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The Weary Blues Hardcover – Deckle Edge, February 10, 2015

4.6 4.6 out of 5 stars 963 ratings

This celebratory edition of the classic poetry collection reminds us of Hughes's stunning achievement, speaking directly, intimately, and powerfully of Black experiences at a time when Black voices were newly being heard in American literature. With an introduction by poet Kevin Young.

Beginning with the opening “Proem” (prologue poem) Huges writes, “I am a Negro: / Black as the night is black, / Black like the depths of my Africa."

As the legendary Carl Van Vechten wrote in a brief introduction to the original 1926 edition, “His cabaret songs throb with the true jazz rhythm; his sea-pieces ache with a calm, melancholy lyricism; he cries bitterly from the heart of his race...Always, however, his stanzas are subjective, personal,” and, he concludes, they are the expression of “an essentially sensitive and subtly illusive nature.” That illusive nature darts among these early lines and begins to reveal itself, with precocious confidence and clarity.

In a new introduction to the work, the poet and editor Kevin Young suggests that Hughes, who was 24 at the time of the original publication, from this very first moment is “celebrating, critiquing, and completing the American dream,” and that he manages to take Walt Whitman’s American “I” and write himself into it.

We find here not only such classics as “The Negro Speaks of Rivers” and the great twentieth-century anthem that begins “I, too, sing America,” but also the poet’s shorter lyrics and fancies, which dream just as deeply. “Bring me all of your / Heart melodies,” the young Hughes offers, “That I may wrap them / In a blue cloud-cloth / Away from the too-rough fingers / Of the world.”
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Editorial Reviews

Review

“Langston Hughes is a titanic figure in 20th-century American literature . . . a powerful interpreter of the American experience.” —The Philadelphia Inquirer

About the Author

LANGSTON HUGHES was born in Joplin, Missouri, in 1902. After graduation from high school, he spent a year in Mexico with his father, then a year studying at Columbia University. His first poem published in a nationally known magazine was “The Negro Speaks of Rivers,” which appeared in Crisis in 1921. In 1925, he was awarded the First Prize for Poetry from the magazine Opportunity for “The Weary Blues,” which gave its title to this, his first book of poems. Hughes received his B.A. from Lincoln University in Pennsylvania in 1929. In 1943, he was awarded an honorary Litt.D. by his alma mater; during his lifetime, he was also awarded a Guggenheim Fellowship (1935), a Rosenwald Fellowship (1940), and an American Academy of Arts and Letters Grant (1947). From 1926 until his death in 1967, Hughes devoted his time to writing and lecturing. He wrote poetry, short stories, autobiography, song lyrics, essays, humor, and plays. A cross section of his work was published in 1958 as The Langston Hughes Reader; a Selected Poems first appeared in 1959 and a Collected Poems in 1994. Today, his many works and his contribution to American letters continue to be cherished and celebrated around the world.

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Knopf; Revised ed. edition (February 10, 2015)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 128 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0385352972
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0385352970
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 2.31 pounds
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.4 x 0.6 x 7.8 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.6 4.6 out of 5 stars 963 ratings

About the author

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Langston Hughes
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James Mercer Langston Hughes (February 1, 1902 – May 22, 1967) was an American poet, social activist, novelist, playwright, and columnist from Joplin, Missouri.

He was one of the earliest innovators of the then-new literary art form called jazz poetry. Hughes is best known as a leader of the Harlem Renaissance. He famously wrote about the period that "the negro was in vogue", which was later paraphrased as "when Harlem was in vogue".

Bio from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Photo by Carl Van Vechten [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons.

Customer reviews

4.6 out of 5 stars
963 global ratings

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Customers say

Customers appreciate the poetry in this collection. They find the writing profound and inspiring, with a heartfelt content that is both beautiful and sad. The poems are described as a delightful alternative to high modernism. Readers praise the book for its historical accuracy and timeless tales about the Harlem Renaissance.

AI-generated from the text of customer reviews

40 customers mention "Poetry"40 positive0 negative

Customers enjoy the poetry. They find the writing rich and inspiring. The imagery is great, and the poems are best read aloud.

"His writing is so rich. Like a fine wine. One of the greatest poets in American history and so underrated." Read more

"I loved every word. So profound and insightful. I'm thankful I came across this wonderful book in my search...." Read more

"...Hughes argues that jazz is everywhere, encompassing the blues and rock and roll...." Read more

"...So much was heartfelt and sad but at the same time so beautiful! I want to know more about him, his personal story...." Read more

21 customers mention "Readability"21 positive0 negative

Customers find the book easy to read and enjoyable. They appreciate the inside look at the Harlem Renaissance. It's a worthwhile read that is interesting and reasonably brief.

"...So profound and insightful. I'm thankful I came across this wonderful book in my search. Every word hit my what in different ways...." Read more

"This book of poems was very interesting. I have never read poems like this before. I enjoyed it. Some were sad but they hit me in the heart." Read more

"...A truly great book that needs to be read and taught from junior high on." Read more

"This was quite a book. I'm probably not the intended audience, but you can really empathize with the emotions that Mr. Hughes attempts to convey...." Read more

12 customers mention "Heartfelt writing"12 positive0 negative

Customers find the writing profound and insightful. They describe the book as heartfelt, soul-quenching, and moving. The imagery of his time captures their imagination and makes them wonder and think.

"I loved every word. So profound and insightful. I'm thankful I came across this wonderful book in my search...." Read more

"I read a lot of these twice because they were so mesmerizing...." Read more

"...Moving and touching. I'm glad I found this little gem. I found it very inspiring." Read more

"...intro, difficult to parse and translate, but still a good lead-in to Hughes' life." Read more

8 customers mention "Beauty"8 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate the book's beauty and sadness. They find it a delightful alternative to high modernism and classy poetry.

"...Hughes captured the beauty and soul of Harlem, and his joys and torments of being Black bi-sexual man and human being." Read more

"...It is so stirring and beautiful. I really enjoyed reading the poems." Read more

"Beautiful and inspiring! As a creative writing teacher, I hope some of these poems will inspire some of my students!" Read more

"Add to your collection. Beautiful and wonderful" Read more

5 customers mention "Collection"5 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate the collection. They find it a wonderful and treasured Americana collection.

"...The Weary Blues by Langston Hughes for the first time, I really like this collection. I will definitely return to this again." Read more

"A lovely collection of some of Mr. Hughes’ works. I am looking forward to reading more of his poems. Superb writing." Read more

"...This was an excellent choice to do just that. I enjoyed this collection and his flowing words immensely." Read more

"One of America’s great treasures. So simple, and so deep. He does a lot with so few words. Read again and again." Read more

4 customers mention "Historical accuracy"4 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate the historical accuracy of the book. They find it timeless and a revisiting an old favorite.

"Loving the Harlem Renaissance as I do, Hughes is my all time favorite!! His characters are vividly in my mind long after reading!" Read more

"Revisiting an old favorite...." Read more

"Beautiful and timeless..." Read more

"Historical tales of old..." Read more

3 customers mention "Depth"3 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate the depth of the book. They find it simple yet profound, with a profound expose of the effects and psychological harm of racism in America. The poems are fascinating and inspiring.

"...There were some fascinating and inspiring poems. I highly recommend this collection." Read more

"One of America’s great treasures. So simple, and so deep. He does a lot with so few words. Read again and again." Read more

"Profoundly deep expose of the effects and psychological harm of racism in America...." Read more

3 customers mention "Heartfelt content"3 positive0 negative

Customers find the content heartfelt and beautiful.

"...So much was heartfelt and sad but at the same time so beautiful! I want to know more about him, his personal story...." Read more

"Stirring and heartbreaking..." Read more

"Beauty and sadness..." Read more

Top reviews from the United States

  • Reviewed in the United States on June 23, 2024
    His writing is so rich. Like a fine wine. One of the greatest poets in American history and so underrated.
  • Reviewed in the United States on February 1, 2023
    I loved every word. So profound and insightful. I'm thankful I came across this wonderful book in my search. Every word hit my what in different ways. Beautiful written and equally beautiful narration.
  • Reviewed in the United States on March 13, 2023
    This book of poems was very interesting. I have never read poems like this before. I enjoyed it. Some were sad but they hit me in the heart.
  • Reviewed in the United States on June 29, 2017
    Thump, thump, thump, went his foot on the floor. He played a few chords then he sang some more— “I got the Weary Blues And I can’t be satisfied. Got the Weary Blues And can’t be satisfied— I ain’t happy no mo’ And I wish that I had died.” And far into the night he crooned that tune. The stars went out and so did the moon. The singer stopped playing and went to bed While the Weary Blues echoed through his head. He slept like a rock or a man that’s dead.

    Hughes argues that jazz is everywhere, encompassing the blues and rock and roll. To those who would deny the connections between musical traditions, Hughes states, “Jazz is a great big sea. It washes up all kinds of fish and shells and spume and waves with a steady old beat, or off-beat.”
    Langston Hughes, “Jazz as Communication” from The Collected Works of Langston Hughes, published by University of Missouri Press, wrote more on this idea – “Now, to wind it all up, with you in the middle—jazz is only what you yourself get out of it. Louis’s famous quote—or misquote probably—“Lady, if you have to ask what it is, you’ll never know.” Well, I wouldn’t be so positive. The lady just might know—without being able to let loose the cry—to follow through—to light up before the fuse blows out. To me jazz is a montage of a dream deferred. A great big dream—yet to come—and always yet—to become ultimately and finally true.”

    Yes. This is it, precisely.
    11 people found this helpful
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  • Reviewed in the United States on February 4, 2023
    Over thirty years ago I read many of classic poems in college and shared them with my students, but I'm glad I finally read all the poems in one sitting. Hughes captured the beauty and soul of Harlem, and his joys and torments of being Black bi-sexual man and human being.
    One person found this helpful
    Report
  • Reviewed in the United States on February 17, 2023
    I had never heard of Langston Hughes but am so glad I read this. So much was heartfelt and sad but at the same time so beautiful! I want to know more about him, his personal story. I highly recommend this book of poetry to all. I could actually feel his emotions through his poetry. What a gift!!!!
    One person found this helpful
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  • Reviewed in the United States on February 6, 2024
    "Fantasy in Purple" is my new favorite poem. "Beat the drums of tragedy" indeed.

    Mr. Hughes had a true gift for short, breathtaking, luminous poetry. I devoured this collection and am in awe of the way he had with words. I will definitely be reading more of his work.
    One person found this helpful
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  • Reviewed in the United States on February 5, 2023
    I don’t typically read poetry because it’s not my particular cup of tea. I’m drawn more to fictional stories and some nonfiction as well; poetry just hasn’t resonated with me as much. However, I do have an appreciation for the author’s writing style and skill. The poems are not overly cryptic or ones that require an English degree to interpret. I would recommend this to anybody who is looking to read more poetry or is just getting started with poetry.
    2 people found this helpful
    Report

Top reviews from other countries

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  • John Mccutcheon
    5.0 out of 5 stars A great poet
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on November 19, 2024
    The lyric is brought to perfection in these deceptively, seemingly 'off the cuff' poems. There is a barely hidden dark underside to the best of them. His rhythmic 'flow' effortlessly carries the reader on.
  • Cliente Amazon
    1.0 out of 5 stars En malas condiciones
    Reviewed in Spain on June 30, 2020
    Muy decepcionadas por las condiciones en las que se encuentra el libro. Lo compré, me llegó con la solapa rozada y rota por todas las esquinas. Pedí reemplazo del producto y me volvió a llegar en las mismas condiciones. Es inaceptable que un libro nuevo llegue en estas condiciones, y no es l primera vez que me pasa... sinceramente estoy pensando en devolver de nuevo el libro, tiñen que plantearse la forma de almacenar y tratar los libros.
  • David W.
    5.0 out of 5 stars Five Stars
    Reviewed in Canada on May 8, 2015
    A delightful book reflecting earlier times.
  • Mr. Anthony John Clark
    5.0 out of 5 stars Jazz poetry at it's best.
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on January 14, 2024
    I wish I could write poetry like this.
    Maybe I will, but it could take a considerable amount of time.

    Excellent.
  • Martin
    5.0 out of 5 stars Short and easy to read
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on February 15, 2023
    These poems are short and easy to read yet they spoke to me in a way that poetry rarely does.