Begin Again: James Baldwin's America and Its Urgent Lessons for Our Own
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- Author：Eddie S. Glaude Jr.
- ISBN：0525575332
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Summary
James Baldwin grew disillusioned by the failure of the Civil Rights movement to force America to confront its lies about race。 In the era of Trump， what can we learn from his struggle？
"Not everything is lost。 Responsibility cannot be lost， it can only be abdicated。 If one refuses abdication， one begins again。" —James Baldwin
We live， according to Eddie S。 Glaude， Jr。， in the after times， when the promise of Black Lives Matter and the attempt to achieve a new America was met with the election of Donald Trump， a racist president whose victory represents yet another failure of America to face the lies it tells itself about race。
We have been here before: For James Baldwin， the after times came in the wake of the Civil Rights movement， when a similar attempt to compel a national confrontation with the truth was answered with the murders of Medgar Evers， Malcolm X， and Martin Luther King， Jr。 In these years， spanning from the publication of The Fire Next Time in 1963 to that of No Name in the Street in 1972， Baldwin was transformed into a more overtly political writer， a change that came at great professional and personal cost。 But from that journey， Baldwin emerged with a sense of renewed purpose about the necessity of pushing forward in the face of disillusionment and despair。
In the story of Baldwin's crucible， Glaude suggests， we can find hope and guidance through our own after times， this Trumpian era of shattered promises and white retrenchment。 Mixing biography—drawn partially from newly uncovered interviews—with history， memoir， and trenchant analysis of our current moment， Begin Again is Glaude's attempt， following Baldwin， to bear witness to the difficult truth of race in America today。 It is at once a searing exploration that lays bare the tangled web of race， trauma， and memory， and a powerful interrogation of what we all must ask of ourselves in order to call forth a new America。
"Not everything is lost。 Responsibility cannot be lost， it can only be abdicated。 If one refuses abdication， one begins again。" —James Baldwin
We live， according to Eddie S。 Glaude， Jr。， in the after times， when the promise of Black Lives Matter and the attempt to achieve a new America was met with the election of Donald Trump， a racist president whose victory represents yet another failure of America to face the lies it tells itself about race。
We have been here before: For James Baldwin， the after times came in the wake of the Civil Rights movement， when a similar attempt to compel a national confrontation with the truth was answered with the murders of Medgar Evers， Malcolm X， and Martin Luther King， Jr。 In these years， spanning from the publication of The Fire Next Time in 1963 to that of No Name in the Street in 1972， Baldwin was transformed into a more overtly political writer， a change that came at great professional and personal cost。 But from that journey， Baldwin emerged with a sense of renewed purpose about the necessity of pushing forward in the face of disillusionment and despair。
In the story of Baldwin's crucible， Glaude suggests， we can find hope and guidance through our own after times， this Trumpian era of shattered promises and white retrenchment。 Mixing biography—drawn partially from newly uncovered interviews—with history， memoir， and trenchant analysis of our current moment， Begin Again is Glaude's attempt， following Baldwin， to bear witness to the difficult truth of race in America today。 It is at once a searing exploration that lays bare the tangled web of race， trauma， and memory， and a powerful interrogation of what we all must ask of ourselves in order to call forth a new America。
Reviews
Julia
，
This book is absolutely brilliant。 Eddie S。 Glaude does a beautiful job of weaving Baldwin’s writing and life with where we are as a nation today。 Through out the book I was constantly reading passages to my husband or sharing with friends。 My next time reading through it I will definitely do it with a highlighter in hand。 There are so many important passages that I never want to forget。 ❤️
Goodolddoggy
，
At times a bit of a ramble， but a valuable book about the "value gap" between the way white citizens and black citizens have been， and still are， perceived。 Glaude's chapter on his visit to Bryan Stevenson's memorial to civil rights and lynching in Montgomery， Alabama， might be the most powerful chapter in what is a powerful book about a very complicated man， the late James Baldwin。 Highly recommended。 At times a bit of a ramble， but a valuable book about the "value gap" between the way white citizens and black citizens have been， and still are， perceived。 Glaude's chapter on his visit to Bryan Stevenson's memorial to civil rights and lynching in Montgomery， Alabama， might be the most powerful chapter in what is a powerful book about a very complicated man， the late James Baldwin。 Highly recommended。 。。。more
Brenda Morris
，
Highly recommended if you want to better understand how race shapes this country's past and present。 Baldwin's words and ideas are analyzed throughout and their relevance to our present situation is made clear。 The book was clearly written during the Trump administration， and I wonder what Glaude thinks of the election of Biden as President。 Highly recommended if you want to better understand how race shapes this country's past and present。 Baldwin's words and ideas are analyzed throughout and their relevance to our present situation is made clear。 The book was clearly written during the Trump administration， and I wonder what Glaude thinks of the election of Biden as President。 。。。more
MaterialAmbition
，
many good points but not super compelling
sunkissedmiranda
，
4/5 stars。 Only took a star off because I've followed Glaude for awhile and know what he means when he discusses how the United States should be "bold。" Given that this book was written and published before the current Biden administration took office， I don't believe Glaude foresaw what Joe Biden and Kamala Harris hope to accomplish， even with a razor-thin majority in the House and Senate。 The current proposals put out by the Biden-Harris administration are some of the boldest initiatives put o 4/5 stars。 Only took a star off because I've followed Glaude for awhile and know what he means when he discusses how the United States should be "bold。" Given that this book was written and published before the current Biden administration took office， I don't believe Glaude foresaw what Joe Biden and Kamala Harris hope to accomplish， even with a razor-thin majority in the House and Senate。 The current proposals put out by the Biden-Harris administration are some of the boldest initiatives put out by any White House。 Of course， the laws have to be passed and signed for anything to happen substantially， but I believe if Baldwin was alive， perhaps he would be filled with a slim sliver of hope that this country can finally begin again。 ANYWAY， beside that point， I loved how Glaude weaved through Baldwin's works， Baldwin's own story within the civil rights movement and the afterward， and the continuation of the lie white Americans tell themselves。 I feel like this book is more poignant than it might have been last year， with the GOP's perpetuation of the Big Lie， the stripping of voting rights nationwide， and the screeches to eliminate critical race theory （or ANY talk of racism） in K-12 public education。 White Americans will do anything in this country to hold onto the myth of American exceptionalism， that the United States is a country that is innocent， perfect， and that any stain on our history was a product of a few bad apples rather than a systemic hatred that festered and seeped into every corner of our society。 While I don't necessarily agree with Glaude's （or Baldwin's） belief that identity politics need to be stripped from sociopolitical agendas， I understand the need for white Americans to look within themselves and realize their white identity is so intricately tied to the oppression of others。 That once you provide the oppressed with equal and equitable opportunity， should a multiracial democracy finally emerge， whiteness would crumble。 White Americans would be left with nothing - and THAT is why they rebel。 Why they want to， with surgical precision， carve out laws that disproportionately impact communities of color， why they want to cleanse public education of any nuanced discussions of our flawed history。 It is all to hold onto their whiteness and their implicit （or， more often than not now， explicit） inherent belief that they are better， simply for being born a white American。 Baldwin warned the American public for years。 We keep repeating the cycle。 It's time to finally break it。 。。。more
K。 Aisling
，
There is nothing in Glaude's analysis that adds anything of substance to a reading of Baldwin that was not already present， in stronger form， in the original works。 You do not need a Princeton professor to tell you that Baldwin's work is still relevant to our current political moment。 It is evident in the work already。 Glaude also repeatedly invokes the failures of electoralism and yet offers no real alternatives， landing on a weak conclusion that frames the future of liberation as lying in acts There is nothing in Glaude's analysis that adds anything of substance to a reading of Baldwin that was not already present， in stronger form， in the original works。 You do not need a Princeton professor to tell you that Baldwin's work is still relevant to our current political moment。 It is evident in the work already。 Glaude also repeatedly invokes the failures of electoralism and yet offers no real alternatives， landing on a weak conclusion that frames the future of liberation as lying in acts of personal catharsis entirely divorced from political action。Just read Baldwin。 。。。more
Debra Hines
，
This book is part biography， part essay， and part history lesson。 Glaude takes a look at our country in the age of Trump and parallels it to James Baldwin's experiences during and after the civil rights era。 He borrows extensively from Baldwin's writings to explain not only how Baldwin felt after the Civil Rights era and the rise of Reagan， but how the parallels what is happening now。 THough rightly critical of white America's refusal to live up to the highest ideals of our country， Glaude still This book is part biography， part essay， and part history lesson。 Glaude takes a look at our country in the age of Trump and parallels it to James Baldwin's experiences during and after the civil rights era。 He borrows extensively from Baldwin's writings to explain not only how Baldwin felt after the Civil Rights era and the rise of Reagan， but how the parallels what is happening now。 THough rightly critical of white America's refusal to live up to the highest ideals of our country， Glaude still remains hopeful that love will prevail。 He's a deep thinker and a human being who at his core believe that love and morality， not laws， can change things。 I loved this book and was inspired by it- to read Baldwin， to be a better ally， to be a better person。 。。。more
alx
，
i really felt like this was just ok。。。 the baldwin quotes far overshadowed anything glaude wrote（similar in intentions / mode / genre mixture to jacqueline rose's haunting of sylvia plath and geoff dyer's out of sheer rage） i really felt like this was just ok。。。 the baldwin quotes far overshadowed anything glaude wrote（similar in intentions / mode / genre mixture to jacqueline rose's haunting of sylvia plath and geoff dyer's out of sheer rage） 。。。more
Jimmy McCarty
，
An excellent example of thinking and writing “with” someone and not merely about them。 Also a really compelling example of how to bring a historical figure and their thought into the present。 Glaude’s explication of “the value gap，” the “after times，” and so many ideas he thinks through alongside Baldwin’s own thinking on these ideas is top-notch。 His constructive proposals leave a little to be desired， or expanded， but overall reading this book at this time illuminates our moment in history in An excellent example of thinking and writing “with” someone and not merely about them。 Also a really compelling example of how to bring a historical figure and their thought into the present。 Glaude’s explication of “the value gap，” the “after times，” and so many ideas he thinks through alongside Baldwin’s own thinking on these ideas is top-notch。 His constructive proposals leave a little to be desired， or expanded， but overall reading this book at this time illuminates our moment in history in the ways only someone like Baldwin could make possible。 。。。more
Laurie Lasky
，
Interesting and outstanding book。 An examination of racism and social activism through the prism of James Baldwin’s life and writings。
Darren Dubose
，
Outstanding！ So grateful for Jimmy and his work as a witness to America。
Jenalee Paige
，
This is a great book to read that captures the history of American。 There are countless facts that are provided that really spark conversation， as they should。 It is a powerful book to read that demonstrates what is taking place today。 I highly recommend everyone to read this book。
Miles Norris
，
Thought provoking。 Solution oriented。 Jimmy is timeless， which is both a good and bad thing。
Ron
，
Excellent thought provoking。。。。 learned a lot。Great audio as Eddie was the narrator。
Andy
，
DNF。
Daniel Chaikin
，
While in the midst of really nice reading streak， this was my commute audio and it fit right in。 Glaude reads it himself。 He's measured and passionate and reads it perfectly and he creates a nice space to think about James Baldwin。For all his anger， Baldwin‘s The Fire Next Time has an optimism his later， more realistic works， don‘t…especially after he saw Reagan elected in 1979 and understood what it meant。 And that‘s covered here。 Gaude applies Baldwin to our times and it works both as an ode t While in the midst of really nice reading streak， this was my commute audio and it fit right in。 Glaude reads it himself。 He's measured and passionate and reads it perfectly and he creates a nice space to think about James Baldwin。For all his anger， Baldwin‘s The Fire Next Time has an optimism his later， more realistic works， don‘t…especially after he saw Reagan elected in 1979 and understood what it meant。 And that‘s covered here。 Gaude applies Baldwin to our times and it works both as an ode to one of my favorite humans ever and a passionate pointed analysis of where we are and what Trump meant and our role within （even us horrified by trump and his white-privilege base）。 This， altogether， is kinda wonderful。On a personal side note， I read through James Baldwin's works in 2019， but I stopped at the end of that year and never read his later essays and novels from the late 1970's and 1980's。 Glaude focuses mainly the works I hadn't read， going into a little detail in them - the novel Just Above My Head （1979） and the essay collection The Price of the Ticket: Collected Nonfiction， 1948-1985 which covers everything through 1985。 （I might have all the essays， not sure）。 So。。。I have new motivation to get back to Baldwin and read these later works。 -----------------------------------------------28。 Begin Again: James Baldwin's America and Its Urgent Lessons for Our Own by Eddie S。 Glaude jr。reader: Eddie S。 Glaude jr。published: 2020format: 7:44 audible audiobook， 272 pages in hardcoveracquired: June 11listened: Jun 14-28rating: 4about the author: born in 1968 in Moss Point， Mississippi。 Currently Department Chair of the Department of African American Studies at Princeton。 。。。more
Anna
，
In a constant attempt to understand my own country and the era I grew up in， Professor Glaude provided me an analysis using the thoughts of James Baldwin and his own。Many things to ponder here。 I read this much more slowly than usual but the chapters needed some time to marinate in my mind。 This book will remain on my shelf for further review。
Mike Warner
，
James Baldwin bears witness to a time much like our own。 I trust the words of Baldwin。 "Begin Again" is also a trustworthy guide providing context and inspiration for entering into the world of James Baldwin。 James Baldwin bears witness to a time much like our own。 I trust the words of Baldwin。 "Begin Again" is also a trustworthy guide providing context and inspiration for entering into the world of James Baldwin。 。。。more
Richard
，
Begin Again is an incredibly prescient book through which Glaude successfully conveys the essence of Baldwin’s wisdom and foresight to a contemporary audience。 Confronting and challenging， it begs us， however painful it may be， to reflect on and bring an end to systemic racism。The title says it all， and offers hope。 Baldwin’s work should be compulsory reading at schools everywhere。
Jake Lloyd
，
Glaude Jr。 brilliantly interweaves the complicated life， love and teachings of James Baldwin with developments in modern America as Donald Trump and white supremacy reign again。 Part biography of Baldwin， part memoir， part historical， this is a fascinating and poignant read。
Susie
，
James Baldwin speaks through and almost *with* Professor Glaude。 Informative for our "after" times。 Eloquent。 Thoughtful。 Searing。 James Baldwin speaks through and almost *with* Professor Glaude。 Informative for our "after" times。 Eloquent。 Thoughtful。 Searing。 。。。more
Zack Rearick
，
Liked this a lot。 Part history， part social commentary， part memoir， part literary analysis。 Very timely 4。5。
Richard Wagner
，
a painfully difficult， but oh so necessary， read。
Michael
，
I don't have cable， and have not for more than a decade。 Even when I did， I stopped watching cable news: CNN， FOX， MSNBC， etc。 It's all infotainment， designed to make us angry。 With that said， I will frequently seek out clips from any show that the author of this book， Eddie Glaude Jr。， is on because I like him so much。 He is thoughtful， insightful， honest， and speaks with--in my estimation--moral authority。 He is an inspiration to me。 I could not like this dude anymore than I do。 I read his las I don't have cable， and have not for more than a decade。 Even when I did， I stopped watching cable news: CNN， FOX， MSNBC， etc。 It's all infotainment， designed to make us angry。 With that said， I will frequently seek out clips from any show that the author of this book， Eddie Glaude Jr。， is on because I like him so much。 He is thoughtful， insightful， honest， and speaks with--in my estimation--moral authority。 He is an inspiration to me。 I could not like this dude anymore than I do。 I read his last book， Democracy in Black: How Race Still Enslaves the American Soul and liked it a great deal。 I was hesitant to read this one because I have not read any of the subject's writing--James Baldwin is an unknown for me--and I was afraid that I would have a hard time connecting。 I didn't。What Glaude does is something new to me: he writes about how Baldwin thought， how Baldwin's thoughts changed over time， and how what Baldwin thought about is relevant to the times we find ourselves in now。 Glaude calls our country's race issues a gerbil wheel that we are all running on， and compares the struggle for racial justice in America to Sisyphus pushing his boulder up the same hill， again and again， in Hell。 Along with Baldwin， Glaude points out that the great story we （especially white） Americans tell ourselves is that our nation is exceptional。 A shining City on a Hill！ Innocent of wrong doing， and ever progressing past the darkness in our rear view mirror toward the bright and shining Morning in America， black people and other people of color need to be grateful for the incredible opportunities they've been given here。 It's a sickening lie。 It always has been， and until we reckon with our history--not our heritage， which is flags and Founders and the 4th of July--but our hard， dark history， with all that it entails， we will never become what our true potential is: a multiracial， multicultural， multi-ethnic democracy。 In this day and age， when Americans are so divided that they cannot agree on basic facts， or admit that there is evidence that contradicts their particular take on the world， I fear that we are closer to some kind of unimaginable rupture in our Republic， the likes of which we have not seen since 1861。 As much as it pains me to say， race is at the bottom of it all。 It has been since the beginning。 Until we reckon with that painful， enraging reality， things will not improve。 This evening， as I was driving in a small city near my home， I saw a lone man standing at a busy intersection and carrying a sign the said "Biden Stole the Election。" It was a jarring reminder that there are large swathes of people in this country who simply will not accept reality。 There is no election taking place now; no political events or campaigning going on， but still， this man felt strongly enough about the perceived threat to his world that he was willing to stand， alone， with a sign to tell all the world what he believes。 He is far from alone。 I saw a jeep yesterday driving around with enormous American and Blue Lives Matter flags streaming from the back。 Yesterday， a friend saw a bumper sticker on a car: "Insurrection My Ass。" What's been unleashed is far， far from being over， I fear。 。。。more
John DiConsiglio
，
Baldwin continues to enjoy a well-deserved resurgence。 （It’s a shame we only notice him in crises。） This fine hybrid not-bio， not-literary-criticism， not-history examines how his writings （particularly his later essays） address American’s current racial reckoning。 Princeton prof author nimbly explores Baldwin’s evolving views & ties them into a larger examination of “the ugliness of who we are” （even if he sorta dismisses the Obama presidency & admits he urged black voters to leave their ballots Baldwin continues to enjoy a well-deserved resurgence。 （It’s a shame we only notice him in crises。） This fine hybrid not-bio， not-literary-criticism， not-history examines how his writings （particularly his later essays） address American’s current racial reckoning。 Princeton prof author nimbly explores Baldwin’s evolving views & ties them into a larger examination of “the ugliness of who we are” （even if he sorta dismisses the Obama presidency & admits he urged black voters to leave their ballots blank rather than vote for Hillary）。 Published right before the summer BLM protests。 Would that have made it a different book？ 。。。more
John Schachter
，
Very good book about a very fascinating character。 I didn’t know much about James Baldwin going into this book — I’d only first heard of him a few years ago。 But Glaude paints a fascinating picture of Baldwin and his writing career and influence and role within the larger Black community。 The writing is crisp and seamless。 The book doesn’t try to accomplish too much yet accomplished much。
Denton
，
I saw Begin Again listed as a top audiobook on Libby and started listening to it without any upfront research。 I enjoyed the thoughtful background and history of James Baldwin， but didn’t expect the book to be so closely tied to the 2020 elections。 The author’s observations have held up reasonably well so far， if anything he was perhaps too kind in his interpretation of 45 having published pre-election， but my suspicion is this won’t age especially well。
kplusk
，
This is a masterpiece！ Glaude does a phenomenal job inviting Baldwin’s voice into today’s society。 Very well orchestrated and well-written。 This was my first book by Glaude and I fully intend on reading more from him。
Stephanie
，
I love everything about this book。
Joseph Stieb
，