i need to clear my schedule for a year to recover ( )

"Perhaps, as we say in America, I wanted to find myself. This is an interesting phrase, not current as far as I know in the language of any other people, which certainly does not mean what it says but betrays a nagging suspicion that something has been misplaced. I think now that if I had any intimation that the self I was going to find would turn out to be only the same self from which I had spent so much time in flight, I would have stayed at home." ( )

Giovanni's Room tells the story of David, an American of little means living in 1950s Paris in an attempt to leave behind his past and find himself. While his girlfriend, Hella, is travelling around Spain contemplating his marriage proposal, David meets and starts a relationship with Giovanni, an Italian bartender also of little means but who manages to have a job and a room for them both to live. The relationship is not easy however as David is constantly battling self loathing, his sexuality and what it means to be a man. David tells us of previous encounters with a childhood friend, Joey, who after they spend the night together David distanced himself from and bullied relentlessly. It is only within the confines of Giovanni's Room - a dark and claustrophobic space - that David allows himself to explore parts of his personality that he utterly detests.

When Hella returns from Spain, David abandons Giovanni in order to start his 'real' life with her, an act that leads to heart breaking consequences for all involved.

First published in the 50s I can see how this work caused a sensation for how complexly and empathetically it presents homosexuality. Even reading it now I feel an empathy to David and the emotions he is struggling with. While some of the language and attitudes to gay men feel outdated they are presented as David's opinion rather than facts making it work in the narrative. There were also misogynistic elements that jarred for me - particularly in relation to David’s relationship with Hella and her own theories on why women need men - but worked for the narrative.

This is the first of Baldwin's works that I’ve read, and as his second novel I wondered why the renowned African-American writer took on a story with a completely white cast. Some have noted Baldwin with this novel replaces blackness with gayness and makes an interesting commentary on masculinity to boot.

I read this as part of my personal challenge to read vintage queer works by authors of note and it is definitely an interesting read with an important place in black and queer literature. ( )

I am a bit embarrassed to say that I checked this audiobook out of the library for Valentine's Day, knowing only that the book was one the Guardian's list of 1000 novels under the category of love and that the few other books by Baldwin I have read were impressive. So, as probably most people here on GR would have known, not a great choice for Valentine's day but wow, what a powerful book!

I found it interesting that there was no mention of David's race - I had assumed that race would have been a theme (or at least a minor aspect) of the novel. Instead Baldwin has given the reader a man growing up in NY in the 30s & 40s whose feelings of alienation are rooted in his sexuality rather than race. The only other comparable depiction of self-loathing I have read was in Toni Morrison's "The Bluest Eye". ( )

If you have watched Brokeback Mountain then this is essentially that, but in a short book. I will say that this book is more detailed despite its short length and I felt a greater connection to David and Giovanni's relationship than the film's main characters, however. And I do find the thematic subject to be important, however, I do not really enjoy abrupt endings which presents a conflict and then leaves the story there: unresolved. I think that David has a good(ish) character arc but his end has a lot to be desired, is all. It is not an awful ending, but likely one that will not have much of a lasting impact on me ( )