(B) The Ways of White Folks (Langston Hughes, 1934) Grade: A
I came across this book at the library and thought the title was funny. This is a great collection of short stories, and I definitely plan to read more of Hughes’ works. It’s also interesting to read this and think back to blacks’ struggles in light of Obama now running for president. My favorite stories were “Little Dog,” about a lonely white woman who is attracted to her black janitor, and “Home,” about an accomplished black musician who is killed when he returns home to the South. But really, what this collection communicated to me was that racism is ugly in all forms.