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The Color Purple
(The Color Purple Collection #1)
by
Winner of the Pulitzer Prize and the National Book Award. Alice Walker's iconic modern classic is now a Penguin Book.
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 ...more
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 ...more
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Paperback, 304 pages
Published
December 10th 2019
by Penguin Books
(first published June 1st 1982)
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I give this book 5 stars to spite the myopic David Gilmours and the V.S. Naipauls of the world who think books written by women are irrelevant. I give this 5 stars to make up for the many 1/2/3 star ratings it may receive simply because of Alice Walker's forthright, honest portrayal of unpleasant truths that are often conveniently shoved under the carpet so as not to disturb the carefully preserved but brittle structure of dogma and century-old misconceptions.
And I award this 5 stars, symbolica ...more
And I award this 5 stars, symbolica ...more

I read The Colour Purple in my early teens, was traumatized by the graphic abuse portrayed, and vowed to never read it again. I was curious about why so many of my GR friends rated it so highly and was eventually convinced to give it another go.
Years after my first read, I still (of course) have the same visceral reaction to the abuse but that no longer blinds me from seeing the magnificence of Alice Walker’s storytelling, and how she brings her characters to life.
Celie is the protagonist of the ...more

Wow. I mean. Really. Wow.
You know how there are some books and their words wrap around you like a comforting blanket? Well...
This. Is. Not. One.
The Color Purple rips the clothes right off of your skin, leaving you bare and vulnerable. From the first freakin' moment opening the page. You are just THERE and you can't be anywhere else but THERE. Even when you're not.
Wow.
Have you seen the movie? I had. I thought I was prepared. Because the movie was devastating. I remember vividly being in the house ...more
You know how there are some books and their words wrap around you like a comforting blanket? Well...
This. Is. Not. One.
The Color Purple rips the clothes right off of your skin, leaving you bare and vulnerable. From the first freakin' moment opening the page. You are just THERE and you can't be anywhere else but THERE. Even when you're not.
Wow.
Have you seen the movie? I had. I thought I was prepared. Because the movie was devastating. I remember vividly being in the house ...more

"Who you think you is? he say. You can't curse nobody. Look at you. You black, you pore, you ugly, you a woman. Goddam, he say, you nothing at all."
And yet, she is one of the strongest characters I have ever met in literature. Long before women began speaking up about their different experiences in the #metoo movement, Alice Walker's Celie and her sisters resist the violence and power of the men around them and go on living through the pain and frustration, only to find life worth fighting for ...more
And yet, she is one of the strongest characters I have ever met in literature. Long before women began speaking up about their different experiences in the #metoo movement, Alice Walker's Celie and her sisters resist the violence and power of the men around them and go on living through the pain and frustration, only to find life worth fighting for ...more

The Color Purple is an absolute masterpiece about love and redemption. Shug, Celie, Sofia, and Nellie are some of the strongest women characters in American fiction. I am literally writing this with tears streaming down my cheeks.
There is so much to unpack here as Alice Walker deals holistically with the fate of African Americans from the perspective of Africa and the tribes who sold their kinsman to white slavers, the devastation of Africa by European colonizers particularly after WWI leading t ...more
There is so much to unpack here as Alice Walker deals holistically with the fate of African Americans from the perspective of Africa and the tribes who sold their kinsman to white slavers, the devastation of Africa by European colonizers particularly after WWI leading t ...more

The Color Purple, Alice Walker
The Color Purple is a 1982 epistolary novel, by American author Alice Walker, which won the 1983 Pulitzer Prize, for Fiction and the National Book Award for Fiction. It was later adapted into a film and musical of the same name.
Taking place mostly in rural Georgia, the story focuses on the life of African-American women, in the Southern United States, in the 1930's, addressing numerous issues including their exceedingly low position in American social culture.
Celi ...more
The Color Purple is a 1982 epistolary novel, by American author Alice Walker, which won the 1983 Pulitzer Prize, for Fiction and the National Book Award for Fiction. It was later adapted into a film and musical of the same name.
Taking place mostly in rural Georgia, the story focuses on the life of African-American women, in the Southern United States, in the 1930's, addressing numerous issues including their exceedingly low position in American social culture.
Celi ...more

Before I get into this review I should let you know that the ONLY thing I knew about The Color Purple is that it was a movie in the 80s. I knew nothing about the plot or subject matter – except for a few impressions of seeing Oprah and Whoopi in promotional stills or videos over the years. Also, I try to avoid reading book summaries unless absolutely necessary as I feel they often give too much away. I felt it was important to say this because as I have posted statuses and comments while I was r
...more

Gotta tell you, I don't really know what to say.
They say there's a first time for everything but I, as a member of the never shuts up community, doubted this day would ever come.
So I will keep this quick!
Lately I've had a hard time feeling books - as in actually have them impact me emotionally - so I've read increasingly crazy lit fic to attempt to undo it.
This just shattered all of that and fixed it no problem. I teared up.
I'm not ashamed, even if this wrecks my badass image. This book is emot ...more
They say there's a first time for everything but I, as a member of the never shuts up community, doubted this day would ever come.
So I will keep this quick!
Lately I've had a hard time feeling books - as in actually have them impact me emotionally - so I've read increasingly crazy lit fic to attempt to undo it.
This just shattered all of that and fixed it no problem. I teared up.
I'm not ashamed, even if this wrecks my badass image. This book is emot ...more

Sep 09, 2019
Virginia Ronan ♥ Herondale ♥
rated it
really liked it
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
fiction
”You got to fight. But I don’t know how to fight. All I know how to do is stay alive.”
When I think about “The Color Purple” the first few words that pop into my mind are: classic, banned and touchy subjects. I’m pretty sure I’m not alone with that. I mean it’s a book every reader heard about. Some of us had to read it in school, others saw the movie, and still others only knew that it’s one of those highly controversial books. I belonged to the latter category and even though I read a few review ...more
When I think about “The Color Purple” the first few words that pop into my mind are: classic, banned and touchy subjects. I’m pretty sure I’m not alone with that. I mean it’s a book every reader heard about. Some of us had to read it in school, others saw the movie, and still others only knew that it’s one of those highly controversial books. I belonged to the latter category and even though I read a few review ...more

I'm in awe of the magnificent depths within "The Color Purple." Would rather debunk Great American Novel contenders such as Great Gatsby, On the Road, or Huckleberry Finn with this Definitive American classic novel. The steel-strong bonds of family, the global importance of friendship, and the ever-mystical soul-defining actions of sisterhood are all immortal themes that are drawn in lush exquisite, sometimes brutal, hues (the purple of a field of violets, the purple of a deepening bruise). In t
...more

“I think it pisses God off if you walk by the color purple in a field somewhere and don't notice it.”
4.5/5 stars
The colour purple was devastating from page one. I started reading this without knowing much about it. I knew it had a POC main character, heard that it was about women's rights and about abuse. I heard it was a great book. But I still did not expect this.
The main character's life is miserable. I still don't understand how she made it through to a certain point, because if it were me i ...more
4.5/5 stars
The colour purple was devastating from page one. I started reading this without knowing much about it. I knew it had a POC main character, heard that it was about women's rights and about abuse. I heard it was a great book. But I still did not expect this.
The main character's life is miserable. I still don't understand how she made it through to a certain point, because if it were me i ...more

This book physically and mentally hit me. Like real hard. Some parts made me real uncomfortable but these things happened (even if it's fiction). I wish life wasn't so difficult for these women. So many sensitive, heavy issues are being discussed in this one. And I simply don't know from where to start.
The first page itself gave me a huge jolt. I just couldn't know how to continue reading the book. (I get really uncomfortable with rape scenes.) And yes, this book has some graphic contents of abu ...more
The first page itself gave me a huge jolt. I just couldn't know how to continue reading the book. (I get really uncomfortable with rape scenes.) And yes, this book has some graphic contents of abu ...more

Dec 29, 2011
Debra (moving into new home today)
rated it
it was amazing
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
favorite-books
A Masterpiece!
“I think it pisses God off if you walk by the color purple in a field somewhere and don't notice it.”
― Alice Walker, The Color Purple
From the time I first read this book (I have read this many times), it has been a favorite. Walker has brought to life the story of two sisters: one a missionary in Africa and one a young abuse wife living in the south. Even though there is distance between them, there is great love, great devotion and great compassion. This book spans years as we se ...more
“I think it pisses God off if you walk by the color purple in a field somewhere and don't notice it.”
― Alice Walker, The Color Purple
From the time I first read this book (I have read this many times), it has been a favorite. Walker has brought to life the story of two sisters: one a missionary in Africa and one a young abuse wife living in the south. Even though there is distance between them, there is great love, great devotion and great compassion. This book spans years as we se ...more

If I could give this novel all the stars in the world, I would. Truly transformative literature.

“I believe God is everything, say Shug. Everything that is or ever will be. And when you can feel that, and be happy to feel that, you’ve found him.”
The Color Purple is a powerful book with an amazing cast of strong female characters, but in my opinion, it was 100 pages too short. I can certainly see how this book made such an impact by its discussion of (painful) topics and its feminist messages, but it was mainly the second half that brought this book down to its 3 star-rating.
The first half ...more
The Color Purple is a powerful book with an amazing cast of strong female characters, but in my opinion, it was 100 pages too short. I can certainly see how this book made such an impact by its discussion of (painful) topics and its feminist messages, but it was mainly the second half that brought this book down to its 3 star-rating.
The first half ...more

"Everything want to be loved. Us sing and dance and holler, just trying to be loved."
... irrespective of color, race, language, and appearance, everything wants to be loved. World will be a better place if just understand this one thing but sigh we all want something that we are not ready to give others. ...more
... irrespective of color, race, language, and appearance, everything wants to be loved. World will be a better place if just understand this one thing but sigh we all want something that we are not ready to give others. ...more

May 10, 2018
Maxwell
rated it
really liked it
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
classics,
black-authors
This was fantastic. I am so glad I finally read it after having known about it for so long and never having been assigned it in school. It’s beautifully written. Celie’a voice is so strong and all of the characters are well developed. I especially loved Shug and Sofia. And now I’ve got to see the film.

Wow such an amazing book! Although many parts were so difficult to read, so heart breaking, its a story that sticks with you. I loved when the story expanded to include Nettie's life as a missionary. Celie's courage to endure all the hardships and losses, including the hardest loss of her sister, makes many of today's problems seem so insignificant to me. This is truly a remarkable book that I highly recommend!
...more

Despite finishing this over a week ago, I have staved off from writing a review as I feel anything I could write would not do the sublime elegance and exquisiteness of this book justice. The characters and their emotions are displayed in a raw and unapologetic way, their stories are dynamic and compelling, their plights are austere and penetrating, and the writing is evocative and exalted. I urge anyone and everyone to read this hard-hitting, powerful and corporeal book as it has such an importa
...more

Jan 22, 2019
Jo (The Book Geek)
rated it
did not like it
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
to-throw-from-a-high-building
I feel like a bit of grinch for not liking this book, but, it is what it is, and I'm obviously not going to hold back. I really don't know what exactly I was expecting, but it definitely wasn't this. I'll start with the format. I took an immediate dislike to the letter style format of this book. The dialect was flat, and I noticed that became increasingly so, as the book went on.
Regardless of the fact that as the story developed, it moved on to letters between the characters instead. I do think ...more
Regardless of the fact that as the story developed, it moved on to letters between the characters instead. I do think ...more

Nov 24, 2021
leynes
rated it
really liked it
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
black-writers,
to-review
“I think it pisses God off if you walk by the color purple in a field somewhere and don't notice it.”
Holy cow. Read this in a day. What a journey! ...more
Holy cow. Read this in a day. What a journey! ...more

4.5****
Everything want to be loved. Us sing and dance and holler, just trying to be loved.
This was a beautiful book. In this book we view life through the eyes of Celie who at first is told and sees herself as nothing but illiterate, ugly and poor, with nothing but her love for her sister and her joy of education to get her through the beginning of her life.
Through the book we watch as Celie addresses letters to God and her sister Nettie, which offers Celie some hope as she details her struggle ...more
Everything want to be loved. Us sing and dance and holler, just trying to be loved.
This was a beautiful book. In this book we view life through the eyes of Celie who at first is told and sees herself as nothing but illiterate, ugly and poor, with nothing but her love for her sister and her joy of education to get her through the beginning of her life.
Through the book we watch as Celie addresses letters to God and her sister Nettie, which offers Celie some hope as she details her struggle ...more

I'm glad I got to this before my school curriculum did, cause all I would've had instead of Celie and Shug and Nettie was Miss Eleanor Jane prancing in front of the classroom at 70 to 80 years old, full of pity and the hell of good intentions that hasn't rendered the speaking of the N word despicable to her despite all proof of the contrary. Sure, I'm glad the prof didn't shaft this woman of color writer like she had with others near the beginning, but I have to wonder about those students for w
...more

What an incredible experience this is. It's such a hard book about persecution and yet it's also about redemption. The book starts off in the darkest of places and the light is shed more and more as the story goes on. This story is about the tough side of the human condition.
One of my favorite lines is and I paraphrase, "I may be ugly, I may be nothing but a woman, I may even be a bad cook, but I'm here. I'm here." You can feel the freedom in those words. This book is about the freedom of the s ...more
One of my favorite lines is and I paraphrase, "I may be ugly, I may be nothing but a woman, I may even be a bad cook, but I'm here. I'm here." You can feel the freedom in those words. This book is about the freedom of the s ...more

The language was harsh at first but once the flow arrived it was swift. Hardships were told in stride and empathy makes the reader want good things to happen to a few of the characters. And then, good things happen to them but they still aren't happy but they now seem content. This book was fun to read with surprisingly happy nuances described during tragic conditions.
...more

The Color Purple wasn’t bad and I understand its significance especially at the time it was published. However, I did not feel much and I felt indifferent towards the characters except maybe Nettie. The writing style certainly affected my experience, at first at least. I'm not an English native speaker and reading the heavily accented words was a bit challenging at first. It got better once I was used to it. It doesn’t mean this is not a good book by any means, I get why it’s beloved by many and
...more

"There is a way that the men speak to women that reminds me too much of Pa. They listen just long enough to issue instructions. They don't even look at women when women are speaking. They look at the ground and bend their heads toward the ground. The women also do not "look in a man's face" as they say. To "look in a man's face" is a brazen thing to do. They look instead at his feet or his knees. And what can I say to this?"
What a sad and splendid book. The Color Purple tells the tale of 20 year ...more
What a sad and splendid book. The Color Purple tells the tale of 20 year ...more

“I think it pisses God off if you walk by the color purple in a field somewhere and don't notice it.“
The Color Purple has an abundance of strong, inspiring and unforgettable female characters. Each woman has their own unique story, but they are all linked by the different forms of abuse, prejudice or oppression that they have suffered.
Our protagonist Celie writes letters to God and her sister Nellie, telling her story as well as the stories of those around her. The overarching theme of sisterhoo ...more
The Color Purple has an abundance of strong, inspiring and unforgettable female characters. Each woman has their own unique story, but they are all linked by the different forms of abuse, prejudice or oppression that they have suffered.
Our protagonist Celie writes letters to God and her sister Nellie, telling her story as well as the stories of those around her. The overarching theme of sisterhoo ...more

Jul 13, 2007
Russ
rated it
really liked it
·
review of another edition
Recommends it for:
Women, students, anyone who is not prudish
I first read this in high school, and really enjoyed it. I re-read it in 2007, and enjoyed it just as much the second time.
First thing I should mention: This is not the book for you if you object to blunt language about sexuality, and strong language in general. The themes in this one are very real, and very shocking. However, if you can get past that, the story does offer some very touching moments.
The story, in a nutshell: Celie, a poor black girl living in Georgia, overcomes poverty, sexual o ...more
First thing I should mention: This is not the book for you if you object to blunt language about sexuality, and strong language in general. The themes in this one are very real, and very shocking. However, if you can get past that, the story does offer some very touching moments.
The story, in a nutshell: Celie, a poor black girl living in Georgia, overcomes poverty, sexual o ...more
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Alice Walker, one of the United States’ preeminent writers, is an award-winning author of novels, stories, essays, and poetry. In 1983, Walker became the first African-American woman to win a Pulitzer Prize for fiction with her novel The Color Purple, which also won the National Book Award. Her other books include The Third Life of Grange Copeland, Meridian, The Temple of My Familiar, and Possessi
...more
Other books in the series
The Color Purple Collection
(3 books)
Articles featuring this book
This is a fun one: For the collection below, we decided to take a long-arc overview and try to identify the most popular books published over...
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28 trivia questions
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More quizzes & trivia...
6 quizzes
“I think it pisses God off if you walk by the color purple in a field somewhere and don't notice it.”
—
1817 likes
“I think it pisses God off if you walk by the color purple in a field somewhere and don't notice it. People think pleasing God is all God cares about. But any fool living in the world can see it always trying to please us back.”
—
670 likes
More quotes…