James Baldwin, iconic writer and essayist, social critic, and civil activist of the 21st century, not only wrote influential books, but helped shape the trajectory of the publishing industry.
Renowned for his insights into the complexities of race, identity, and society in the United States of America, his works offer a profound exploration of the human experience, and his literary legacy remains as vital and resonant today as it was during his lifetime.
August 2nd, 2024 marks the 100th anniversary of Baldwin’s birth, so we’ve compiled a list of his audiobooks that inspire thoughtful discourse and shape a more empathetic future. While many of us have read physical copies of his stories before, listening enables a completely different and powerful experience to discover or rediscover his words.
Early Novels: The Formation of Baldwin’s Voice
Go Tell It on the Mountain
Go Tell It on the Mountain is Baldwin’s semi-autobiographical novel, originally published in 1953. Based partly on his Harlem childhood, the book is a haunting coming-of-age story exploring a fourteen-year-old boy’s spiritual, sexual, and moral struggle as a minister’s stepson. Narrated by actor Joe Morton (Scandal), this newly-released audiobook version also features an introduction narrated by Roxane Gay.
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Giovanni’s Room
Set in 1950s Paris, Giovanni’s Room is a queer romance novel that is a core part of the LGBTQIA+ literature canon. The story follows David after he proposes to his girlfriend and begins an affair with a bartender named Giovanni.
View the audiobookEssays: Baldwin as a Social Critic
Notes of a Native Son
Written in the 1940s and 1950s, this essay collection captures reflections on Black life and thought throughout the civil rights movement. It explores themes of racial identity, protest literature, and the Black expatriate experience. You might have a fresh perspective by listening to one of Baldwin’s most admired works on audio.
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The Fire Next Time
The Fire Next Time begins with a letter to a 14 year old nephew on being Black in 1968 America. Baldwin presents two essays that explore the roles of race and racism in society, and critically examine Christianity’s influence on American beliefs. The audiobook is narrated by Jesse Martin, an American Broadway and television actor.
View the audiobookLater Works: Continuing the Dialogue
Another Country
Narrated by award-winning narrator Dion Graham, Another Country is an emotionally intense novel set in New York City and Paris, depicting the lives of a small set of friends after the suicide of jazz musician Rufus Scott. Baldwin imbues the best and worst intentions of liberal America in the 1950s.
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If Beale Street Could Talk
Beloved narrator Bahni Turpin’s narration of If Beale Street Could Talk helps deliver this beautiful and brutal love story set in Harlem in the early 1970s in a new light. A young Black couple has pledged to get married, when one is falsely accused of rape. It was his first novel to be adapted into a movie, from Barry Jenkins in 2018.
View the audiobookLegacy and Influence: Baldwin’s Enduring Impact
Baldwin inspired authors and activists alike, and continues to do so almost 40 years after his passing. And through both the timelessness of his own writing and these subsequent stories, his legacy carries on. We’ve compiled a few audiobooks by authors and activists who were notably shaped by or in conversation with Baldwin. With these stories, we can all continue to push for a more equitable world.
And, while not a book, we cannot forget to mention the legendary Baldwin & Co bookstore in New Orleans, Louisiana! Whether through their book and audiobook curations, their events (including a book club), or their nonprofit, they work hard to ensure that Baldwin’s legacy and impact lives on every day.
Recitatif
If you like James Baldwin’s works, you should also try reading his friend Toni Morrison. Both writers delve deeply into themes of Blackness, identity, and social justice. Recitatif follows a Black woman and a white woman who, despite starting from similar backgrounds, appear to be at opposite ends of every problem.
View the audiobook More by Toni Morrison
I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings
James Baldwin and Maya Angelou had a close relationship; according to NPR, Angelou once said Baldwin, whom she considers a brother, had a covert hand in getting her to write I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings. Balwin said her debut memoir “liberates the reader into life simply because Maya Angelou confronts her own life with such a moving wonder, such a luminous dignity”.
View the audiobook More by Maya Angelou
All About Love
James Baldwin’s thoughts on love have deeply inspired bell hooks’ writings. In All About Love, for example, she pulled a quote from Baldwin’s The Fire Next Time: “I do not mean to be sentimental about suffering—but people who cannot suffer can never grow up, can never discover who they are.”
View the audiobook More by bell hooks
Speeches by Malcolm X – The Ultimate Collection
James Baldwin and Malcolm X engaged in a public debate in 1961 and sparked intense discussions on achieving racial justice and addressing systemic inequality. Their discussion addressed critical issues affecting the Black community during the civil rights movement. To understand Malcolm X’s thoughts and approaches, you can dive into his speeches and interviews through this audiobook.
View the audiobook More by Malcolm XHave you listened to James Baldwin on audio?
Let us know which audiobook is your favorite in the comments.