Texts Online

You can read the following story by consulting your textbook. The e-notations provided below offer links to sites that offer background or otherwise illuminate the works. Enjoy!

"Sonny's Blues"

See page 1462 in The American Tradition in Literature, Volume II, 10e

See page 1821 in The American Tradition in Literature, Shorter Edition, 10e

• The blues have an essential role in this work, and indeed they are an essential feature of the American artistic landscape of the 20^th-century. For an introduction to this profound and nuanced style of music, visit this website for The Blues Foundation. It provides an introduction to the blues, articles on the history of the music and important musicians, interviews, information about current blues events, and a list of essential CDs for any blues collection.

• "Sonny's Blues" takes place in Harlem, New York, Baldwin's childhood home, and an area of rich African-American cultural heritage. In the 1920s and 1930s, as Baldwin was growing up, Harlem was center of a blossoming of African-American art, music, and writing. This period, known as the Harlem Renaissance, had a great effect on Baldwin, and to a large extent laid the groundwork for his career. To learn more about it, click here.

• For pictures, a timeline, a biography, and other resources related to James Baldwin, visit this site, maintained by PBS. It was created as part of the American Masters series.

• To read an excerpt from an interview in which Baldwin discusses "Sonny's Blues," click here.