A long way from home

A Long Way from Home is an autobiography by Claude McKay, first published in 1937.

The book chronicles the life of the Jamaican-born writer as he searches for artistic freedom while travelling through the United States, Europe, Russia and North Africa. His journey reflects his personal ambitions and the challenges he faced as a Black intellectual in the early twentieth century.

McKay writes about his connection to the Harlem Renaissance, his encounters with writers and political thinkers, and his complicated relationship with the radical movements of the time. Through these experiences, the book explores race, exile, politics, and literary independence.

More than just a memoir, A Long Way from Home is a candid account of a restless life shaped by migration, creativity, and resistance. It provides valuable insight into McKay’s world and the cultural conflicts that influenced his work.

"That run was the most exciting I ever made on the railroad. After three days away from New York, our dining car was returning again, feeding a morning train out of Philadelphia. A three-days' run was a long one and our crew was in a happy getting-home mood. In the pantry cooks and waiters joked mainly about women, as always, wives and sweethearts; some chanted, "Someone else may be there when I'm gone.""