A fabulous, lengthy collection

This collection contains a whopping 850+ poems by Langston Hughes, the "poet laureate of Harlem". The poems span Hughes' lifetime, and contain such famous works as "The Negro Speaks of Rivers" and "I, Too" alongside lesser-known poems, 300 of which have never been published before. Reading these poems, it is no wonder that Hughes continues to be revered and taught in colleges across America: his works are a scathing social commentary peppered with optimism.

There is a short but full timeline of Hughes' life as a preface to the book, which is helpful to a student reading Hughes for the first time.