purple flowers stemming from a house on a prairie

In Search of the Color Purple: The Story of an American Masterpiece (Books About Books)

by Salamishah Tillet Author, Gloria Steinem Foreword and Beverly Guy-Sheftall Afterword

In 1982, Alice Walker made history as the first Black woman to win the Pulitzer Prize and the National Book Award for The Color Purple. Despite its acclaim, the novel sparked debates on race, gender, language, and sexual violence that persist today.

Prominent academic and activist Salamishah Tillet combines cultural criticism, history, and memoir to examine Walker’s work and its enduring significance. Based on archival research and interviews with Walker, Oprah Winfrey, and Quincy Jones, this book is an ode and a insightful look into The Color Purple and its legacy.

(This book may contain a sharpie mark on the top or bottom edge and may show mild signs of shelfwear.)