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There is something so miraculous in the way James Baldwin writes about being defeated by society and yet can still find so much affection for a life that could have been, if the realities of being black or gay in America were different. I think that the hope the characters have comes from their dreams of becoming artists. They believe that as artists, they will be able to create a world in which their relationships have more chances, and I couldn't agree more with their hope. Art is the one that can heal, but sometimes it doesn't happen instantly.'

Another Country' is an episodic novel about these aspiring artists and their difficult love lives. The prose is almost too beautiful, even if the sentiments are so bleak. James Baldwin creates them with the care of a real friend. Reading some of Baldwin's nonfiction, you can notice that these are fragments from his real life. Friends like Rufus existed.

This is a very homoerotic novel. To my surprise, I think Baldwin did a better job than in 'Giovanni's Room' of showing how internalized homophobia works, especially at that time.

The imperfections come from its episodic structure. Some moments are slower than others, but this may still be a masterpiece. It needs a little space to be sure about it.