Nearly a century after his birth in Joplin, Missouri, Langston
Hughes is, in a sense, coming home. The University of Missouri
Press is proud to announce the publication of The Collected Works
of Langston Hughes, a compilation of the novels, short stories,
poems, plays, and essays by one of the twentieth century's most
prolific and influential African American authors. The
seventeen-volume series will make available Hughes's most famous
works as well as less well known and out-of-print selections,
providing readers and libraries with a comprehensive source for the
first time.
Hughes moved to Harlem in the 1920s and ultimately became the
most prominent figure in the literary, artistic, and intellectual
phenomenon known as the Harlem Renaissance. Hughes wrote articles
for The Crisis and in 1926 published his first book of poetry, The
Weary Blues. Over the decades until his death in 1967, he became
one of the best-known and most versatile American writers of the
twentieth century. His creative range -- poetry, novels, short
fiction, drama, translations, gospel-song plays, libretti, juvenile
fiction, radio and television scripts, history, biography, and
autobiography -- is unique in American letters.
The seventeen volumes of the Collected Works are to be published
with the goal that Hughes pursued throughout his lifetime: making
his books available to the people. Each volume will include a
biographical and literary chronology by Arnold Rampersad, as well
as an introduction by a Hughes scholar. The volume introductions
will provide contextual and historical information on the
particular work.
In Volume 8, Jesse B. Semple returns with his more cosmopolitan
bar buddy, Ananias Boyd. Socialclimber Joyce Lane is now Mrs. Jesse
B. Semple, and Simple has minimized his flirtatious contacts with
other women. Despite these ongoing characters, the later Simple
stories are very different from the earlier Simple tales, evoking
the historical and social context within which they were
written.
The Later Simple Stories returns to print Hughes's third and
fourth Simple collections, Simple Stakes a Claim and Simple's Uncle
Sam, along with some episodes Hughes did not include in any of his
books. Simple Stakes a Claim reflects the troubled and troublesome
era of the Cold War and McCarthy hearings. Simple's Uncle Sam
captures the turbulent decade when black Americans asserted their
rights.
The innocent humor of the earlier Simple stories is replaced
here by new strengths. Remarkably powerful female characters emerge
in this volume. We observe Cousin Minnie's self-preservation skills
and her willingness to riot to defend her rights as a citizen. We
read about Simple's cousin Lynn Clarisse, who is a social activist
educated at Fisk University. And we see Joyce herself emerge from
her prim niche to display pride and knowledge about her African
heritage.
The Later Simple Stories rounds out Hughes's presentation of
Jesse B. Semple and the various people of his world. While these
episodes often focus on particularities of the times, they also
articulate broader truths that remain valuable.
General
| Imprint: |
University of Missouri Press
|
| Country of origin: |
United States |
| Series: |
The Collected Works of Langston Hughes |
| Release date: |
June 2002 |
| First published: |
June 2002 |
| Authors: |
Langston Hughes
|
| Volume editors: |
Donna Akiba Sullivan Harper
|
| Dimensions: |
240 x 165 x 34mm (L x W x T) |
| Format: |
Hardcover
|
| Pages: |
384 |
| Edition: |
c2001-<c2002 |
| ISBN-13: |
978-0-8262-1409-6 |
| Categories: |
Books >
Fiction >
General
|
| LSN: |
0-8262-1409-6 |
| Barcode: |
9780826214096 |
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