The Color Purple

Celie, a poor black woman, struggles to find her voice in letters written to God. The recipient of the 1999 Pulitzer Prize and the National Book Award, this novel has become a Broadway show and a cultural phenomenon. In an attempt to transcend a life that often seems too much to bear, Celie begins writing letters directly to God. The letters, spanning twenty years and addressed simply “Dear God,” record her journey from childhood innocence through hardship and pain toward inner peace and spiritual awakening. She meets Shug Avery, her husband’s mistress and a jazz singer with a zest for life; her stepson’s wife Sophia; and Nathan Jr. , Celie’s own son, who teaches her how to stand up for herself as his father builds him up for failure–all along showing readers just how much strength one person can have. This breathtakingly beautiful story will inspire anyone who has ever struggled against the odds or been told they weren’t good enough.