Langston Hughes' character Jesse B. Simple comes to life in 12 great performances by Nap "Don't Forget the Blues" Turner in Hughes Views of the Blues, from Right on Rhythm. This is a release that belongs in every library and in every American literature curriculum.
"I know Jess B. Simple... We all do!"
In I Wonder as I Wander, Langston Hughes vividly recalls the most dramatic and intimate moments of his life in the turbulent 1930s. His wanderlust leads him to Cuba, Haiti, Russia, Soviet Central Asia, Japan, Spain (during its Civil War), through dictatorships, wars, revolutions. He meets and brings to life the famous and the humble, from Arthur Koestler to Emma, the Black Mammy of Moscow.
"Love this book!"
Langston Hughes, born in 1902, came of age early in the 1920s. In The Big Sea he recounts those memorable years in the two great playgrounds of the decade - Harlem and Paris. In Paris he was a cook and waiter in nightclubs. He knew the musicians and dancers, the drunks and dope fiends. In Harlem he was a rising young poet - at the center of the "Harlem Renaissance." Arnold Rampersad writes in his incisive new introduction to The Big Sea, an American classic: "This is American writing at its best...."
"The Big Sea"
Hear rare recordings from five of the most-respected African American poets reading their own works: Langston Hughes, "The Negro Speaks of Rivers"; Arna Bontemps, "Nocturne At Bethesda"; Countee Cullen, "Heritage"; Gwendolyn Brooks, "The Vacant Lot"; and Sonia Sanchez, "Black Magic".
A vast array of poems old and new joyously celebrates each special day of the year, telling of New Year's resolutions, Valentine's Day love, Easter parades, Fourth of July fireworks, and more. Featuring verse from favorites like Walt Whitman, Jack Prelutsky, and Langston Hughes and poetic lyrics from the likes of Cole Porter and Oscar Hammerstein, plus heartfelt introductions by Julie Andrews describing favorite family holiday moments, this is the perfect collection for families to share together.
In this issue: "Bill Problems" by Amy Davidson; "Citizen Khan" by Kathryn Schulz; "The Polish Rider" by Ben Lerner; "Seven People Dancing" by Langston Hughes; "Uninhabited" by Kevin Young; "Surrendering" by Ocean Vuong; and "Making the Cut" by James Wood.
Angelic Essie Belle Johnson and devilish Laura Reed both agree that they need to do something to spice up their lives and earn more money. So, they start their own church on the street in front of their Harlem apartment. With Laura's gift for performing and Essie's melodious voice, the two quickly become a hit and must move their services into a renovated theater. But as their congregation grows, a host of misfits enter the scene - some honest, but others who just want a piece of the pie.
"Witty, simple wisdom"