Read this when
Go Tell It on the Mountain
When your father preaches holiness at church and cruelty at home. Baldwin's first novel for anyone untangling faith from family. ⛪
Who it's for
John Grimes, on his fourteenth birthday, carries guilt, longing and fear under a stepfather who is a preacher and harshly rejects him, so readers raised in strict religious homes may feel deeply seen.
Feelings it meets
What it is
James Baldwin's semi-autobiographical 1953 novel is set in Harlem in 1935 and centers on John Grimes, an intelligent teenager, over the course of his birthday. John struggles with his harsh stepfather, Gabriel, a Pentecostal preacher, and his close bond with his mother, Elizabeth.
Where to find it
In print (Vintage) and widely available in libraries (Libby/Hoopla); audiobook available. Not public domain.
Before you start
Heads up: A suicide and physical abuse.
Age: Ages 16+
Lord, I believe; help thou mine unbelief.Mark 9:24, Mark 9:24
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