"American writer James Baldwin (1924-1987) may be best known as an activist and essayist, but he was also a groundbreaking writer of novels and short stories. While he was born 100 years ago, his voice sounds fresh, urgent, and relevant to our evolving understanding of what it means to be American. We will read two of Baldwin’s novels, Go Tell It on the Mountain and Giovanni’s Room, in which he explores race, religion and sexuality. We will analyze Baldwin’s unique voice and talent as a writer. Together we will discuss the ways Baldwin uses his fiction to help us understand what connects us as human beings, despite our differences. Prerequisites: Participants should be willing to read and engage with complex texts addressing challenging subjects. Required textbooks (all by James Baldwin): Go Tell It on the Mountain (1952), ISBN: 978-0375701870 and Giovanni's Room (1956), ISBN: 978- 0141032948 " Catherine Frank has taught more than 60 original OLLI courses in 24 years, both as a volunteer and as director for OLLI at UNC Asheville. She holds three degrees in English from UNC Chapel Hill where she wrote her dissertation on Thomas Hardy’s poetry. She developed her interest in African American literature on her own but hopes and believes that through literature we can develop understanding for lives we do not live ourselves and by reading together we enhance our ability to understand literature and life.