Set in a small Kansas town, at the turn of the century, Not Without Laughter is a poignant story of an Africa-American boy’s coming of age, and the harsh and painful realities of life in segregated America. The story is told from the perspective of Sandy, a ten year old boy. Sandy grows up under the watchful eye of his grandmother, who tries to protect him from bad influences so he does not go astray. Sandy is an idealist, who has a voracious appetite for books. He dreams of using the power of words to change people. This is a story that weaves the magical qualities of humanity – pain, love, laughter.