I, Too, Sing America: The Story of Langston Hughes (World Writers) [Library Binding]

Martha E. Rhynes (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 2002 | Series: World Writers

A biography of a man who, from the 1920s Harlem Renaissance through the 1960s, wrote poems, stories, and books which celebrated his African American heritage.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 6-9-This biography joins a number of others about Hughes. Unfortunately, it adds no new insights or facts about his life. Written in a rather plodding and pedestrian style, it fails to capture the poet's extraordinary life and does a poor job of placing him within the context of his time. As a result, readers come away from this work with little sense of the man as the exceptionally influential figure he was, especially during the Harlem Renaissance and in the 1970s. There is also little sense of how remarkable his many associates were, the artists and political activists who helped shape the cultural scene of the '20s and '30s. There are also some misstatements of fact in the book. The author states that the Scottsboro boys, nine young black men accused of raping two white women in Alabama in the 1930s, were all eventually paroled or escaped. This is not true. She also says that Martin Luther King, Jr., organized the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee. He did not. That distinction belongs to Ella Baker. Poor-quality, black-and-white photos are scattered throughout the text. Milton Meltzer's Langston Hughes (Millbrook, 1997) is more compelling, richly illustrated, and touches on Hughes's homosexuality, a subject Rhynes does not discuss.
Carol Jones Collins, Columbia High School, Maplewood, NJ
Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist

Gr. 5-9. Rhynes' I, Too, Sing America, in the World Writers series, is a traditional biography in form. Chapters follow Hughes' life from birth to death, covering major relationships and events, as well as Hughes' intellectual and artistic ideas and efforts. The text is informative but dry, often switching abruptly between events. Best are the numerous quotes and the links between Hughes' work and personal life and descriptions that show the difficulty of a writer's life. A chronology, extensive sources notes, and a bibliography will make this useful for reports, and browsers will like the black-and-white photos. Gillian Engberg
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 12 and up
  
• Library Binding: 144 pages
• Publisher: Morgan Reynolds Publishing (May 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1883846897
• ISBN-13: 978-1883846893
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 6.2 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,492,311 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars A must read for Langston Hughes fans!, August 22, 2007

By 

Kari Lynn Dunmars "Avid Reader" (Florida, USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: I, Too, Sing America: The Story of Langston Hughes (World Writers) (Library Binding)

This bio was very indepth and insightful. I thought I knew a lot about Hughes before I read this book. Martha E. Rhynes definately did her research. I loved it.