Set in 1950s Paris, Baldwin's groundbreaking novel follows David, an American who struggles with his sexual identity after a transformative relationship with Giovanni, an Italian bartender. When David's fiancée Hella arrives from America, he must confront the desires he's tried to suppress and the choices that will define his life. Baldwin's luminous prose explores themes of love, identity, and self-acceptance with unflinching honesty and profound compassion, creating one of the most important LGBTQ+ novels in American literature.

Why We Picked It: Because Baldwin wrote with courage that was revolutionary for its time and remains essential today. Giovanni's Room doesn't just tell a love story—it examines the cost of denying one's true self and the universal struggle for authentic love and acceptance.

Details: • Author: James Baldwin • Introduction by: Kevin Young (Deluxe Edition) • Publisher: Available from Vintage (Standard Edition) and Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group (Deluxe Edition) • Format: Available in Standard Paperback and Deluxe Edition Paperback • ISBN: 0345806565 (Standard), 0593688961 (Deluxe)

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