Begin Again: James Baldwin's America and Its Urgent Lessons for Our Own

Written by:
Eddie S. Glaude
Narrated by:
Eddie S. Glaude

Unabridged Audiobook

Ratings
Book
42
Narrator
7
Release Date
June 2020
Duration
7 hours 44 minutes
Summary
NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • “A powerful study of how to bear witness in a moment when America is being called to do the same.”—Time

James Baldwin grew disillusioned by the failure of the civil rights movement to force America to confront its lies about race. What can we learn from his struggle in our own moment?
 
One of the Best Books of the Year: Time, The Washington Post, Chicago Tribune • One of Esquire’s Best Biographies of All Time • Winner of the Stowe Prize • Shortlisted for the Goddard Riverside Stephan Russo Book Prize for Social Justice
 
“Not everything is lost. Responsibility cannot be lost, it can only be abdicated. If one refuses abdication, one begins again.”—James Baldwin
 
Begin Again is one of the great books on James Baldwin and a powerful reckoning with America’s ongoing failure to confront the lies it tells itself about race. Just as in Baldwin’s “after times,” argues Eddie S. Glaude Jr., when white Americans met the civil rights movement’s call for truth and justice with blind rage and the murders of movement leaders, so in our moment were the Obama presidency and the birth of Black Lives Matter answered with the ascendance of Trump and the violent resurgence of white nationalism.
 
In these brilliant and stirring pages, Glaude finds hope and guidance in Baldwin as he mixes biography—drawn partially from newly uncovered Baldwin interviews—with history, memoir, and poignant analysis of our current moment to reveal the painful cycle of Black resistance and white retrenchment. As Glaude bears witness to the difficult truth of racism’s continued grip on the national soul, Begin Again is a searing exploration of the tangled web of race, trauma, and memory, and a powerful interrogation of what we must ask of ourselves in order to call forth a new America.
Reviews
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Keri V.

This vivid journey of an entangled America, a philosophical and visionary Baldwin, and Glaude’s own life experience led to me to write this first public review of anything. I just want to say thank you Dr. Glaude - what a wonderful casting and capturing of complexity.

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cyberexec

what an awesome job Mr Eddie S. Glaude did and explaining and educating us on the life of one of the great poets of our time. my only wish is he could have gotten more into the after times of Reagan between Obama. Kuddos to the Author.

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Anonymous

great book, easy read, and narrator very good.

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Tracey B.

This book is both painful and hopeful. My wish is for everyone to read this at least once, but many more times- there’s so much important information and perspective to be absorbed. The narrator (Mr. Glaude) has a beautiful, soothing and inspiring voice and pace. This is brilliant.

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Latoya L.

If Baldwin had a son, it would most definitely be in the form of Eddie......Immediately,I was super jealous, I wanted to be walking beside Eddie when he visited Baldwins remains (home and 11 acres), that they were turning to luxury apartments. I understand Baldwin departure from America and living in Nice for 17 years. He witnessed the betrayals of Black freedom struggle in America and fled to find what was left on him in a pile of ruins. Because he was America is becoming unrecognizable. They're fighting and feigning for a past that can't be retrieved, one that they honor, that's filled with anger, bigotry. I mean they're longing for the past so much, that they'd do almost anything to relive it. Ready to hide behind race and fight for cruel and hateful policies no matter who they hurt as long as it gets done. Whew chile....Eddie wrote the Hell outta this book, you hear me! Fear is covered by fury, on all sides. But when will it be enough! America birthed this ugliness we see and are doubling down in it. We all can be better, but are we going to take the necessary steps, acknowledge the truths no matter how ugly they are, hold those accountable for their actions/privilege, or will we continue to turn a blind eye to it all. Why are we wallowing in ignorance? You see America changes all the time without changing at all. #Book41of2020 #bookworm #whatsnext

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