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Chelsey and Sara discuss Langston Hughes\\u2019s 1930 novel: Not Without Laughter,\\xa0 the story of a young boy coming of age in small-town Kansas with his matriarchal family. His mother Annjee works as a maid and cook for a wealthy white family, his grandmother Hager takes in laundry work, and his Aunt Harriet has big dreams of performing. His wandering father, Jimboy makes appearances as does his upper class Aunt Tempy. As a collective, these characters reveal varied philosophies and histories of the Black diasporic experience.\\xa0

We expected to enjoy Hughes\\u2019 use of language and imagery, but we did not anticipate the rich tapestry of history and themes explored in this\\xa0 short classic. We hope you take something away from this spoiler-free episode before, during, or after listening, whether you choose to pick up the book or one of our contemporary pairings. These pairings include complex families in fiction, sweeping historical accounts, and blues-y musings on the power of music.\\xa0

Are you ready for deeper reading in 2023? This spring we\\u2019re exploring the world of Classic Children\\u2019s Literature in your podcast feed and with our Patreon community. Together, we\\u2019re learning to be better, more critical and thorough readers of classic and contemporary literature. We love discussing books and reading with all of you and hope you\\u2019ll join our group of nerdy readers at patreon.com/novelpairings. Annual subscriptions are now available at a discounted price.\\xa0

Pairings Timestamp: 29:50

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Books Mentioned:

A Little Devil in America by Hanif Abdurraqib

The Warmth of Other Suns by Isabel Wilkerson

The Color of Compromise by Jemar Tisby

Perish by Latoya Watkins

Sweet, Soft, Plenty Rhythm by Laura Warrell

On Earth We\\u2019re Briefly Gorgeous by Ocean Vuong

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Links & Things Mentioned:

"Done Made Us Leave Our Home": Langston Hughes\'s Not without Laughter--Unifying Image and Three Dimensions - R. Baxter Miller (JSTOR)