Mendez, Irenosen Okojie, David Olusoga and Colm Tóibín

American novelist James Baldwin is often called one of the best writers of the 20th century, and his writing, from essays to fiction to critiques, is still popular. But why is Baldwin still so well-read? And what makes his work – much of it rooted in his own experiences as a gay Black man who grew up in poverty in New York’s Harlem – so relevant still, to so many people? Our panel of experts take a look at Baldwin’s life and work, and address why his voice still resonates.

Mendez’s debut novel Rainbow Milk was shortlisted for the Jhalak Prize and the Polari Prize, among others. Irenosen Okojie’s novel Butterfly Fish and her short story collections, Speak Gigantular and Nudibranch, have won and been nominated for multiple awards. David Olusoga is a historian and the author of Black and British: A Forgotten History. Colm Tóibín’s most recent novel is The Magician, and he is the current Laureate for Irish Fiction. They talk to Creative Producer Heather Marks.