First published 1980
Arthur Hall's brother opens this story in the depths of mourning, remembering the gospel singer whose voice once filled Harlem's churches. The narrative moves between Arthur's rise as a musician and the family dynamics that shaped him. Baldwin returns to the religious community he explored in earlier works, weaving together the Hall family's personal struggles with the broader tensions of black life in America. Arthur's homosexuality creates friction within his devout family, while his musical gift offers both salvation and torment. The story spans generations, moving from church pews to concert stages, from intimate family moments to encounters marked by racial unease. Through Arthur's journey and his family's response to loss, Baldwin examines how love and rage intertwine in the face of social and personal challenges. The novel becomes both an intimate portrait of grief and a chronicle of black experience, rooted in the specific world of gospel music and Harlem streets.
Genres: fiction, literary-fiction, american-fiction, 20th-century, african-american, family-drama
Vibes: emotional, intimate, lyrical, thought-provoking
Tropes: family-drama, found-family, social-issues
Setting: Harlem
Period: 20th-century
560 pages · Mass Market Paperback · Dell
Content warnings: homophobia