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Giovanni's Room For every reader I believe there exist certain books that they will just fall into. From the very first sentence, it is obvious that there is something about the rhythm of the writing that matches the rhythm of the reader's brain. For me, Giovanni's Room by James Baldwin was one of those books. I opened it up at a bus stop and was immediately enraptured. In fact I had to close the book again almost as quickly, because I wasn't quite ready to be that deeply involved. I had just finished Tahar Djaout's The Last Summer of Reason and thought I would be able to slide myself gently into Baldwin's Paris, not find myself immediately in a house in southern France. Anyway, the troublesome thing about books that one falls into is that they don't just get under your skin, they permeate you. This may be an altogether fine thing when reading Jane Austen, where whatever tribulations the characters may suffer during the course of the book, by the end everyone is properly matched and enjoying whatever measure of happiness that they deserve. Oh, to live in an Austen novel! Unfortunately, in life, and perhaps in every other novel not written by Austen, human beings and their loves do not work themselves out so neatly. Giovanni's Room is about the tragedy of one man's tortured heart, and the poison it spreads to all those with the misfortune of becoming close to him. The narrator, David, discovers early in his life the joy that is to be had in other man's arms. But nothing in his life terrifies him as much as this discovery, from which he runs far and hard. When he finds joy again in Giovanni's room, it quickly becomes clear that it cannot last, that love does not always conquer all, and that it actually stands no chance against fear and self-delusion. When I finally put this book down, I walked around dazed for a bit, feeling
terribly hollow inside. It is on this book that I finally blame my moment
of weakness, in which I reached for and devoured a cheesy I do recommend this book. I think that it is beautiful and true and provides glimpses into unopened rooms in your heart. But I hope that you have something altogether fluffy to read afterwords... 
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