Though a world of difference separated them-Baldwin was black and gay, living in self-imposed exile in Europe; Stein was Jewish and married, with a growing family to support-the two men shared the same fundamental passion. Nothing mattered more to either of them than telling and writing the truth, which was not always welcome. As Stein wrote Baldwin in a long, heartfelt letter, "You are the only friend with whom I feel comfortable about all three: heart, head, and writing." In this extraordinary book, Stein unfolds how that shared passion played out in the months surrounding the creation and publication of Baldwin's Notes of a Native Son, in which Baldwin's main themes are illuminated.
A literary event published to honor the eightieth anniversary of James Baldwin's birth, Native Sons is a celebration of one of the most fruitful and influential friendships in American letters.
Born in 1924, James Baldwin made a name for himself with his first novel, Go Tell It on the Mountain in 1953. His legendary Notes of a Native Son appeared two years later, and he went on to publish fiction, poetry, plays, and essays that profoundly influenced the literature of Twentieth-century America. Baldwin died in France in 1987.