---
product_id: 12850285
title: "If He Hollers Let Him Go: A Novel (Himes, Chester)"
brand: "chester himes"
price: "R370"
currency: ZAR
in_stock: true
reviews_count: 12
url: https://www.desertcart.co.za/products/12850285-if-he-hollers-let-him-go-a-novel-himes-chester
store_origin: ZA
region: South Africa
---

# If He Hollers Let Him Go: A Novel (Himes, Chester)

**Brand:** chester himes
**Price:** R370
**Availability:** ✅ In Stock

## Quick Answers

- **What is this?** If He Hollers Let Him Go: A Novel (Himes, Chester) by chester himes
- **How much does it cost?** R370 with free shipping
- **Is it available?** Yes, in stock and ready to ship
- **Where can I buy it?** [www.desertcart.co.za](https://www.desertcart.co.za/products/12850285-if-he-hollers-let-him-go-a-novel-himes-chester)

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## Description

If He Hollers Let Him Go (Himes, Chester)

## Images

![If He Hollers Let Him Go: A Novel (Himes, Chester) - Image 1](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/61ou1SpQI5L.jpg)

## Customer Reviews

### ⭐⭐⭐⭐ 4.0 out of 5 stars







  
  
    A Taut, Angry, Debut Novel About Racism in America, Written And Set During World War II
  

*by F***Y on Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on December 1, 2020*

"If He Hollers Let Him Go" is a well written debut novel of noted African American author Chester Himes.  It is set in Los Angeles during World War II and was published in 1945.  It is of medium length and flows in a manner that makes it easy to follow.  As I will explain, I found it more interesting and illuminating than enjoyable.  I am glad that I read it.I cannot say that I "enjoyed" this novel.  It is well written, but it is tense and often seethes with anger.  It reminded of "Native Son".  Both novels involve young African American male protagonists attempting to cope with systemic racism in America.  In was in that context of anger, it put me in mind of Richard Wright's "Native Son".  I preferred Chester Himes novel to "Native Son" in that although conveying the same anger, "Native Son" also describes savage, hideous criminality, that I found grotesque.This novel is of further interest to me in that it brings together two areas of study of mine.  First, I make an ongoing effort to read African American authors, not exclusively, but with specific intent and interest.  Second, I read American Noir novels on an ongoing basis, again not exclusively.  I also make a point of reading debut novels.  Some American Noir fiction of the 1940s written by white male authors contain fairly explicit racism.  This novel, by an African American author, conveys the other side of that racism.  Both of these styles inflict upon me a significant "cringe factor".I first became aware of this novel after reading "Noir" by Christopher Moore.  "Noir" is a much lighter, Runyonesque, spoof American Noir set in a shipyard in Los Angeles in World War II.  In that novel the protagonist works with an African American construction crew in a shipyard.  I can easily see that Christopher Moore drew inspiration from Chester Himes.  Mister Moore States this himself which drew me to this novel.In summary, I am glad that I read this novel.  It often proved personally painful to me and in that context I cannot say that I enjoyed it.  Although fiction, I did find it educational.  I always take a break between works of the same author.  However I fully intend to continue reading and studying the works of Chester Himes.  Thank You for taking the time to read this review.

### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 5.0 out of 5 stars







  
  
    Fascinating and Entertaining
  

*by W***L on Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on March 23, 2018*

This story of the tribulations of a shipyard worker provides insight into how race intrudes into daily life while being entertainingly told at the same time.  The handling of race is fascinating; race basically saturates all aspects of the daily life of Bob Jones, the central character, who exhibits an intense racism towards whites that fully mirrors the racism towards him he perceives in the white society around him.  They differ in that while white racism is dismissive and condescending, black racism induces rage.  An insight provided by the story is how this leads to Bob perceiving virtually everything in racial terms, i.e., race and racism are central to Bob’s identity.  For example, anyone in the lower levels of a hierarchy can be forced to wait for management’s attention for any number of reasons, including trivial ones.  Bob however, automatically assumes a racial snub.  Mr. Himes reinforces the centrality of race through the two main females in the story.  Although Bob is apparently loved by Alice, his black girlfriend who is young, beautiful, and successful.  She is however accomodationist, which would mean that Bob would have to give up his race obsession for them to have a future.  He rejects her to instead to pursue Madge, a slatternly white blond past her prime.  The importance of his racial obsession is demonstrated by his seeking out Madge in situations that could easily be avoided, with negative consequences.The book was first published 70+ years ago.  Another interesting aspect is that, in spite of all that has happened since, the obsession with seeing virtually everything in racial terms remains common today, especially among writers and academics.  Bob Jones remains as relevant as he was in the 1940s.

### ⭐⭐⭐⭐ 4.0 out of 5 stars







  
  
    An Interesting Book
  

*by S***N on Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on October 3, 2013*

The L.A. Weekly rated this as the best book about L.A. so I purchased it.  It wasn't quite what I expected, but I'm glad that I read it.  Both my wife and I were amazed that this book was written and published in 1945 as it deals with serious racial tensions in L.A. in that time.  The protagonist is an angry black man who suffers the slings and arrows of racism, and somehow fights his way through the trials and tribulations thrust upon him.Foolish me, I had no idea that times were that hard for African Americans back during WWII in L.A.  I thought that we had a more enlightened attitude here in sunny California.  My hope is that we're a better city now and that this type of discrimination doesn't occur, but then I'm a little naive, as shown by the reality of this book.

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*Product available on Desertcart South Africa*
*Store origin: ZA*
*Last updated: 2026-02-23*