The Colour Purple - Alice Walker

Introducing good reads number 2...  The Colour Purple, written by Alice Walker. 

What does the colour purple mean to you? Not the book, the colour?  

To Shug Avery 'It pisses God off if you walk by the colour purple in a field somewhere and don't notice it'. You don't have to be a believer to appreciate that do you. 

I first read The Colour Purple for my English Literature A level in 1995 and it's stuck with me since. Recently remade into a new film, it reminded me why it will always remain on my bookcase and why it's the second in our book club series.  

The Colour Purple is a story of faith, religion, sexuality, race, gender and equality that woke 17 year old me up, shaping the realisation that life wasn't the bubble that I was growing up in. 

The depth of the female characters and the dynamics of their relationships with themselves, the men in their lives and each other is central to a story built on not one specific and factual truth, but many truths of lives lived during that period.  

Celie's strength and growth, Nettie's faith, Sofia's fierce, Shug's performance of Miss Celie's Blues (that inspired hours of singing in the bath  "So let me tell you somethin'- sister, Remember your name". I remember it all. 

So it's my turn to reread this ,and although it wasn't a book on Lottie's radar, like it wasn't mine at age 17, she picked up the book  and joined me for it : ) 

It may be an oldie, but by eck it’s a goodie.  

- Dom  

Available (most likely) in your local independent bookshop and as an audio book (we use Audible and it is available on there but is probably available on other platforms too)

Alice Walker