If Beale Street Could Talk by James Baldwin, Illustrated by Lela Harris for The Folio Society

James Baldwin’s powerful love story unfolds in 1970s Harlem, where injustice meets hope. Featuring evocative illustrations by Lela Harris and an introduction by Tayari Jones, this beautifully designed Folio book captures the tenderness and urgency of Baldwin’s unforgettable novel.

From the great American writer and civil rights activist James Baldwin comes this tightly wrought gut-punch of a novel. Set in 1970s New York City, If Beale Street Could Talk is both an intimate love story and a searing indictment of racial injustice – painful and moving yet rich with hope.

Quarter-bound in vivid blue cloth, this Folio book features charcoal portraits of Fonny and Tish on the cover, with a wraparound slipcase painting of Harlem in high summer. Inside, fine artist and illustrator Lela Harris contributes six original drawings, accompanied by an illuminating new introduction by Tayari Jones.

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