James Baldwin's semi-autobiographical novel follows the story of Jim Grimes in 1930's Harlem as he navigates fraught relationships with his family and the church. What makes Go Tell It on the Mountain a great American novel? How does the novel engage with or mirror biblical imagery, and what role does biblical allusion play in the work? Who influenced Baldwin's writings, and who did his writings influence?
This event features Douglas Field, Senior Lecturer in 20th Century American Literature at The University of Manchester; Doug Sikkema, Assistant Professor of Core Studies and English at Redeemer University; and Ralph Wood, University Professor of Theology and Literature at Baylor University. You may find their books for purchase here.
Photo: Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, Photographs and Prints Division, The New York Public Library. "Harlem Tenement in Summer" New York Public Library Digital Collections.
