooklyn, winner of the Costa Book Award and adapted for the BAFTA award-winning film of the same name; The Testament of Mary; and Nora Webster; as well as two story collections, several books of criticism, and a collection of poems, Vinegar Hill. He is the Irene and Sidney B. Silverman Professor of the Humanities at Columbia University and has been named the 2022–2024 Laureate for Irish Fiction by the Arts Council of Ireland. Three times shortlisted for the Booker Prize, Tóibín lives in Dublin and New York City.

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