Notes of a Native Son

Notes of a Native Son
First edition
AuthorJames Baldwin
LanguageEnglish
GenreEssays
PublisherBeacon Press
Publication date
November 21, 1955
Publication placeUnited States
Pages165

Notes of a Native Son is a book of ten essays written by James Baldwin, first published in 1955. It was his debut nonfiction book, and it explores deep and personal themes, especially focusing on race, identity, and the Black experience in both America and Europe.

The volume, as his first non-fiction book, compiles essays of Baldwin that had previously appeared in such magazines as Harper's Magazine, Partisan Review, and The New Leader.

Notes of a Native Son is widely regarded as a classic of the autobiographical genre. The Modern Library placed it at number 19 on its list of the 100 best 20th-century nonfiction books.