ONE WAY TICKET and others

One of black America’s most significant and original voices reads nineteen of his most beloved poems which explore the trials of the African-American experience. Hughes’s vocal quality, disarmingly easy and fluid, brings an honesty to the works which is to be treasured. His folksy, conversational approach lures one into opening one’s heart, yet once Hughes has entered, the text astounds. Perhaps the most notable quality the author brings to his texts is its innate blues rhythm. Equally illuminating is the extended commentary provided throughout. Far beyond establishing a backdrop for the poetry, the insights offered in these recollections and anecdotes gently offer an indispensable account of twentieth-century American history rarely examined. S.L.D. ©AudioFile, Portland, Maine [Published: SEPT 93]