num_pages: 559
description: James Baldwin first wrote about homosexuality in his famous early novel, "Giovanni's Room". Here, he brings homosexuality and race together in the story of the great gospel singer Arthur Montana. Arthur was found dead in the basement of a London pub at the age of thirty-nine, yet he lies on in this memoir. Written by Hall, his brother and manager, it is in part a subtle and moving study of the treacherous ebb and flow of memory. Set against a vividly drawn background of the civil rights movement of the sixties, "Just Above My Head" explores how Arthur discovers his love for Jimmy - 'with his smile like a lantern and a voice like Saturday nights' - and portrays how profoundly racial politics can shape the private business of love.
language: English
title: Just Above My Head
titlecomplete: Just Above My Head
genres: Fiction, African American, 20th Century, Classics, Race, American, Queer, Literary Fiction, Literature, LGBT
ratings_count: 2599
awards: awardedAt: 315561600000
name: National Book Award Finalist
category: Fiction (Hardcover)
publisher: Dell Publishing