#10 in Essays
Notes of a Native Son
- 175
- Pages
- about 3 h
- Reading time
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Our view
“Notes of a Native Son” is Baldwin’s first book of nonfiction, ten essays on race and identity in America and Europe that still feel urgent. His prose holds anger with remarkable control, and some readers find the autobiographical pieces the most powerful. Others struggle with the essays on literature and popular culture, especially without knowing the references. Begin with the personal essays if the critical ones resist you.
The view of the BookRank editors, written from readers’ ratings and comments. It does not affect the score or the book’s place in a ranking.
About the book
Notes of a Native Son is a book of ten essays written by James Baldwin, first published in 1955. It was his debut nonfiction book, and it explores deep and personal themes, especially focusing on race, identity, and the Black experience in both America and Europe.
Where the score comes from
The sources average 8.4 across 78 ratings — not yet many, so the reader vote carries 35% of the weight and the rest pulls toward the Essays average of 8.0. That is how 8.2 comes out.
| Source | Average | Ratings | Weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Open Library | 8.8 | 12 | 15% |
| Hardcover | 8.4 | 66 | 85% |
Frequently asked
How long is Notes of a Native Son?
It has 175 pages — shorter than 69% of the ranked books in Essays.
In this book
Themes this book shares with others — each leads to the best books on it.
If you liked this
Same shelf — Essays — with scores between 7.8 and 8.4, closest to this book.
