The Fire Next Time

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The Fire Next Time is a 1963 non-fiction book by James Baldwin, containing two essays: "My Dungeon Shook: Letter to my Nephew on the One Hundredth Anniversary of the Emancipation" and "Down at the Cross: Letter from a Region of My Mind". The first essay, written in the form of a letter to Baldwin's 14-year-old nephew, discusses the central role of race in American history. The second essay, which takes up the majority of the book, deals with the relations between race and religion, focusing in particular on Baldwin's experiences with the Christian church as a youth, as well as the Nation of Islam's ideals and influence in Harlem. The two essays were first published separately in American magazines in late 1962: "Letter from a Region in My Mind" in The New Yorker, and "My Dungeon Shook" in The Progressive. They were combined and published in book form in 1963 by The Dial Press, and in 1964 in Britain by Penguin Books. The book was enthusiastically received by critics, and is considered...

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