Not Without Laughter

Hardback

Main Details

Title Not Without Laughter
Authors and Contributors      By (author) Langston Hughes
Introduction by Angela Flournoy
SeriesPenguin Vitae
Physical Properties
Format:Hardback
Pages:256
Dimensions(mm): Height 205,Width 135
Category/GenreModern and contemporary fiction (post c 1945)
Classic fiction (pre c 1945)
ISBN/Barcode 9780143134428
ClassificationsDewey:813.52
Audience
General
Illustrations FOIL STAMPING ON COVER; COLORED ENDPAPERS

Publishing Details

Publisher Penguin Putnam Inc
Imprint Penguin Classics
Publication Date 23 February 2021
Publication Country United States

Description

Our greatest African American poet's award-winning first novel, about a black boy's coming-of-age in a largely white Kansas town A collectible hardcover edition of our greatest African American poet's award-winning first novel about a black boy's coming-of-age in a largely white Kansas town, featuring an introduction by National Book Award finalist Angela Flournoy A Penguin Vitae Edition When first published in 1930, Not Without Laughter established Langston Hughes as not only a brilliant poet and leading light of the Harlem Renaissance but also a gifted novelist. In telling the story of Sandy Rogers, a young African American boy in small-town Kansas, and of his family--his mother, Annjee, a housekeeper for a wealthy white family; his irresponsible father, Jimboy, who plays the guitar and travels the country in search of employment; his strong-willed grandmother Hager, who clings to her faith; his Aunt Tempy, who marries a rich man; and his Aunt Harriet, who struggles to make it as a blues singer--Hughes gives the longings and lineaments of black life in the early twentieth century an important place in the history of racially divided America. Penguin Vitae--loosely translated as "Penguin of one's life"--is a deluxe hardcover series from Penguin Classics celebrating a dynamic and diverse landscape of classic fiction and nonfiction from seventy-five years of classics publishing. Penguin Vitae provides readers with beautifully designed classics that have shaped the course of their lives, and welcomes new readers to discover these literary gifts of personal inspiration, intellectual engagement, and creative originality.

Author Biography

Langston Hughes (1902-1967) was a central figure of the Harlem Renaissance and one of the most influential and acclaimed American writers of the twentieth century. A renowned poet from a young age, Hughes' first collection of poetry, The Weary Blues, was published when he was just 24. He would go on to publish more than thirty-five books, including his award-winning debut novel, Not Without Laughter, and the short story collection, The Ways of White Folks. His widely-read journalism and nonfiction became important documents in the support and promotion of the civil rights movement.

Reviews

"A lyrical, charming and moving story of a black Midwestern boy." -Arnold Rampersad "An eye-opening portrait of the artist as a young black man in the Midwest." -A. Scott Berg, The New York Times Book Review