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Giovanni's Room

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Giovanni's Room

By: James Baldwin
Narrated by: Matthew Bomer, Kevin Young
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About this listen

Brought to you by Penguin.

David, a young American in 1950s Paris, is waiting for his fiancée to return from vacation in Spain. But when he meets Giovanni, a handsome Italian barman, the two men are drawn into an intense affair. After three months David's fiancée returns and, denying his sexuality, he rejects Giovanni for a 'safe' future as a married man — a decision that will bring tragedy, longing and regret.

'Audacious... remarkable... elegant and courageous' Caryl Phillips

'Exquisite, a feat of fire-breathing, imaginative daring' Guardian

'Gorgeous, fearless, tempered by dark knowledge and pain ... the greatest American prose stylist of his generation' Colm Tóibín

'A layered exploration of queer desire ... It is electric' Hilton Als

©1956 James Baldwin (P)2024 Penguin Audio Classics Genre Fiction Literature & Fiction Psychological World Literature Tear-jerking Italy

Critic Reviews

The whole novel is a kind of anatomy of shame, of its roots and the myths that perpetuate it, of the damage it can do. (Garth Greenwell)
It has a level of angst and heartbreak I am yet to find anywhere else (Troye Sivan)
A mesmerizing book (Chris Abani)
All stars
Most relevant
Listening to Giovanni’s Room was a slow, immersive unraveling.

This isn’t a loud or dramatic story — it’s intimate, restrained, and deeply unsettling in the way real emotional reckoning often is. Baldwin explores internalised shame, fear, desire, and identity with such precision that it feels less like observing characters and more like being confronted by your own unfinished thoughts.

The expatriate setting amplifies the isolation — physical distance mirroring emotional exile. As an audiobook, the narration heightens the introspective tone, making the silences, pauses, and confessions feel heavier and more personal.

This is a book that doesn’t rush you and doesn’t comfort you. It sits with you. It asks difficult questions. And long after the final chapter, it lingers.

Not an easy listen — but an essential one.

Quietly Devastating, Still Uncomfortably Relevant

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Beautifully written. Poetic and melancholy. This left me feeling like I’d been a part of something important yet also a little unsure of how I felt about it. This is truly before its time and yet exactly what was needed to read by many. Narration was perfect

Captivating

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This is a really interesting and absolutely tragic queer story. Captures the experience of internalised homophobia and misogyny in a certain time and place. Absolute classic, totally timeless.

Captures the experience of internalised homophobia

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Such a frustratingly beautiful story told masterfully by Baldwin. the narration was very good too. It really complemented the story well and was not distracting. I highly recommend it.

Loved it.

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Heart breaking love story of a gay American man’s experiences in 1950s Paris beautifully read by Matt Bomer. Highly recommend

Beautifully read by Matt Bomer

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