Another Country

It's tough to give this one five stars, only because Baldwin's depiction of women in the book is lacking the nuance and intensity that his depiction of men excels at. But I have to give it five stars because it's the sort of book that I can honestly say: I have never read anything like this. Lots of amazing queer characters, lots of the deep sadnesses and amazing joys of everyday life, amazing comments on race and economics that don't stray into heavy-handedness too often. I know the book has critiques that it is uneven, and perhaps it is, but this book's unevenness is better than most of the even “masterpieces” I've read.

I'm embarrassed to say this is the first Baldwin book I've read. Can't wait to read more.

Beautifully written, but pretty dang depressing. Basically everyone cheats on everyone, love is fleeting, race relations are incredibly tense, and life sucks... but Baldwin is a fantastic writer of one's consciousness, it's easy to get swept up in this sensuous writing.
Favorite quote that really resonated, exploring paradoxes of the intimacy you can feel with strangers and the strangeness you can feel with the one you love:
“But the face of a lover is unknown precisely because it is invested with so much of oneself. It is a mystery, containing like all mysteries, the possibility of torment.”