Volume 2 includes the booksShakespeare in Harlem(1942),Jim Crow's Last Stand(1943),Fields of Wonder(1947), andOne-Way Ticket(1949). Starting around 1940, Hughes turned away from radical socialism toward strong support for the national war effort; as a poet, he resumed his experimentation in the blues, asShakespeare in Harlembrilliantly demonstrates. With this change in political emphasis came a renewed commitment to the achievement of civil rights for blacks, whichJim Crow's Last Standvigorously asserts. In contrast,Fields of Wonderwas Hughes's only book devoted almost entirely to lyric verse; but the next volume,One-Way Ticket,restored the balance that was essential to his creative expression as a poet.
"Langston Hughes is a titanic figure in 20th-century American literature...a powerful interpreter of the American experience....His poems are as vital as ever."—Philadelphia Inquirer
"[Hughes's] poetry has a pulse, a beauty and familiar kindness....Much of it delights, even dazzles. His best work sticks with you—forever."—Cleveland Plain Dealer
About the Editor
Arnold Rampersadis Professor Emeritus of English at Stanford University in California. He is the author, coauthor, or editor of numerous publications, including
The Life of Langston Hughes, Jackie Robinson: A Biography,and, with Arthur Ashe,
Days of Grace: A Memoir.He is a 2010 recipient of the National Humanities Medal.
About the Author
Langston Hugheswas one of the most influential and prolific writers of the twentieth century.
![The Poems 1941-1950 (LH2) [Hardcover]](/itemImage/2/8/7/1/2_5239471.jpg "The Poems 1941-1950 (LH2) [Hardcover]")