I read this a few years ago in a humanities class - it provoked arguments between myself (lower-class white female) and a boy (middle-class white male)who didn't see what relevence this book had in his life or his time and protested being 'forced' to read it. He pointed out that he was 'not a racist', but that because he couldn't relate to the subject matter in the book he didn't think he should have to read it. He also thought that many of the problems Baldwin encountered had been dealt with and that things were better for minorities now. Somehow this rendered the reading moot for him. I wonder if he would apply this logic to all books written in the past? Anyway, after sputtering in disbelief I lectured him about confronting uncomfortable realities and considering perspectives other than his own. I wasn't always coherent in my argument (the teacher admonished me but the two 'minority' students in the class commended me for speaking up) but it is testament to the power of Baldwin's writing that this book inspired such passionate responses on both sides of the issue. (And it is testament to my then 19 years of age that the highlighting and marginal comments are erratic and now somewhat embarrassing. )