Ich weiss, wovon ich spreche

Few writers of the 20th century have experienced a similar renaissance in recent years as James Baldwin. This is partly due to the unique beauty of his prose, and partly because the themes that preoccupied him sixty years ago are still pressing today. Born in 1924 in impoverished circumstances in New York, Baldwin quickly felt that not all people are equal. Out of hatred for the white oppressors, he turned to faith. However, he soon realized that he had taken a wrong turn - also through his readings. Baldwin wanted to become a writer, but in the racist New York of the 1940s, he would not succeed. He moved to France but never lost sight of his homeland. In the 1960s, he became involved in the civil rights movement, and throughout his life, he advocated for the rights of Black people and homosexuals - writing passionate, insightful essays as well as some of the most beautiful novels of the 20th century. The conversations gathered in this volume painfully highlight how important Baldwin's voice still is in today's political discourse, but they also touch on his childhood, his "self-exile," sexuality and literature, his unwavering optimism despite everything - and an episode in the Swiss Valais.