James Baldwin
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James Baldwin - BR Maya & Sofia Dec 2015
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chap 33preparing myself to read the last chapter.
I tried to find a picture of Cynthia Packard and I couldn't but I found this painting titled Cynthia Packard and as it's beautiful I'm including it
I'm being nosy maybe but I wish I could know why the relationship petered out like all the others.
The painting is lovely, yes.I thought he maintained his friendship with her until the end. One of his last letters was to her.
yes that's so but not living together, or am I mistaken? People tended to remain in his life.
I'm reading about confession - it's like if you do not put words to thoughts, feelings, they remain vague, without substance. But with confession comes the end of denial and the taking of responsibility and the showing of self, maybe that's why so many shy away from it.
"In this he also resembles Baldwin himself who was ever nostalgic about past loves and oculd rarely pass up the opportunity to reconnect ith an old lover even if the relationship endangered a new one. For him, as for Rob, the risk of love had to take precedence over the safety of orderely relations."Maybe this answers my question as to why there was no long term relation eventhough he craved domestic stability. Not an easy situation to work with even if the 'lover' is open to an open relationship. A case of the more the merrier but also the more the more fighting.
Maya wrote: "reading the last chapter:Quote from an essay initially called “Freaks and the American Ideal of Manhood,” later renamed to “Here Be Dragons.”
“We … are all androgynous … born of a woman impregn..."
Names as just confining labels. Thought provoking that bit with Jay/Jayne.
Finished - I'm sad.
I think that my appreciation of him comes from the fact that he did not try and hide his humanity, his faults and so the greatness shines through more and gives hope to all of us imperfect ones too.
Feeling very sad now, I knew this was coming but we knew him for the past year now and this feels like a loss.
I share your feelings of sadness and loss.I think it wasn't only us getting a deeper insight of him reading the books but also watching the videos of him, listening to his voice. There's something very soothing in his voice (despite the rasp which probably came from all those cigarettes) - I could listen to him tell me stories every day.
And I completely agree that he didn't hide anything as that would've been against everything he preached: that nothing is more dangerous than lying to yourself.
About Jay/Jayne - to be honest I'm not entirely sure Leeming interpreted this situation correctly. This book was written in the 90s so perhaps there wasn't much information but the fact that Jay was bisexual doesn't exclude the possibility that he might have wanted to change his gender too. I thought overall Leeming lacked understanding when issues of gender and sexuality were concerned. He mostly quoted JB but refrained from analyzing further.
Sofia wrote: "yes that's so but not living together, or am I mistaken? People tended to remain in his life."I think it was because his health deteriorated and he couldn't teach anymore so he returned to France.
But in general throughout the book there were many cases where Leeming told us of falling-outs JB had with friends but didn't go into detail. For example what was the argument JB had with Bernard Hassell that made Bernard leave the house? Maybe several chapters later it was mentioned that JB blamed Bernard for envying him but no details again.
Maybe Leeming saved these details from the readers on purpose or maybe he didn't have reliable information - I don't know. But I noticed this more than once in the book.
Sofia wrote: ""In this he also resembles Baldwin himself who was ever nostalgic about past loves and oculd rarely pass up the opportunity to reconnect ith an old lover even if the relationship endangered a new o..."I agree - I think this manner of his certainly played a big part in that. But also the fact that he was very demanding, that it was of great importance for him that all his lovers understood his fight, his teachings. I imagine they all craved some personal freedom while with him. But he knew all of that.
I just looked at all the paragraphs I've highlighted so I can potentially use for my review (either as quotes or as reminders) and they are so many ... I don't know where to start.
I would have liked more info there too Maya, information to help me understand the inside man as he would say. We had lots of information so those lacunae stood out. It would have built a more whole Jimmy for me.
Maya wrote: "I just looked at all the paragraphs I've highlighted so I can potentially use for my review (either as quotes or as reminders) and they are so many ... I don't know where to start."I have the same problem : D
Ok, I see some of my comments above may be a bit harsh on the author but I'm very happy we read this book. I think we'll be able to see more layers in the next JB books we read.
That's a definite.I liked reading this too, us wanting more just means that we are not tired of Jimmy at all :)
I wonder how his other biographies are written.
I don't know. Supposedly Leeming had access to more information than anyone else - he had many of JB's personal letters and notes in his diary. This one has praising reviews: Talking at the Gates: A Life of James Baldwin.
A reviewer said it was more intimate and personal than Leeming. I'm going to list it in my tbr, I think a different perspective would be good.
Morning :)I'll think about this one. It's written even before Leeming's book and I'm more interested to read a bio written more recently (don't know if there is one yet).
We are starting Going to Meet the Man today, right?
It contains 8 stories, we'll probably be able to read it within 2-3 days.
Why recent, to get the time contrast?I thought of asking you for a little break but i find myself missing him so yes please I can do a slow start, let me do a thread :)
And Good Morning beautiful one :D
I don't mind a break, we can start tomorrow or Monday if that's better for you.
I so anxious for a break that I've already done a thread and listed the stories :PLet's take it as it comes darling if you feel like reading the first one do so and I'll do the same : D
There is no antidote to the love of books
A great interview, yes. And the interviewer is a big part of it - it's obvious she had read his works and understood his words. I've watched part of it (the last bit about the denial of love) when we read Another Country, even quoted it in my review.The interview must have been taken on his last trip to London when one of his plays was on stage there.
I think that is it's greatness that the interview was very good, very interested and they were sitting close to each other. I could see them almost touching and that created a great atmosphere.
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Quote from an essay initially called “Freaks and the American Ideal of Manhood,” later renamed to “Here Be Dragons.”
“We … are all androgynous … born of a woman impregnated by … a man … each of us, helplessly and forever, contains the other—male in female, female in male, white in black and black in white.”