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Title: a well-written dossier of African-American life circa 1950
Review: 'Going to Meet the Man' is a diverse collection of short stories which attempt to explain the psyche of young black American boys/men in the early 1950s. Yes, there is anger and frustration. But the author's excellent prose elevate the stories beyond stereotype. He is compassionate without making these characters into martyrs of white America.Of course many will argue these stories are badly dated. And true, America has moved on (generally for the better) since the early 1950s. But it would be unfortunate to overlook these stories for this reason. Baldwin captures the essence of where American society has come from, and we can all learn from history. I also feel it is unfortunate that nearly all the readers of "Going to Meet The Man' will be African-Americans, unlike myself (..who have the most to learn).Bottom line: terrific tidbits showing Baldwin's brilliance. A worthy read.
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