Langston Hughes Reads [ABRIDGED] [AUDIOBOOK] (Audio Cassette)

~ Langston Hughes (Author, Reader)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

Here, in his own words, Langston Hughes shares the life experiences that set him on the path to become one of America's greatest poets. Interspersed between his vibrant, masterful works, Hughes describes the sights, sounds, and memories of mid-century America, illuminating many events he experienced growing up black in an openly segregated and prejudiced society. By including his witty, entertaining, and wonderfully generous commentary, this recording provides a rare glimpse at the world behind Hughes's remarkably evocative oeuvre and adds even greater resonance to the emotional depth and sweeping vision of his excellent poetry. Listen to Langston Hughes read "One Way Ticket." Visit our audio help page for more information. (Running time: 50 minutes, 1 cassette) --George Laney --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Library Journal

Despite a plethora of audiobooks with Plath reading from her own poetry, this one seems unique in that none of her standards are here. These are the poems, for the most part, written between The Colossus (Plath's first poetry book) and the posthumously published Ariel. She reads rapidly yet clearly, without bothering with titles, her voice throbbing, seeming to build up anger as she goes along. Its excellence notwithstanding, this is not a good introduction to Plath's work, so it is recommended only for libraries that already have her other audiobooks. The reading by Hughes is precisely the opposite--accessible to everyone, even if it doesn't showcase the writer's best works. Interweaving poems with memories of growing up in a small Midwestern town, of Harlem in the 1930s, or of the influence jazz had on his poetry, he illuminates the experience of African American life. Playfulness becomes a stand-in for anger as he looks back at being elected class poet because he "had rhythm" or working on the college newspaper and being assigned to cover fraternity and sorority life (which of course denied access to blacks). The tape would disappoint if it stopped here, but, as if anticipating contemporary needs, he closes with some acidic pieces on racial prejudice that validate both his experiences and those of the listeners; he died in 1967. Highly recommended.
-Rochelle Ratner, formerly with "Soho Weekly News," New York
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.

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Product Details

• Audio Cassette
• Publisher: Caedmon; Abridged edition (March 22, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0694522732
• ISBN-13: 978-0694522736
• Product Dimensions: 7 x 4.4 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: No customer reviews yet. Be the first.
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #1,182,012 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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