The Color Purple

LoveReading Says

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.

Head to our 'Black Lit Matters' list to find more must-read novels by black writers.

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About The Color Purple

THE ICONIC CLASSIC, WINNER OF THE PULITZER PRIZEONE OF THE BBC '100 NOVELS THAT SHAPED OUR WORLD''A lush celebration of all that it means to be a black female. I love that The Color Purple doesn't try to soften its blows but is also courageous enough to hold on to a wonderfully affirming faith in possibility, in forgiveness and kindness and hope' Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie'The Color Purple is my go-to comfort novel. Every single time I read this book, I walk away as a slightly better person than I was when I picked it up' Tayari Jones'I think that The Color Purple was the first book that made me think that I could try to be a writer - or that made me aware that a young black woman from the South could write about the South' Jesmyn Ward 'I got the book and read it, in one day, when it came out. And then I went back, the next day, and bought every copy they had' Oprah Winfrey A powerful cultural touchstone of modern American literature, The Color Purple depicts the lives of African American women in early twentieth-century rural Georgia. Separated as girls, sisters Celie and Nettie sustain their loyalty to and hope in each other across time, distance and silence through a series of letters spanning twenty years, first from Celie to God, then the sisters to each other despite the unknown.Abused repeatedly by the man she calls 'father', Celie has two children taken away from her and is trapped into an ugly marriage. But then she meets the glamorous Shug Avery, singer and magic-maker - a woman who has taken charge of her own destiny. And gradually Celie discovers the power and joy of her own spirit, freeing her from her past and reuniting her with those she loves.Beloved by generations of readers, The Color Purple broke the silence around domestic and sexual abuse, narrating the lives of women through their pain and struggle, companionship and growth, resilience and bravery. Deeply compassionate and beautifully imagined, Alice Walker's epic carries readers on a spirit-affirming journey towards redemption and love.'One of the most haunting books you could ever wish to read. It is stunning - moving, exciting and wonderful' Lenny Henry'The Color Purple needs no category other than the fact that it is superb' Rita Mae Brown'The great irony about The Color Purple is that it transcends colour. One of the greatest books of all time' Benjamin Zephaniah 'A unique blend of serenity and immediacy that makes your senses ache' Helen Dunmore'A genuinely mind-expanding book' Patrick Ness'Indelibly affecting... Alice Walker is a lavishly gifted writer' New York Times'One of the great books of our time' Essence Magazine'A work to stand beside literature of any time and place' San Francisco Chronicle

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