Pretty jaw-dropped by the misogyny here - and having a hard time deciphering how much of it is sarcastic (if it is at all). I’d like to think this is meant to be an ironic, heteronormative-performance between the narrator and Giovanni (hating women like a “real man” but also the subtext: we’re not men who love women like that, right?)… but there’s not much here to suggest that it is sarcasm/irony other than my own disbelief and Giovanni & the narrator laughing 🧐

Is anyone else having trouble with translating french to english every few pages? don’t get me wrong, i am absolutely loving Giovanni’s Room. however, everytime i have to translate french words/phrases, it keeps getting me out of the story and i actually didn’t mind it at first because i was too busy being in awe of Baldwin’s prose and getting used to his writing style, but now that i’m almost halfway through, i’m slowly starting to feel kinda frustrated having to use my phone too much, which i prefer to keep far away from me whenever i’m reading to eliminate distractions. but since i need it a lot while reading now, i end up using google translate and next thing i know i’m opening my messages or scrolling through social media already.

Did anyone else have the same experience? and how did you guys deal with it? i would really appreciate to hear your thoughts and advice—if you have some on this 🥹

Her grandfather, neckless and shaped like a bullfinch...

Damn Lucy, grandads just trying to enjoy the party no need to snatch his whole fucking wig like that

Esopus Creek sits in a valley right between the Catskills and Adirondack Mountains, (…)

Not me just now realizing all these places are real and in New York State, and not made up places and names 😭 I’ve never been that far north on the east coast of the US, and my American geography (actually just geography in general) is not good, so just sssshh 🤫😂 Y’all, I’m so stupid.