The Fire Next Time

Who it's for

The book opens with a short letter to Baldwin's fourteen-year-old nephew, James, telling him that the society he was born into was built to make him believe he was worthless, and that he must not believe it.

Feelings it meets

• Racism
• Self-Worth
• Resentment
• Identity
• Faith
• Family Roles

What it is

James Baldwin's 1963 book brings together two essays first published in magazines in 1962. 'My Dungeon Shook' is a letter to his fourteen-year-old nephew on the hundredth anniversary of Emancipation, about the central role of race in American history and how to understand the mistreatment he will face.

Where to find it

In print (Vintage International) and widely available; libraries (Libby/Hoopla); audiobook available. Not public domain in the US.

Before you start

Heads up: Racism and racial violence.

Age: Ages 14+

We wear the mask that grins and lies, It hides our cheeks and shades our eyes,—Paul Laurence Dunbar, “We Wear the Mask”