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4.1 AVERAGE
4.1 AVERAGE
Hughes is obviously a better poet than fiction writer, but then again he is an exceptionally gifted poet; in telling 'Not without laughter' Hughes paints the life of Sandy Rogers, a young African American boy in small-town Kansas, and his various family members; all vignettes of stereotypical experiences of people of color in early twentieth century racially segregated America. Be sure to check out Hughes magisterial poetry; [b:The Collected Poems|133906|The Collected Poems|Langston Hughes|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1701607425l/133906._SX50_.jpg|129000].
I mostly enjoyed this book. I liked the storyline and appreciated the ways it delved into both societal issues and personal experiences.
It seems that we're in Kansas, in an African American community, in 1912 and beyond.
Whenever I go on vacation, I try to read some books by
African American authors. I think I only managed this one this year. The issue for me, is that I can't possibly understand other people, unless I learn about them by reading about their lives (African Americans, Japanese, Chinese, etc.). This book, although written some 87 years ago, is still a fresh lens to help us privileged, comfortably well-off white folks see ourselves as others see us; others in this case, being African Americans.
An additional interesting thing about this book is that it follows the life of a young, African American boy who lived in Kansas, from about 1912 to 1918 or so. The boy was something like 7 to 14 over this period (fuzzy math). My mother was a young girl growing up in Kansas at the same time, although she was a bit younger. So, it's interesting to read about young African American children in Kansas and to compare it with my mother's stories of growing up.
Langston Hughes was best known as a top notch poet. But this book shows that he's also a rather good novelist. The writing is wonderful.
Whenever I go on vacation, I try to read some books by
African American authors. I think I only managed this one this year. The issue for me, is that I can't possibly understand other people, unless I learn about them by reading about their lives (African Americans, Japanese, Chinese, etc.). This book, although written some 87 years ago, is still a fresh lens to help us privileged, comfortably well-off white folks see ourselves as others see us; others in this case, being African Americans.
An additional interesting thing about this book is that it follows the life of a young, African American boy who lived in Kansas, from about 1912 to 1918 or so. The boy was something like 7 to 14 over this period (fuzzy math). My mother was a young girl growing up in Kansas at the same time, although she was a bit younger. So, it's interesting to read about young African American children in Kansas and to compare it with my mother's stories of growing up.
Langston Hughes was best known as a top notch poet. But this book shows that he's also a rather good novelist. The writing is wonderful.
A good book overall, the dialect spoken by most characters and the setting made it a bit hard to follow, but Hughes is an amazing writer that makes it worthwhile.
hopeful
inspiring
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
A wonderful story that follows Sandy Rogers, a young boy growing up during the Harlem Renaissance. I'm particularly interested in the symbolism of the porch throughout the novel, and how it ties to the idealized American family, and the dysfunction that exists within the Rogers household.
This novel is a quick read (217 pages) but has a lot of depth and I highly encourage those interested in African American or Harlem Renaissance literature to give it a shot. Langston Hughes is an author that is highly regarded, and his novels stand the test of time.
This novel is a quick read (217 pages) but has a lot of depth and I highly encourage those interested in African American or Harlem Renaissance literature to give it a shot. Langston Hughes is an author that is highly regarded, and his novels stand the test of time.
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racial slurs, Racism
Moderate: Death
Minor: War
dark
hopeful
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
challenging
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
emotional
reflective
sad
slow-paced