Notes of a Native SonNotes of a Native Son
Score Classic
What it's about
James Baldwin's first collection of essays, written when he was in his twenties, covers his childhood in Harlem, his complicated relationship with his stern preacher father, the experience of being Black in America and in Paris, and the art and protest novels of his time. The title essay weaves together his father's death, his own birthday and the 1943 Harlem riot into one of the most famous essays in American literature.
Why it's worth reading
Baldwin is one of the great prose writers in English, and these essays are as urgent and beautifully written today as in 1955. It's on both the Modern Library and Guardian lists of the best nonfiction ever written.
You'll love it if you liked
The Fire Next Time
Between the World and Me
The Warmth of Other Suns: The Epic Story of America's Great MigrationGood to know
It's short, about 150 pages, but each essay rewards slow reading. A few essays discuss films and novels you may not know, and they still work.
By the numbers
- Readers95 out of 100 · counts 42%
- Critics92 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
- Bestseller17 out of 100 · counts 14%
- Buzz0 out of 100 · counts 10%
Critics and Bestseller are two ways to earn a place: a book's stronger one counts more. Buzz rewards recent bestseller weeks and prizes, so older books start at zero. The parts combine into the Must-Read Score, shown on a scale where the best book we found scores 99 and the last book to make the ranking scores 50.
Where it ranks
Why it made the list
Reads as
True story
More by James Baldwin
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Go Tell It on the Mountain
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Quick answers
Is Notes of a Native Son worth reading?
Yes. Baldwin is one of the great prose writers in English, and these essays are as urgent and beautifully written today as in 1955. It ranks #56 of the 2,816 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 88.6 (the best book we found scores 99).
What is Notes of a Native Son about?
James Baldwin's first collection of essays, written when he was in his twenties, covers his childhood in Harlem, his complicated relationship with his stern preacher father, the experience of being Black in America and in Paris, and the art and protest novels of his time. The title essay weaves together his father's death, his own birthday and the 1943 Harlem riot into one of the most famous essays in American literature.
How long does it take to read Notes of a Native Son?
About 5 hours (209 pages), or about 10 days at 30 minutes a day.
What should I read after Notes of a Native Son?
If you liked it, try The Fire Next Time by James Baldwin, Between the World and Me by Ta-Nehisi Coates or The Warmth of Other Suns: The Epic Story of America's Great Migration by Isabel Wilkerson.