Ask The Puma Research Guides: Sonny’s Blues

Sonny’s Blues

James Baldwin’s short story “Sonny’s Blues” is from his collection called Going to Meet the Man (1965).  It deals with an older African-American brother recalling events from the life of his younger brother.  This younger brother, a musician, has just been arrested for selling and using illegal drugs.

Call Numbers for Browsing the Shelves

• PS648 .S5
• PS3552 .A45

Circulating Books – A Selected List

• Bloom, Harold (Ed.). Bloom’s BioCritiques: James Baldwin. 2006.

                        Call Number: PS3552 .A45 Z723 2006

• Bloom, Harold (Ed.). Modern Critical Views: James Baldwin. 1986.

                        Call Number: PS3552 .A45 Z72 1986

•  Kinnamon, Keneth (Ed.).  James Baldwin: A Collection of Critical Essays. 1974.

                        Call Number: PS3552 .A45 Z76

• Pratt, Louis H. James Baldwin. 1978.

                        Call Number: PS3552 .A45 Z86 1978

• Sullivan, Nancy (Ed.). Treasury of American Short Stories. 1981.

                        Call Number: PS648 .S5 T7

LINCCWeb online catalog – Search Terms

• Baldwin, James (Subject)
• Baldwin, James – Criticism and Interpretation (Subject)
• Sonny’s Blues (Keywords)

Reference Materials

• Contemporary Literary Criticism – Call Number: REF PN771 .C59

o   Vol. 13, pgs. 53-54

o   Vol. 90, pgs. 2-41

o   Vol. 127, pgs. 106, 108

•  Critical Survey of Short Fiction – Call Number: REF PN3321 .C7 2001

o   Vol. 1, pgs. 138-139

•  Masterplots II, Short Story Series (Revised Edition) – Call Number: REF PN3326 .M27 2004

o      Vol. 7, pg. 3821-23

• Short Story Criticism –  Call Number: REF PN3321 .S5

o   Vol. 10, pgs. 2-25

o   Vol. 33, pgs. 115-157

• Short Stories for Students – Call Number: REF PN3330 .S386

o   Vol. 2, pgs. 245-262

Research Databases

To access Valencia’s research databases, open your Atlas account, select ‘Search the Library’, then select ‘Databases A-Z’.

• Academic Search Complete
• JSTOR
• Literature Resources from Gale

This Research Guide is designed to help users find information on a particular topic within the Valencia College East Campus Library.  This is by no means a comprehensive list of resources and other resources may be available on this topic.  Please check LINCCWeb, Valencia East’s online catalog, to verify the availability of circulating books within the library.  Feel free to ask a librarian for help if you need further assistance.

Valencia College East Campus Library

Last Revised on November 21, 2021