Reviews

Nearly 60 years after its publication during the Harlem Renaissance and about 20 years since Alice Walker reclaimed it, Hurston's lost classic comes alive in this audio production. In depicting one of the first strong black women of 20th-century literature, Hurston's story of Janie Crawford pulls the listener into a timeless world of love, struggle, and self-exploration. Janie's quest for both love and fulfillment may be more powerful for modern audiences than its original readership; indeed, the novel was widely denounced by Hurston's male contemporaries and critics. Reader Michele-Denise Woods capably narrates the story. The novel has served as inspiration for a host of current writers, including Walker and Gloria Naylor. Highly recommended.-Joyce Kessel, Villa Maria Coll., Buffalo, N.Y.