Set in the deep American south between the wars, this is the classic tale of Celie, a young poor black girl. Raped repeatedly by her father, she loses two children and then is married off to a man who treats her no better than a slave. She is separated from her sister Nettie and dreams of becoming like the glamorous Shug Avery, a singer and rebellious black woman who has taken charge of her own destiny. Gradually Celie discovers the support of women that enables her to leave the past behind and begin a new life.
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| Primary Genre | Modern and Contemporary Fiction |
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ONE OF THE BBC'S 100 NOVELS THAT SHAPED OUR WORLD
WINNER OF THE PULITZER PRIZE AND THE NATIONAL BOOK AWARD
In rural Georgia, sisters Celie and Nettie share the pain and struggle of growing up as African American women. Forced into an abusive marriage, at least Celie can offer Nettie refuge from their violent father in her new home - until Nettie catches the attention of Celie's husband and is forced to leave and forge her own journey.
Through a series of letters spanning twenty years, the sisters sustain their hope in each other across time, distance and silence, in a triumph of resilience, bravery and ultimately, love.
'Indelibly affecting' New York Times
'A lush celebration of all that it means to be a Black female' Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
The Color Purple features in the following genres: Modern and Contemporary Fiction, Book Club Recommendations, Classic fiction: general and literary, eBooks of the Month, General Fiction, Sharing Diverse Voices, Fiction, Recommendations, LGBTQ+ Fiction
The Color Purple is available in Paperback, Hardback
The Color Purple was written by Alice Walker and published by Weidenfeld & Nicolson an imprint of Orion
The Color Purple has 261 pages
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