Read this when
The Color Purple
Celie starts the book writing to God because nobody else will listen. She ends it with her own business and her whole family at the table. 💜 #TheColorPurple
Who it's for
Celie's early letters are flat and self-protective, and many survivors recognize that numbness immediately; seeing it written down without judgment is validating.
Feelings it meets
What it is
Alice Walker's 1982 epistolary novel is set in rural Georgia in the early 1900s and told mostly through letters. Celie, a poor African-American girl, writes to God after enduring abuse and is married off to a farmer she calls Mister, while her sister Nettie disappears.
Where to find it
In print; widely available from libraries (Libby/Hoopla) and as an audiobook. Not public domain in the US. Also the 1985 film and 2023 musical film.
Before you start
Heads up: Rape of a young teen and domestic abuse.
Age: Ages 16+
Slavery is terrible for men; but it is far more terrible for women.Harriet Jacobs, Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl
