The mule-bone :  a comedy of Negro life in three acts

audiobook

The mule-bone : a comedy of Negro life in three acts

by Langston Hughes, Zora Neale Hurston

EN·~1 hours

Chapters

Description

A bustling Saturday afternoon on the porch of a modest country store sets the stage, where the air hums with the crackle of chewing sugar‑cane, the clatter of cards, and the chatter of townsfolk. The community’s eclectic cast—boisterous mayor Joe Clark, quick‑tongued guitarist Jim Weston, the gentle dancer Dave Carter, and the flirtatious Daisy Taylor—populate the scene, each bringing their own swagger, prayers, and petty rivalries to the lively tableau. Their interactions, peppered with witty banter and playful insults, reveal a tight‑knit world where church, commerce, and gossip intertwine.

Through sharp dialogue and vivid stage directions, the play captures the rhythm of everyday life in a small Southern town, from the lamplight‑lit porch to the clamor of children’s games. The humor is rooted in character quirks and local color, offering listeners a warm, comedic glimpse into a community that laughs at its own foibles while confronting the subtle tensions of ambition, love, and social standing.

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Details

Language

en

Duration

~1 hours (96K characters)

Publisher of text edition

Project Gutenberg

Credits

Charlene Taylor and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team

Release date

2006-10-02

Rights

Public domain in the USA.

About the authors

Langston Hughes

Langston Hughes

1902–1967

A central voice of the Harlem Renaissance, this poet, novelist, playwright, and columnist brought jazz rhythms and everyday Black life into American literature with warmth, wit, and honesty. His work ranges from lyrical poems and sharp social commentary to stories and memoirs that still feel vivid today.

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Zora Neale Hurston

Zora Neale Hurston

1891–1960

A bold voice of the Harlem Renaissance, she brought Black Southern life to the page with warmth, humor, and a deep ear for spoken language. Her fiction and folklore writing helped preserve stories, traditions, and communities that American literature had long overlooked.

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