If He Hollers Let Him Go

This classic story of a man living in fear every day of his life for simply being black is as powerful today as it was when it was first published in 1947. Set in southern California in the early forties, the novel spans four days in the life of Bob Jones, a black man relentlessly plagued by the effects of World War II racism. His is a society drenched in insidious race consciousness, and as the novel progresses these surroundings take their toll on Jones's behavior, thoughts and emotions--even before he is accused of a brutal crime he did not commit. "[If He Hollers Let Him Go is] often considered to be [Himes'] most powerful work." —Press & Sun Bulletin "This first novel by Chester Himes is an accurate portrait of an important era just before the early stages of integration. If his message seems too bitter, we should remember that America's dreams of racial equality have yet to be realized. Himes has written a story that must be confronted honestly." —Graham Hodges "One of the most important American writers of the 20th century ... [a] quirky American genius..." —Walter Mosley Foreword by Hilton Als