Content Tiles

“It was books that taught me that the things that tormented me most were the very things that connected me with all the people who were alive, or who had ever been alive.”  —James Baldwin

Through the Author in Focus initiative, the National Book Foundation invites readers to follow along on a year-long exploration of a selected past National Book Award author who has made a significant impact on literature and the world at large, and whose work deserves a closer examination. Through live events, book giveaways, and digital engagement guides, we’ll take a collective, deeper look at the full body of work of a single author. The inaugural Author in Focus is literary icon and social critic James Baldwin, a four-time National Book Award Finalist whose writings are as relevant today as the moment they were written.