Wow. James Baldwin is just wow. Everything I ever heard about this man, born of Christian black parents, who channeled the racial nightmare in America into dark, poignant stories and essays, is true. Baldwin’s writing is wretchedly raw, taking me back to the anger I first felt, 18 years old, learning about (and understanding) the racial discourse between the East-West. At the same time, his pleas for change in the 60s make me want to bundle his hurt and throw it away.