Langston Hughes was an American poet, novelist, playwright and social activist. He was a leader of the social and cultural phenomenon known as the Harlem Renaissance and was one of the leading lights of the African-American literary world in the 20th century.

"Not Without Laughter" is Hughes' first novel and it was an immediate sensation, earning Hughes a Harmon Gold Medal for literature. The story follows the life of James "Sandy" Rodgers, a young black man growing up in a small Kansas town who is slowly coming to terms with how his life's trajectory is not being determined by his own ambition, but by his race, his class and even his religious beliefs.

"Not Without Laughter" is presented here in its original and unabridged format.