New Books Network Nicholas Boggs, "Baldwin: A Love Story" (FSG, 2025)
Feb 10, 2026
Nicholas Boggs, PhD and MFA trained writer and biographer, digs into James Baldwin’s intimate relationships and archives. He traces Baldwin’s Paris years, mentorship with Beauford Delaney, and a transformative love with Lucien Happersberger. The conversation ranges from archival craft and scene-writing to love as Baldwin’s creative engine and the costs of devotion.
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Pair Research With Narrative Craft
- Boggs credits his MFA with teaching narrative scene craft and giving the time to shape a nonacademic biography.
- Do combine scholarly research with narrative skills and allow time to find the right form.
Voice Found In Paris
- Nicholas Boggs found his narrative voice when Baldwin reaches Paris and meets Lucien Happersberger, which unlocked the book's momentum.
- The shift shows how place and relationship can catalyze an author's creative clarity.
Love As Creative Engine
- Boggs argues love is both Baldwin's driving principle and his wound, powering his creativity through longing and distance.
- Baldwin used ruptures in relationships as a creative engine for novels and essays.
