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The Color Purple
The Color Purple
Author: Alice Walker
Celie is a poor black woman whose letters tell the story of 20 years of her life, beginning at age 14 when she is being abused and raped by her father and attempting to protect her sister from the same fate, and continuing over the course of her marriage to "Mister," a brutal man who terrorizes her. Celie eventually learns that her abusive husba...  more »
ISBN-13: 9780671458539
ISBN-10: 0671458531
Rating:
  • Currently 4.1/5 Stars.
 74

4.1 stars, based on 74 ratings
Publisher: Simon Schuster Trade
Book Type: Paperback
Other Versions: Hardcover, Audio CD
Members Wishing: 0
Reviews: Member | Amazon | Write a Review

Top Member Book Reviews

perryfran avatar reviewed The Color Purple on + 1167 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 3
I have been meaning to read this book for years ever since seeing the movie when it first came out in the 1980s. I'm glad I finally got to read it and now I would like to see the movie again to see how it compares. The book is excellent filled with honesty and heart-wrenching poignancy. The story of Celie through a childhood filled with incest and abuse to her growth into adulthood is beautifully written. The novel includes correspondence with Celie's sister Nettie who traveled to Africa as a missionary. I don't remember this being a focus of the movie but it's essential to the story. Overall, a brilliant work delving into the lives of some memorable African Americans.
Patouie avatar reviewed The Color Purple on + 131 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 3
This book is one of the greats, with characters delineated so clearly that they will live on in your heart. Don't pick it up if you are looking for a light read. Walker deals with some painful issues: abandonment, abuse, self-loathing. But she deals just as honestly with courage and redemption.
nymphadora avatar reviewed The Color Purple on + 95 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 3
A beautiful story to be read with kleenex in hand. How wonderful and powerful. As much as I loved the movie, it really did not capture how much is in this book.
xserafinx avatar reviewed The Color Purple on + 78 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 3
"Alice Walker's novel "The Color Purple" has had an interesting "life," as far as books go. It's been the subject of controversy over her portrayal of black men and her use of black vernacular language; it's been adapted by director Steven Spielberg into a motion picture that's inspired its own controversy; it's had a whole other life as a text used in college courses. But, so many years after its original publication, and after all of the accolades and debates, "The Color Purple" still holds its own as a compelling piece of fiction.

"The Color Purple" is written in the form of letters. It opens with a letter to God from Celie, a rural African-American girl who, as she reveals on the first page, is a victim of sexual abuse. As Celie grows into womanhood, Walker paints a fascinating portrait of the community of people who make up Celie's world.

"The Color Purple" is, ultimately, about liberation and redemption. Those who believe that this book attacks black men are wrong. This book attacks violence and abuse, and celebrates those--whether victim or victimizer--who are able to break the cycle of abuse and truly grow as human beings. This novel is bold in its exploration of sexuality--in particular, lesbian sexuality--as a potentially liberating force. And Walker also explores the possibility of an alternative spirituality and alternative family structures to heal those who have been damaged by the racist, sexist paradigms of United States society.

"The Color Purple" is also about the power of writing. In her long career, Alice Walker has distinguished herself as a writer of poetry, essays, short fiction, and novels. "The Color Purple" is among the best of her many fine literary achievements, and this novel continues to have a vibrant life of its own."
- Michael J. Mazza
reviewed The Color Purple on + 209 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 2
Winner of the Pulitzer Prize and the American Book Award for Fiction
A wonderful, soul affirming book!
Read All 82 Book Reviews of "The Color Purple"

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dramaticgal avatar reviewed The Color Purple on + 3 more book reviews
This is by far one of my favorite books. Celie goes through so much in her life time and this book brings me to tears everytime i read it.
reviewed The Color Purple on + 25 more book reviews
the book is way better than the movie...
I loved it and you will too!
reviewed The Color Purple on + 7 more book reviews
A classic.
ElleS avatar reviewed The Color Purple on + 112 more book reviews
Great story with a great ending! Get a tissue handy!
reviewed The Color Purple on + 5 more book reviews
A must read. Love, friendship, racial borders. A truly beautiful, haunting story.
reviewed The Color Purple on + 4 more book reviews
good story
reviewed The Color Purple on + 6 more book reviews
Beautifully written and engaging to read
reviewed The Color Purple on + 80 more book reviews
One of my all time favorite books!
reviewed The Color Purple on + 4 more book reviews
A great book. Sure to become a classic.
glam-ma avatar reviewed The Color Purple on
Loved the movie, the book is a little different but it was nice to be able to envision Whoopie, Oprah and Dan in their roles.
reviewed The Color Purple on + 5 more book reviews
Touching and full of the human element.
reviewed The Color Purple on + 33 more book reviews
An award winning book, a movie, a Broadway play. THis about says it all.
reviewed The Color Purple on
This is literally my favorite book ever. It's so emotionally touching and well written. I will always recommend it.
reviewed The Color Purple on + 6 more book reviews
What an awesome book! A slice of reality but with a large dose of HOPE. A wonderful read that you won't be able to put down. You'll want to see the movie (Oprah stars in it) after you read the book.
shanna71 avatar reviewed The Color Purple on + 145 more book reviews
I loved this book. It was so much better than the movie. I believe most books are better than the movies. A story of an abused African American woman back in 20's 30's southern America. She is brave , ugly, & gonna be somebody someday. Heartbreaking & funny, this is a very good book,.
reviewed The Color Purple on + 1434 more book reviews
Understand the life of Celie and how she survived with little. Her husband's lover helps her reach for more and she learned to laugh, to play and to love. This read helps one understand a life beyond that which most of us live. An excellent read.
reviewed The Color Purple on + 34 more book reviews
Excellent book, although is disturbing at times.
reviewed The Color Purple on + 2 more book reviews
I'm glad I read this book. I tried to watch the movie, but it just didn't hold my interest.

It was a good book :) But with all the "hype" I expected more character development. Now I know why the movie version didn't captivate me. Still, it's worth a read.
reviewed The Color Purple on
We read this book for our book club. I loved it all. Great and easy read.
reviewed The Color Purple on + 28 more book reviews
very touching and thoughtful. different from the movie. Honestly, I did like the movie better but the book is a must read
reviewed The Color Purple on + 2 more book reviews
I did not enjoy this book one bit. It was a drag to read: I really had to force myself to finish it in the hope that I would, at some point, become aware of what all the fuss was about. Never happened...
LaCygne avatar reviewed The Color Purple on + 14 more book reviews
Stunning. I could not put this book down, and ended up reading the entire thing in 6 hours over the course of two days.

This is especially noteworthy because I'd seen the movie a couple times and, while I thought it was fairly good, I didn't love it. Nonetheless, the book and movie can't even compare. The movie dropped several plot points, and increased the sappiness factor exponentially. The book, on the other hand, is moving without being at all sappy--rather it's filled with emotional truth and humor.

Walker is a masterful author. I'd encourage anyone (especially any woman) to read this.
reviewed The Color Purple on + 4 more book reviews
Incredibly touching journey; a sincerely written account of lives not often heard about. This book made me laugh, cry, and broaden my perspectives.
bran-flakes14 avatar reviewed The Color Purple on + 72 more book reviews
What can I say about Alice Walker's "The Color Purple" that has not yet already been said? This story is a moving, realistic portrayal of one black woman's quest to gain recognition, equality, and understanding amidst heartbreaking setbacks and obstacles, including sexual and physical abuse, all set in a disgustingly-segregated America. Atmospheric, emotional, spiritual, and moving, this novel (and the incredible movie version) are stories sinful to miss. Read it today!
reviewed The Color Purple on + 8 more book reviews
I really enjoyed this book. It was one of those that over the years I just never picked it up, but always wanted to. At first I thought it was going to be depressing, Celie being raped and beaten isn't a happy topic, but it really was a story of strength. By the end the characters, including Celie, show how they have grown into new, stronger people. It was a very inspiring story.


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