If He Hollers Let Him Go: A Novel (Himes, Chester)

"If He Hollers Let Him Go" is a well written debut novel of noted African American author Chester Himes. It is set in Los Angeles during World War II and was published in 1945. It is of medium length and flows in a manner that makes it easy to follow. As I will explain, I found it more interesting and illuminating than enjoyable. I am glad that I read it.I cannot say that I "enjoyed" this novel. It is well written, but it is tense and often seethes with anger. It reminded of "Native Son". Both novels involve young African American male protagonists attempting to cope with systemic racism in America. In was in that context of anger, it put me in mind of Richard Wright's "Native Son". I preferred Chester Himes novel to "Native Son" in that although conveying the same anger, "Native Son" also describes savage, hideous criminality, that I found grotesque.This novel is of further interest to me in that it brings together two areas of study of mine. First, I make an ongoing effort to read African American authors, not exclusively, but with specific intent and interest. Second, I read American Noir novels on an ongoing basis, again not exclusively. I also make a point of reading debut novels. Some American Noir fiction of the 1940s written by white male authors contain fairly explicit racism. This novel, by an African American author, conveys the other side of that racism. Both of these styles inflict upon me a significant "cringe factor".I first became aware of this novel after reading "Noir" by Christopher Moore. "Noir" is a much lighter, Runyonesque, spoof American Noir set in a shipyard in Los Angeles in World War II. In that novel the protagonist works with an African American construction crew in a shipyard. I can easily see that Christopher Moore drew inspiration from Chester Himes. Mister Moore States this himself which drew me to this novel.In summary, I am glad that I read this novel. It often proved personally painful to me and in that context I cannot say that I enjoyed it. Although fiction, I did find it educational. I always take a break between works of the same author. However I fully intend to continue reading and studying the works of Chester Himes. Thank You for taking the time to read this review.

This story of the tribulations of a shipyard worker provides insight into how race intrudes into daily life while being entertainingly told at the same time. The handling of race is fascinating; race basically saturates all aspects of the daily life of Bob Jones, the central character, who exhibits an intense racism towards whites that fully mirrors the racism towards him he perceives in the white society around him. They differ in that while white racism is dismissive and condescending, black racism induces rage. An insight provided by the story is how this leads to Bob perceiving virtually everything in racial terms, i.e., race and racism are central to Bob’s identity. For example, anyone in the lower levels of a hierarchy can be forced to wait for management’s attention for any number of reasons, including trivial ones. Bob however, automatically assumes a racial snub. Mr. Himes reinforces the centrality of race through the two main females in the story. Although Bob is apparently loved by Alice, his black girlfriend who is young, beautiful, and successful. She is however accomodationist, which would mean that Bob would have to give up his race obsession for them to have a future. He rejects her to instead to pursue Madge, a slatternly white blond past her prime. The importance of his racial obsession is demonstrated by his seeking out Madge in situations that could easily be avoided, with negative consequences.The book was first published 70+ years ago. Another interesting aspect is that, in spite of all that has happened since, the obsession with seeing virtually everything in racial terms remains common today, especially among writers and academics. Bob Jones remains as relevant as he was in the 1940s.

The L.A. Weekly rated this as the best book about L.A. so I purchased it. It wasn't quite what I expected, but I'm glad that I read it. Both my wife and I were amazed that this book was written and published in 1945 as it deals with serious racial tensions in L.A. in that time. The protagonist is an angry black man who suffers the slings and arrows of racism, and somehow fights his way through the trials and tribulations thrust upon him.Foolish me, I had no idea that times were that hard for African Americans back during WWII in L.A. I thought that we had a more enlightened attitude here in sunny California. My hope is that we're a better city now and that this type of discrimination doesn't occur, but then I'm a little naive, as shown by the reality of this book.

I’m a big fan of Noir fiction, but this is both great literature and a great time piece, capturing a slice of the American dream as seen through the eyes of Chester Himes. The prose is tight and emotive in a way I haven’t seen for a while, and the story is simple but illustrative of the cultural divides in America between black and white and to a lesser degree class.Highly recommend

I thought this book did an excellent job of really portraying what it would have been like to be an African American working in LA at the start of World War II. I think Mr. Himes did a wonderful job in bringing the characters to life in such a short time span (the book takes place over 3 days). The book is a really easy read and I wish high schools would pick it up. They could use it in conjunction with other books like of "Mice and Men" or "The Color Purple" when dealing with disenfranchised groups.

Very Good Condition....Brilliant work by this author.Chester Himes wrote about the hardships of the African American experienceway back in the 1940's. He is an equal of Baldwin, Wright and all great writersof American Literature.

Great book by Himes. Honestly maybe the most troubling book to read though because you feel so involved and sorry for the racism present in the book, but obviously a great eye opener to life during WWII and even today.

This is an astonishingly powerful story of how a volatile black man from Ohio reacts to everyday (but intense) racism in Los Angeles during World War Two. This was Himes’s first novel, drawing on his personal experience. He went on to find success as a hard-boiled detective story writer (some novels were made into films), and later found some happiness with his second wife (a white American), when he moved first to France then Spain.The writing is viscerally gripping, from inside the soul of the narrator: Joe, a bright young man has a supervisory job in a large shipyard, which pays well but is beneath his intellectual abilities. He is alert to the slights and casual injustices of the racism of the time, pervading the shipyards, the restaurants, the police and the entire society. But Joe doesn’t want to roll over and accept the gross racism which he – like all other people of colour at that time – encounters in the USA. Nevertheless, he grits his teeth at the behest of his middle-class, black girl-friend, Alice.However, Joe is anything but faithful, likes his smart car and the ease with which he can attract women, black and white.The descriptions of Joe noticing and being noticed by women are wonderfully alive, sensual and daring, even for the 21st century. Equally, the famous scenes where Joe imagines the release of tension if he murdered one of his tormentors are worryingly effective, reminiscent of Dostoevsky’s Raskolnikov in Crime and Punishment.Malcolm Lowry (Under the Volcano) and Jessica Tandy (Driving Miss Daisy) were born in the same year as Himes (1909), but are staid and old-fashioned in comparison. Joe’s sexual energy seeps through most everything in the book, in a thoroughly realistic and subtle way.Himes’s skilful depiction and rage against racism is the all-important context. However, beyond this, I find that it is Himes’ portrait of his magnetic and driven protagonist, often on the edge of violence, which is most impressive. It is Joe the sensual, edgy human being who will long outlast the appalling racist world in which the drama of the story takes place.One caveat is that the ending is somewhat unsatisfactory - not that I wanted poor Joe to suffer any more, but the way in which he escapes the worst of the injustice with which he is threatened, and his lack of feeling for Alice, seems contrived.

Overly long. Looks like it was drawn out to make this a novel. definitely not up to Chester HImes better work

Great book

Enjoyed this story and was challenged to think about race issues. An interesting plot keeps the reader's attention but more importantly we are given an insight into the minds of an oppressed race.

This is a good read although I did find it slightly predicatable I also found myself quite angry in places about the decisons made by the main characther. I enjoyed the book alot and it gave a blantant expression of thoughts and feelings from the main characther overall a good read.