A Langston Hughes Encyclopedia

Book info: A Langston Hughes Encyclopedia (Hardcover, 480 pages) – Greenwood, 2001. Language: English.

African-American author Langston Hughes was a leading figure of the Harlem Renaissance, and interest in his works increases daily. Though remembered primarily as a poet, Hughes was active in almost every genre imaginable. He wrote newspaper articles and short stories, contributed to drama and musical theater, and penned lyrics for the blues and popular songs. He also collaborated with some of the most gifted individuals of his time, including Zora Neale Hurston, Arna Bontemps, Kurt Weill, and Elmer Rice. Through hundreds of alphabetically arranged entries, this encyclopedia provides comprehensive coverage of his life and writings.Although Hughes was remarkably versatile, poetry is indisputably the core of his achievement. Thus, this book includes separate entries for each of his more than 850 published poems and for collections of his poetry. His short stories and songs are also covered in detail. The encyclopedia additionally provides entries for numerous topics related to his life and writings, including Marxism, McCarthyism, Modernism, Jazz, and Religion, and for the many individuals who were associated with his literary career. Most of the entries close with brief bibliographies, and the volume closes with a list of works for further reading.

Editorial Reviews Review ?Fascinating and ambitious....A carefully prepared, invaluable aid, highly recommended for students or researchers studying Hughes or American and African American poetry, literature, and literary movements. Thoroughly enjoyable reading.?-Choice

?Given the attention to factual and critical detail and the broad sweep of this compendium, it is difficult to conceive that any topic germane to a meaningful understanding of Hughes could be lacking from this impressive resource. This book is recommended for all humanities collections.?-ARBA online

"Fascinating and ambitious....A carefully prepared, invaluable aid, highly recommended for students or researchers studying Hughes or American and African American poetry, literature, and literary movements. Thoroughly enjoyable reading."-Choice

"Given the attention to factual and critical detail and the broad sweep of this compendium, it is difficult to conceive that any topic germane to a meaningful understanding of Hughes could be lacking from this impressive resource. This book is recommended for all humanities collections."-ARBA online About the Author Hans A. Ostrom is Professor of English and African American studies at the University of Puget Sound, USA. His teaching and research interests focus on African American literature, creative writing, and detective fiction. Ostrom is the author of several books, including Langston Hughes: A Study of the Short Fiction (1993) and A Langston Hughes Encyclopedia (2001). He is co-editor of The Greenwood Encyclopedia of African American Literature (2005).