Langston Hughes: A Biography

by Milton Meltzer

Book Overview

The economic futures of the United States, Canada, and Japan are tightly linked by the extremely powerful trade network these nations share. Yet because of trade and domestic policies aimed at preserving economic and, some argue, cultural integrity, there has at times been considerable friction among the three nations. Much of the recent trade animus of the U.S. has been aimed Japan, the country with the largest trade surplus with the United States...

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0690485255
• ISBN13: 9780690485257
• Release Date: January 1968
• Publisher: HarperCollins Children's Books
• Weight: 2.60 lbs.
• Age Range: 12 years and up
• Grade Range: Grade 7 and higher

Customer Reviews

great bio!

A powerful poet, breaking the racial descriptions of immigrants and blacks. Langston Hughes was born in Lincoln, Illinois. Was very well academically, and went to many colleges. He loved Harlem, he loved living there, barely scraping by as an artist. He performed many jobs, never of any social standard, such as a bellboy or a busboy. He traveled around the world to exotic places, just by chance. Some loved him; some hated him for defaming the glorified way of whites. He was a respected playwright as well as a poet. He died on May 22, 1967. This book is very good for people who like artists, especially black artists. This book showed how his travels to different countries affected his writings. When he was looking for work, and a sign for sailors on a ship going to Africa was posted, he gladly accepted. On the way there, he was treated nicely, except for some people who thought they were better than them. At Africa, the merchants thought he was a native, so they treated him like the Africans were treated. He threw away his books, and wrote many poems about old Africa. When Langston went to France, he went to many parties at coffee shops, and was welcomed by the French. He wrote many poems similar to the French songs there. When he traveled around the world, in Asia, many tribes were dark-skinned like Langston and were treated the same way blacks were in the states. Asia had a revolution while he was there, and nothing was segregated anymore. While he was there, he wrote of the joy of being able to do the same things whites did, and not be penalized for it. This book showed that Langston wasn't only a poet, he wrote short stories, plays, and books. Langston was bored with poems, so he started an autobiographical book. It talked about his relationship with his father, living as an artist, and the racial lines drawn as to what he could and couldn't do. "Not Without Laughter" was good, but it needed more, the reviewers commented. At least twenty of his plays were performed on Broadway, most with black actors. Many of the directors for the plays changed many things around, but Langston was glad the audience got the gist of it. Many of his poems, plays, and short stories won awards. One of his short stories was "The Old Folks At Home" about racial violence was sent to a magazine and was sent back with a letter wondering why he wrote about this violence and did not leave it alone. People wondered why he wrote about such things. It was to let people know that his people were suffering. This book showed that Langston Hughes rebelled by writing things that were sacred to whites. One of his poems, "Song for a Dark Girl" talked about a girl whose lover was killed by white men, and asked Jesus why people prayed to him, if they were not going to be saved. People were in the streets mad that a black man used the word "Jesus" in his poem. Another poem, "Christ in Alabama" talked about how Jesus must be black (though he did not use that word) because he suffe

Langston Hughes

This book was about a black man who became a great poet and the obstacles he had to overcome. Langston moved around the country and the world trying to survive and make it on his own. He lived in the U.S., Mexico, Africa, and other places around the world. Langston Hughes had trouble finding food, money, a place to stay, and clothes to wear. Hughes worked on many ships traveling all over the world to write. Langston Hughes also had to battle racism throughout the United States. I can relate to Langston Hughes in many ways. Right now, I am looking for a job, but cannot find one. It seems like no one wants to hire me. In the book, Langston moved to Mexico with his father. He said his father was always mad at him and was never satisfied with what he did unless he was doing it for money or got money in the process. I lived with my grandparents for nine years and the only time my grandfather was satisfied with me was when I got hundred's on my tests or report cards. He was always mad and angry with me. He yelled over every little thing and never said sorry when he was wrong. When Langston was looking for a job or something to eat, he was sometimes denied service because he was black. In my lifetime, I have been a subject of racism and it feels bad that people will not let you do something because of your sking color or something you cannot help. I did like the book. My favorite part was when Langston was chosen the third greates writer/poet in the world. This was my favorite part because he was chosen number three out of black and white writers and it made me proud to be black. My least favorite part in the book was when his mother kept asking him for money. Every time Langston got some money, she wrote him and he had to give her money because she did something stupid or she needed something. I cannot really change anything in the book because the story is non-fictional. I think that this a good book and everyone should read it. I think people who are poor, a minority, or a person who is open to anyone could relate to this book.

Great use as a Middle School Resource!!

I had a copy of the 1968 version of the Langston Hughes biography. It is a thorough in depth portrayal of Langston Hughes. Helped by his closeness to his subject, [Mr. Meltzer was friends with Langston, who died suddenly before this biography was completed] he had primary and secondary sources at hand that made this a personal, very detailed account of Langston's amazing, sometimes lonely, life. His use of poetry to punctuate certain points of Langston's life, in particular, the poem read at his wake, and the poetry written about lynchings, made these vignettes memorable and powerful. I recommend this book strongly to all readers who admire Langston Hughes. You may find yourself discovering facts about Langston of which you had no clue! Read it!