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Summary: Go Tell It Someway Else
Review: Go tell it on the mountain was an extremely frustrating book. While the themes and some of the events were good (i.e. racism, abuse, religion), the way it was written made the book unenjoyable for me. I found that the way the book was written made it this way for for others as well. I dont think this is just a coincidence. If the book was written differently I probably would have found it enjoyable.
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Summary: The most boring book I have ever been assigned to read
Review: I was assigned to read this book for my English class and I thought that it was incredibly boring. I didnt like anything that was in the book, and as a result, I found it incredibly hard to read. I cant believe that people can enjoy this book. I hope that I never have to read a book like this again becuase it was too long, and extremely boring. It put me too sleep half the time I tried reading it, and I would recommend to anyone that has not read this book never to read it, because it really is the worst book I have ever read.
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Summary: Teenage Angst: Self identity and Societal Roles
Review: Identity and societal roles are integral to "Go Tell it on the Mountain" - and interpreting it is certainly an uphill struggle.... John's quest for identity pervades this Baldwin novel, as he is faced with the dichotomy of choosing the evangelistic religion of his despised father or the street vice of his brother Roy. Baldwin explores his own biographical experience in the notion of the illegitimate child, a feature that pervades the text and many characters (his father abandons his child, Royal, and John himself is without a father). The absence of paternal love reflects Baldwin's own life and illustrates an isolation within John which can only be resolved on the threshing floor. Contrary to many opinions on this novel, it does not condemn religion, but endorse a deep, personal religious conviction that soars above the harsh evangelism of "The saints". John is able to find his identity through a final resolution with and conversion to religion, which exorcises his fear of his father and enables him to discover a future in the church. The roles for women must also be considered. Baldwin places them in certain roles - first seen in Harlem as whores or "Saints". This polarisation blurs however, upon meeting Deborah and Elizabeth, who experience isolation because of their sexual condition: Deborah is raped and left barren by whites, and Elizabeth is left pregnant as her true love, Richard, dies from the scars of white abuse. As such, we can see that these womens' intended roles, as a mother and wife respectively, are scuppered by white attack. Similar to this is the abuse of black women in the pseudo slave narrative of Janie's grandmother in "Their Eyes were Watching God", and the narrative of Baby Suggs in Morrison's "Beloved". Not to ignore his own race's deficiencies, Baldwin also shows a repression of women within the black community, as Deborah is shunned by blacks, and the women are segregated in church. Baldwin's novel is certainly not easy reading - it conveys the ultimate struggle: that of the search for one's own self.
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Summary: I JUST DIDN'T LIKE IT!!
Review: I was told by my English 1(S) teacher to read the book and I didn't even finish it. I couldn't get into it and what I read of it was stereotypical. Maybe there was something that made the book good at the end. All of my friends will agree that the books wasn't very good!! Who really cares about a preacher that sleeps around? Not me. All of the characters are introduced at the worst times and one can't even remember who the characters are... I just didn't like it (or the first 127 pages I read).
Rating:
Summary: the setting was good
Review: "Go tell it on the Mountain" is about a 14-year African American boy who doesn't want to become a preacher like his father. He wants to go outside and play with his friends and do what any normal kids his age do. His father is a very strict man; he doesn't want any of his children to go out a play. So they stay inside. James Baldwin uses setting to describe the time and the place in the book. His doesn't put in the year, but he describes the time period very well. For example when John kind of sneaks out of the house to go see a movie, as he is walking down the streets he hears noises and when he comes to the theater, he sees and reads a sign that said white only and black only, then you automatically know what time period it was.
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Summary: A compelling book on the struggle of a boy's plight for id.
Review: This book simply shows the hardships of African American boys trying to become men. Studying up on Baldwin has also given me a new way of looking at the book as a autobiograpyhy written simply in 3rd person. This is a book I would recommend to people of all races and creeds. Baldwin is simply manificent and should be given much credit for this wonderful book.
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Summary: I love this book!
Review: I come from a family where the delimma of religion and "life" is no different from the way "Races & Ethnics" differentiate the "them" from the "us". This book shows the failure of the Christian church because of the separation from the "world". Instead of the church being innovative, they separate themselves as though "they are better". The churches are "luke-warm". They condemn sinners and blur the scriptures instead of condemning "hypocrite wanna-be saints" and following Christ. I truly love this book!
Rating: 
Summary: good book but hard to follow
Review: I was required to read this book for an English class for a Literary research paper and I thought that this book was great but the transitions from past to present were not handled well and I would often have to go and re-read the text again to help comprehend the situation.
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Summary: This book is very deep in conflicting feelings and beliefs.
Review: James Baldwin shows how dysfunctionism can come about in forms that most people wouldn't think possible. Here John is being raised, in a extremely religious environment, by a step-father who does care a whole lot about him, and puts added pressure on John by deciding that John become a "God-fearing, hell-fire" preacher like himself. His mother doesn't approve, but doesn't come to her son's rescue either. The step-father's own son is allowed to do as he pleases and nothing is said or done about it. This book leaves you with a lot of soul searching and self evaluation.
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Summary: this book was confusung and pointless. I hated it!
Review: This book was horrible!!!!
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