Read This: Anything by James Baldwin

"Love does not begin and end the way we seem to think it does. Love is a battle, love is a war; love is a growing up." - James Baldwin

You can't go wrong with anything in James Baldwin's library of essays, novels, poetry and plays. He was the writer of his time and every time, and as outcries of love, loss, anger and change continue across our nation, his work can be a guide, a guiding light, and a source of solace.

There's his seminal "How to Cool It" interview with Esquire. Then there's his searing "A Report from Occupied Territory." There's also his oeuvre of astonishing novels, including "Giovanni's Room," "Go Tell It on the Mountain" and "If Beale Street Could Talk," a work that made a beautiful, brutal jump from page to screen.

I recommend starting with the works listed above (especially the Esquire interview) and, within the first few paragraphs, you'll see just how relevant every ounce of his work is today.

James A. Baldwin