The Fire Next Time by James Baldwin

Why We're Reading This Now:
In our country right now, there is a lot of turmoil, a lot of uncertainty, and a lot of discussion about what is true and what is a lie. This affects all of us, and reading this book feels like a necessary act of clarity.

Brief Synopsis:
The Fire Next Time is James Baldwin’s powerful and timeless examination of race in America, delivered through two short, searing essays.

The book is an urgent call for honesty. Baldwin argues that the fundamental problem in the U.S. is a deep-seated "lie of innocence" that prevents the nation from facing its own history and achieving true freedom for all its people. It blends deeply personal memoir, recounting his youth in Harlem and his brief time as a preacher, with a prophetic warning about the consequences of continued injustice.

The Connection:
Baldwin's central questions about truth, self-deception, and the cost of maintaining a false reality remain shockingly relevant to the national challenges we are all dealing with today.

Join us for a conversation! The book is a pretty short read.