Comments on things mean a lot: Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston...

J.T. Oldfield: Until a week ago it was one of thos...

2009-08-22T15:25:20.738+01:00

J.T. Oldfield: Until a week ago it was one of those for me too :P

Rebecca: Thanks! I hope you enjoy it too.

Alice: It really seems to be much more well-known in the US than in the rest of the world.

Rebecca: You know, I think it'd actually work even better read aloud!

Joanna, I think so too :)

JoAnn: I would love to try an audio version of this sometime. As I was telling Rebecca, I bet it works really well.

Jena: I'm really looking forward to reading Danticat. How nice that you got to meet her! And reading classics for a class can be a double-edged sword. Sometimes it makes you appreciate them more, but other times...

Zibilee: You're welcome! I hope you enjoy it :)

Naida: How was the film? I have trouble imagining this story working as anything other than a book, since the writing is such a big part of what makes it so good.

Jeanne: Yes, I absolutely agree!

Teddy Rose: I hope you enjoy it as much as I did :)

Matt: I read a few sentences aloud too early in the book, and it definitely helped. And yes - I just loved Janie's courage.

Vivienne: I'm so looking forward to reading that! And I love the Virago site - so full of useful info and resources.

This sounds like a book I would love. I had never...

2009-08-22T12:20:51.198+01:00

This sounds like a book I would love. I had never heard of Ebonics before. Thanks to the link to Virago reading guides, I have just read Enchanted April by Elizabeth Von Armin and wanted to read more about her and there she was on Virago.

Their Eyes Were Watching God is one of my favorite...

2009-08-22T05:48:23.826+01:00

Their Eyes Were Watching God is one of my favorite books in American literature. Janie Crawford is so courageous to pursue her way of life regardless of the gossips and disapproval from her own people. Unlike many of the classics, this is a woman's struggle against her own community and people. The ebonics seems a bit challenging but I found reading it out loud really helps!

Wonderful review! This one had been on myu TBR fo...

2009-08-20T21:51:47.867+01:00

Wonderful review! This one had been on myu TBR for a very long time!

The quotation about Joe and the spirit of the marr...

2009-08-20T03:39:59.775+01:00

The quotation about Joe and the spirit of the marriage moving from the bedroom to the parlor captures something I love about this novel--it's funny, in a wry way.

I've been meaning to read this one. I watched ...

2009-08-20T00:50:12.452+01:00

I've been meaning to read this one. I watched the film a while ago.
Great quotes!
http://thebookworm07.blogspot.com/

I have been meaning to read this book after hearin...

2009-08-20T00:26:51.095+01:00

I have been meaning to read this book after hearing so many positive things about it. I liked your review because it really fleshed out some of the difficulties and beauties of the story. I am putting this on my wish list. Thanks for your insight.

I liked this book when I read it, but I got the fe...

2009-08-19T20:55:49.453+01:00

I liked this book when I read it, but I got the feeling I'd like it more after a second, not-for-class reading.

Also, I think you'll love Edwidge Danticat. I read Breath, Eyes, Memory in college and got to meet her in grad school--she's very nice, intelligent, confident, and quiet--so I've got a signed copy of The Dew Breakers I've been looking forward to forever (I really have to stop requesting ARCs).

I was a little nervous about the language, too, so...

2009-08-19T17:39:19.195+01:00

I was a little nervous about the language, too, so I ended up listening to the audiobook read by Ruby Dee. She did an excellent job and I loved the book!

I loved the historical aspect of this book, as wel...

2009-08-19T15:46:11.975+01:00

I loved the historical aspect of this book, as well as the women's perspective. It definitely deserved to be on the classics list!

I feel I cheated myself: I listened to the audiobo...

2009-08-19T13:02:47.993+01:00

I feel I cheated myself: I listened to the audiobook a few years ago. But that means I didn't experience reading the dialect speech. I should revisit it in print.

This is the first time I come across the book...

2009-08-19T11:36:58.179+01:00

This is the first time I come across the book...

I keep meaning to read this book, but haven't ...

2009-08-19T04:53:02.349+01:00

I keep meaning to read this book, but haven't yet. I am glad to see you enjoyed it. Great review!

This is one of those classics that I keep meaning ...

2009-08-19T00:51:52.769+01:00

This is one of those classics that I keep meaning to read...

Trish: I really did! ds: I hope you get to it soo...

2009-08-19T00:48:58.273+01:00

Trish: I really did!

ds: I hope you get to it soon, as I think you'd enjoy it a lot!

Valentina: It does seem to be much more well-known in American than it is in Europe. I can't remember when I first heard of it, but it might have been thanks to blogging too.

Melody: lol, sorry :P

Suko, I hope you enjoy it just as much the second time around :)

Carol and Wendy: That must have been great! I'd love to have discussed this in class. I bet it'd make me appreciate it even more.

Sam: It flows really well, so don't worry!

Elizabeth: I hope you enjoy it!

Jenny: I read about that - so unfair. She really is wonderful.

Steph: Thank you so much!

Amy: I really loved the scene that explains the title, and I think you will too!

Claire: In the end I didn't resent him either, but for a moment there I was deeply disappointed :P But like I said, it never made me think less of Janie herself.

leaningtowardthesun: I knew about Alice Walker, but not about bell hooks - I'll definitely look for that piece. Thank you!

Violet, I look forward to hearing what you think!

Marie: Now I know why it's so widely loved!

Like a bunch of your commenters, I loved this book...

2009-08-18T20:38:58.809+01:00

Like a bunch of your commenters, I loved this book. LOVED it. Would go grab it off the shelf right now if i were home! thanks!

I have this book in my TBR, so I skimmed your revi...

2009-08-18T18:21:59.841+01:00

I have this book in my TBR, so I skimmed your review, but I'm definitely looking forward to reading it and coming back to your review :)

I am coming in late to this conversation and am ex...

2009-08-18T15:46:43.309+01:00

I am coming in late to this conversation and am excited to see that this book still moves people years after Ms. Hurston wrote it. It is a very moving tale with many complex layers. One in particular that was touched on here is the response by feminists. Within the past few years feminism has taken a second look at Hurston's work. Alice Walker writes about Zora and has devoted time to exploring her work and reviving her memory. bell hooks wrote a wonderful piece called zora neale hurston: a subversive reading about Their Eyes. It is in her book remembered rapture: the writer at work.
The wonderful thing about their Eyes Were Watching God is that it can be interpreted from so many different angles.

Ana.. I can understand why you would feel that way...

2009-08-18T09:37:08.658+01:00

Ana.. I can understand why you would feel that way about Teacake. Having read this just over a week ago, it's still fresh in my mind. I think I'm very forgiving, as I didn't really resent him for it. I was thinking in terms of the times (when it happened, it was much more an acceptable act then). Not now! :D

I have often thought of reading this, but just hav...

2009-08-18T08:32:44.583+01:00

I have often thought of reading this, but just haven't made the time. I must. I also really like the title, it's completely unforgettable.

I am loving your reviews -- you have a wonderful g...

2009-08-18T03:26:25.765+01:00

I am loving your reviews -- you have a wonderful gift with words. :-)

I absolutely love Zora Neale Hurston - and if memo...

2009-08-18T03:12:52.060+01:00

I absolutely love Zora Neale Hurston - and if memory serves, she died in poverty and was buried in an unmarked grave. I think she's just wonderful.

Wow. After reading your review and the comments, I...

2009-08-18T02:39:25.886+01:00

Wow. After reading your review and the comments, I really want to read this book! Thanks for whetting my interest.

I have this one sitting on my shelves just waiting...

2009-08-18T02:34:16.647+01:00

I have this one sitting on my shelves just waiting for me to pick it up. I was worried about the language flow for me but it sounds like this is one that I will enjoy. Great review!

I read this book for a women's literature clas...

2009-08-18T02:22:20.904+01:00

I read this book for a women's literature class in college and really liked it. I remember being really moved by the language. I am glad you enjoyed it, Nymeth. Your review brings back memories.