Walking in the dark

<p><b>A moving exploration of the life and work of the celebrated American writer blending biography and memoir with literary criticism.</b><br><br> Since James Baldwin's death in 1987 his writing - including <i>The Fire Next Time</i> one of the manifestos of the Civil Rights Movement and <i>Giovanni's Room</i> a pioneering work of gay fiction - has only grown in relevance. <br><br>Douglas Field was introduced to Baldwin's essays and novels by his father who witnessed the writer's debate with William F. Buckley at Cambridge University in 1965. In <i>Walking in the dark</i> he embarks on a journey to unravel his life-long fascination and to understand why Baldwin continues to enthral us decades after his death.<br><br>Tracing Baldwin's footsteps in France the US and Switzerland and digging into archives Field paints an intimate portrait of the writer's life and influence. At the same time he offers a poignant account of coming to terms with his father's Alzheimer's disease. Interweaving Baldwin's writings on family illness memory and place <i>Walking in the dark</i> is an eloquent testament to the enduring power of great literature to illuminate our paths.</p>