We all grow up reading Langston Hughes' poetry, but I never even really thought about what else he might have written until I saw
Tambourines to Glory. This short novel criticizes the abuse of religion and faith, among other things, in underprivileged communities.
Essie and Laura survive in 1950s Harlem by mooching off of others, and they get it into their heads one day to start a church so they can rake in the dough. Essie actually provides the drive and passion for the idea by quickly deciding that she really does want to save those less fortunate than her and better life for all individuals in the community. Meanwhile Laura only wants two things--attention and more money.
As you can imagine, as their congregation grows, Hughes brings in a cast of strong, distinct characters--some unscrupulous, some genuine, some innocent, some devious. Evil and sin is magnified and becomes greater with time in characters who are "bad," while goodness and hard work find a home in human vessels that were previously vacant (more or less). No one is ever really "good"--I wonder if there's a message in there.
The style is typical Hughes--it's raw and real, the way conversation really happened, not some gentrified version--and the very real social, economic and religious issues brought up provide great intellectual backbone to the plot. A thought-provoking read.
~8/10~
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