The Color Purple by Alice Walker

'The great irony about The Color Purple is that it transcends colour. To do that you have to be a magician or a genius... Not a word is wasted, every breath accounted for. We all know that this is one of the greatest books of all time.' - Benjamin Zephaniah

The classic, Pulitzer Prize-winning novel that made Alice Walker a household name.

Set in the deep American South between the wars, The Color Purple is the classic tale of Celie, a young black girl born into poverty and segregation.

Raped repeatedly by the man she calls 'father', she has two children taken away from her, is separated from her beloved sister Nettie 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. Gradually Celie discovers the power and joy of her own spirit, freeing her from her past and reuniting her with those she loves.

Our favourite quote: 'I think it pisses God off if you walk by the color purple in a field somewhere and don't notice it.'

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