Not Without Laughter

Not Without Laughter is a debut in the best of ways: it covers uncharted territory, it compels its readers to see part of the world anew, and it prizes exploration over pat conclusion * The New York Times *
An eye-opening portrait of the artist as a young black man in the Midwest * The New York Times Book Review *
A lyrical, charming and moving story of a black Midwestern boy – Arnold Rampersad

Langston Hughes (1902-1967), a central figure of the Harlem Renaissance and one of the most influential and esteemed writers of the twentieth century, was born in Joplin, Missouri, and spent much of his childhood in Kansas before moving to Harlem. His first book of poetry, The Weary Blues, was published in 1926; its success helped him to win a scholarship to Lincoln University, in Pennsylvania, from which he received his B.A. in 1929 and an honorary Litt.D. in 1943. Among his other awards and honors were a Guggenheim Fellowship, a Rosenwald Fellowship, and a grant from the American Academy of Arts and Letters. Hughes published more than thirty-five books, including works of poetry, short stories, novels, an autobiography, musicals, essays, and plays.

Angela Flournoy (introduction) was a finalist for the National Book Award for her debut novel, The Turner House, and for the Kirkus Prize for her novel The Wilderness. Her fiction has appeared in The Paris Review, and she has written for The New York Times, The New Republic, and the Los Angeles Times. A graduate of the Iowa Writers’ Workshop, Flournoy was raised by a mother from Los Angeles and a father from Detroit and now lives in Brooklyn.

This item is eligible for free returns within 30 days of delivery. See our returns policy for further details.