I just finished this book and, damn. It was amazing, but I also got so into the characters that I spent most of it with a feeling of dread based on the foreshadowing at the beginning (not a spoiler -- this is revealed on page 1). This is the first James Baldwin book I've read. Some points for discussion:

• I found the discussion of homosexuality to be very nuanced and moving, particularly the conversation David has with Jacques the night he meets Giovanni. I guess I was a little surprised given that the book was published in 1956 and a similar book, Maurice, by EM Forster, was not even able to be published until the 1970s. What did you think?

• Did you think the use of foreshadowing worked as a good device for the novel? I thought it was incredibly effective at creating an atmosphere.

• Did you feel sympathy for David?

• What were your favourite parts of the novel? Any particularly beautiful passages or moving scenes? I LOVED the scene the morning after David and Giovanni met, I thought it was such a beautiful portrayal.

• What other James Baldwin novels or similar books would you recommend?