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On Wednesday, local author Jules Farber will be talking about his book, ‘James Baldwin: Escape from America, Exile in Provence’, and entertaining the audience with anecdotes about Baldwin’s writing career as an expat in France from 1970 until his death in 1987.  Jules Farber will be interviewed by Dr Leigh Smith, Dean, as part of the ongoing IAU series of free lectures.

The book contains more than 70 interviews with people who met James Baldwin in the last 17 years of his life, a revealing retrospective on one of America’s greatest literary figures.

Saint-Paul de Vence provided the writer with a refuge from the racism and hatred in America. He became a good neighbour and friend to the locals of the village and hosted guests from around the world. In the book, celebrities, such as Sidney Poitier, Harry Belafonte, Maya Angelou, Toni Morrison, Bill Wyman, and others, tell their personal reminisces and stories about Baldwin.

Date: Wednesday, 27 September – 18:30hrs

Location: Institute for American Universities – Main Hall, 2 bis rue Bon Pasteur 13100 Aix-en-Provence

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James Baldwin: His Life in Provence

Lunch at the iconic La Colombe d’Or in Saint-Paul de Vence turned out to be a memorable occasion for writer Jules Farber, and not just for the quality of the food. He spotted a photograph on the wall showing James Baldwin, the US writer and civil activist who was famously black, gay and an object of scrutiny by the FBI. What on earth, Jules wondered, was his picture doing here?

And so started a quest of detective work during which Jules followed leads world-wide to produce his new book, ‘James Baldwin – Escape From America – Exile in Provence’.

Move to France

Baldwin, it turned out, had fled the hatred and racism in America in 1970, travelling to Paris. There, he was admitted to the American Hospital in Neuilly with a mental and physical breakdown. He was advised to recuperate in the sunny south of France and his friend Simone Signoret helped him find somewhere to stay – and that was Saint-Paul de Vence.

He loved the village and decided to make it his home. Eventually he moved into part of a bastide owned by a certain Mlle Faure, who had fled Algeria and had issues with black people; but gradually she grew to admire and love him.

Focus for the Famous…

‘He was always broke’, explains Jules, ‘but he became a focus of creative life and had numerous visitors from America but also entertained locals’. To get a rounded portrait of the man, and his community at that time, Jules Farber has interviewed visitors like Maya Angelou, Harry Belafonte, Sidney Poitier, Angela Davis and Rolling Stone Bill Wyman who lived nearby and became a great friend. Nina Simone, Josephine Baker and Ray Charles guesting at Cote d’Azur jazz festivals would also drop in. And stay.

…and the Locals

The tourist office in Saint-Paul turned up trumps and pointed Jules in the direction of several locals who were happy to add their reminiscences…like the post-man. He was just a youngster in the post office at the time but, as the only one with a smattering of English, he had the job of transcribing Baldwin’s telegrams. He delivered them and so often stayed on for lunch at the ‘Welcome Table’. Baldwin had a local lady to shop and cook – she used to arrive on her motor-cycle wearing wrap-around sunglasses presented to her by Miles Davis.

Baldwin either charmed people into working for him or issued IOUs. For example, his driving was far too erratic for the challenging roads of the Provencal interior and so he had a series of chauffeurs. They often left, unpaid, and one actually took off with the car in lieu of earnings and was never seen again.

His Work

During this time, Baldwin was prolific. He spent his days at his typewriter producing his last works as well as essays and interviews. During the 1980s, he discussed homosexuality frankly and became an important figure for the emerging gay rights movement.

His House – Now Under Threat

Incredible though it seems, this house which has provide shelter and happiness to such an important writer and which has seen so many famous literary, musical and cinema stars passing through and enjoying the ambiance and hospitality, is now threatened with demolition.

The house remained empty for 20 years from the writer’s death in 1987 because of a complex legal situation between a cleaning lady who cared for owner Mlle Faure who had moved into the village as she became elderly, and remote family of Mlle Faure. The estate of part-owner Baldwin bowed out early from the struggle. And while the legal processes between the two families have taken their course, the house has deteriorated and been vandalised. A property developer is currently making plans to preserve the main house but demolish the side wings and build villas in the grounds.

Lots of info here: https://www.nytimes.com/2017/04/04/arts/battling-to-save-james-baldwins-home-in-the-south-of-france.html?mcubz=0

* Published by Pelican Publishing. As well as Amazon, it is available at Book In Bar, rue Joseph Cabassol, Aix.

Jules Farber

Jules retired to Provence after a successful career in public relations in Amsterdam where he had his own agency. During this time, he was a free-lance journalist for international media and wrote 4 books in Dutch and English. Since then, he has been busy with his writing career with books including ‘Talking About Cezanne’, ‘Classic Cats by Great Photographers’ and ‘Les Juifs du Pape en Provence’. Both Barbara and Jules are passionate contemporary art collectors and are kept busy with their family of 3 children and 5 grandchildren.