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  • The Color Purple

  • By: Alice Walker
  • Narrated by: Samira Wiley
  • Length: 8 hrs and 7 mins
  • 4.8 out of 5 stars (17 ratings)

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The Color Purple

By: Alice Walker
Narrated by: Samira Wiley
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Publisher's Summary

Winner of the Pulitzer Prize and the National Book Award, this novel about a resilient and courageous woman has become a Broadway show and a cultural phenomenon.

A PBS Great American Read Top 100 Pick

Celie has grown up poor in rural Georgia, despised by the society around her and abused by her own family. She strives to protect her sister, Nettie, from a similar fate, and while Nettie escapes to a new life as a missionary in Africa, Celie is left behind without her best friend and confidante, married off to an older suitor, and sentenced to a life alone with a harsh and brutal husband.

In an attempt to transcend a life that often seems too much to bear, Celie begins writing letters directly to God. The letters, spanning 20 years, record a journey of self-discovery and empowerment guided by the light of a few strong women. She meets Shug Avery, her husband’s mistress and a jazz singer with a zest for life, and her stepson’s wife, Sofia, who challenges her to fight for independence. And though the many letters from Celie’s sister are hidden by her husband, Nettie’s unwavering support will prove to be the most breathtaking of all.

The Color Purple has sold more than five million copies, inspired an Academy Award-nominated film starring Oprah Winfrey and directed by Steven Spielberg, and been adapted into a Tony-nominated Broadway musical. Lauded as a literary masterpiece, this is the ground-breaking novel that placed Walker “in the company of Faulkner” (The Nation), and remains a wrenching - yet intensely uplifting - experience for new generations of listeners.

©1982 Alice Walker (P)2020 Audible, Inc.

What listeners say about The Color Purple

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Truly Amazing!!!

Samira Wiley’s narration of this great American classic was truly a gem to listen to. Her ability to capture and embody each and every character, through her resonating performance brought Walker’s novel to life.

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Fantastic

What a great story! Brilliant voice acting and a touching and beautiful listen, highly recommended

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