Alice Walker stands as one of America's preeminent literary voices, weaving narratives that delve into the depths of the human experience with a distinctive style. Her work confronts pressing issues of injustice, inequality, and poverty, exploring the resilience of the human spirit through her characters. Walker's writing is characterized by its poetic sensibility, deep empathy, and an unwavering commitment to facing adversity. She has not only shaped American literature but has also actively engaged as an activist and public intellectual, championing social change.
"The Palestine Festival of Literature was established in 2008. Bringiong together writers from all corners of the globe, it aims to help Palestinians break the cultural siege imposed by the Isreali military occupation, to strengthen their artistic links with the the rest of the world."--Book flap
Set in the segregated world of America's Deep South, this work tells the story of Celie. Raped by the man she calls father and having had her two children taken from her, she meets Shug Avery - a glamorous singer and magic maker, and discovers the love and support of a woman.
Encompassing two generations and a rich blend of Chinese and American history, the story of four struggling, strong women also reveals their daughters' memories and feelings
Brimming over with the inspirational words and thoughts of some of our finest writers, Cries of the Spirit is a beautiful sourcebook of poetry and prose in praise of life and all that it entails. Here women's voices fill the age-old silence about matters central to their experience-from menstruation, sexual intimacy, and childbirth to caretaking, household rituals, and death. These writings represent a healing vision of the sacred that emerges from the particular consciousness of women-a vision that partakes of the world of earth and flesh.
From the author of THE COLOR PURPLE, a collection of Alice Walker's essays, memoirs, letters, poems and reflections, which offer an insight into her life and thinking.
The narrative centers on Elizabeth as she embarks on new adventures, discovering that feeling nervous is a shared experience. Through her journey, she learns to embrace her butterflies, finding comfort in the fact that her mother experiences them too. This heartwarming tale reassures readers that they are not alone in facing challenges and highlights the importance of support and understanding in overcoming fears.
In this collection of nonfiction, the author speaks out as a black woman, writer, mother, and feminist in thirty-six pieces ranging from the personal to the political. Among the contents are essays about other writers, accounts of the civil rights movement of the 1960s and the antinuclear movement of the 1980s, and a vivid memoir of a scarring childhood injury and her daughter's healing words
Pulitzer Prize-winning author and activist Alice Walker invites readers young and old to see the world--and our place in it--through new eyes in this new edition featuring art from Queenbe Monyei. With beautifully poetic text and joyous illustrations to guide readers through their read, There Is a Flower at the Tip of My Nose Smelling Me is an ode to the natural world and our place in it. Celebrating the connections and interconnections between self, nature, and creativity, this gently provocative text opens up the world to a reader, and a reader to our world. From the celebrated author of The Color Purple and other classics comes a beautiful, lyrical picture book for fans of her work of all ages.
Set against the backdrop of the interwar period, the story follows two sisters as they navigate the challenges and hardships of their time. Their journey explores themes of resilience, familial bonds, and the struggle for survival amidst societal upheaval. Through their experiences, the novel delves into the complexities of sisterhood and the impact of historical events on personal lives.
Alice Walker's first book recounts the lives of three generations growing up in Georgia, where the author herself grew up. Grange Copeland is a black tenant farmer who is forced to leave his land and family in search of a better future. He heads North but discovers that the racism and poverty he experienced in the South are, in fact, everywhere. When he returns to Georgia years later he finds that his son Brownfield has been imprisoned for the murder of his wife. But hope comes in the form of the third generation as the guardian of the couple's youngest daughter, Grange Copeland, who glimpses a chance of both spiritual and social freedom.
The second novel written by Alice Walker, preceding The Color Purple is a heartfelt and moving story about one woman's personal revolution as she joins the Civil Rights Movement. Set in the American South in the 1960s it follows Meridian Hill, a courageous young woman who dedicates herself heart and soul to her civil rights work, touching the lives of those around her even as her own health begins to deteriorate. Hers is a lonely battle, but it is one she will not abandon, whatever the costs. This is classic Alice Walker, beautifully written, intense and passionate.
“Though we have encountered our share of grief and troubles on this earth, we can still hold the line of beauty, form, and beat. No small accomplishment in a world as challenging as this one.” — from the preface "I was born to grow, / alongside my garden of plants, / poems / like / this one“ So writes Alice Walker in this new book of poems, poems composed over the course of one year in response to joy and sorrow both personal and global: the death of loved ones, war, the deliciousness of love, environmental devastation, the sorrow of rejection, greed, poverty, and the sweetness of home. The poems embrace our connections while celebrating the joy of individuality, the power we each share to express our truest, deepest selves. Beloved for her ability to speak her own truth in ways that speak for and about countless others, she demonstrates that we are stronger than our circumstances. As she confronts personal and collective challenges, her words dance, sing, and heal.
This gritty, sweeping novel recreates the life story of an American working-class woman and burgeoning political activist in the early twentieth century.
Short enough to be read in a single sitting, this book is one of those
gorgeous, much too fleeting things...Brimming with observational detail from a
man whose life spanned continents and eras, the story is at times devastating,
but Hurston's success in bringing it to light is a marvel. NPR
Admirers of The Color Purple will find in these stories more evidence of Walker’s power to depict black women—women who vary greatly in background yet are bound together by what they share in common. Taken as a whole, their stories form an enlightening, disturbing view of life in the South.
The book presents a collection of spiritual reflections infused with a progressive political perspective from a Pulitzer Prize-winning author dedicated to environmentalism. Through her meditations, Walker combines her spiritual insights and political beliefs to provide wisdom, hope, and encouragement, aiming to bring serenity to a tumultuous world. Her literary talent shines as she addresses the pressing need for sanity and compassion in contemporary society.
Anatural evolution from the earlier, much-acclaimed collection In Love & Trouble, these fourteen provocative and often humorous stories show women oppressed but not defeated.These are hopeful stories about love, lust, fame, and cultural thievery, the delight of new lovers, and the rediscovery of old friends, affirmed even across self-imposed color lines.
In this luminous collection of poems, Pulitzer Prize-winner Alice Walker casts her eye on history, politics and nature, as well as world figures. In tributes to such people as Jimmy Carter, Gloria Steinem and the Dalai Lama, she reminds readers of the urgency of this moment in history and of the human capacity to come together and take action. Walker imbues her poetry with memorable images, as well as anger, forgiveness and wisdom. Chronicling the conditions of human life today, The World Will Follow Joy demonstrates Alice Walker's compassion and spirituality.
Returning frequently to Suwelo's visits to Mr. Hal and his stories about Fanny, this tale transcends time and examines such contradictions as black vs. white, man vs. woman, sexual freedom vs. sexual slavery, past vs. present, etc.
A collection of poetry celebrates the power of nature and the strength of the human spirit, as it explores what it means to experience life in such works as "The Same as Gold," "Everyone Who Works for Me," and "The Love of Bodies."
Continues the story of Tashi, a young African woman, and minor character from the Pulitzer prize-winning novel THE COLOUR PURPLE, whose decision to undergo an initiation ceremony has terrible consequences
Female Genital Mutilation and the Sexual Blinding of Women
373 pages
14 hours of reading
Part memoir, part travelogue, part photographic journey, this nonfiction follow-up to Walker's bestselling novel Possessing the Secret of Joy is an investigation into the subject of female genital mutilation, the ritual circumcision whose victims number more than 100 million in the world today.
'These are the stories that came to me to be told after the close of a magical marriage to an extraordinary man that ended in a less-than-magical divorce. I found myself unmoored, unmated, ungrounded in a way that challenged everything I'd ever thought about human relationships. Situated squarely in that terrifying paradise called freedom, precipitously out on so many emotional limbs, it was as if I had been born; and in fact I was being reborn as the woman I was to become' The Way Forward is with a Broken Heart starts with a lyrical, autobiographical story of the breakdown of a marriage during the early years of the civil rights movement. Alice Walker then goes on to imagine stories that grew out of the life following that marriage. Filled with wonder at the capacity of humans to move through love and loss, this is an uplifting read that showcases the authors warmth, wit and wisdom.
By the Light of My Father's Smile is Alice Walker's first novel in six years--a stunning, original, and important book by "one of the best American writers of today" (The Washington Post). A family from the United States goes to the remote Sierras in Mexico--the writer-to-be, Susannah; her sister, Magdalena; her father and mother. And there, amid an endangered band of mixed-race Blacks and Indians called the Mundo, they begin an encounter that will change them more than they could ever dream. Moving back and forth in time, and among unforgettable characters and their stories, Walker crosses conventional borders of all kinds as she explores in this magical novel the ways in which a woman's denied sexuality leads to the loss of the much prized and necessary original self; and how she regains that self, even as her family's past of lies and love is transformed. By the Light of My Father's Smile presents, as Alice Walker puts it, "a celebration of sexuality, its absolute usefulness in the accessing of one's mature spirituality, and the father's role in assuring joy or sorrow in this arena for his female children." It explores the richness and coherence of alternative culture, experience of sexuality as a celebration of life, of trust in Nature and the Spirit, even as it affirms the belief, as Walker says, "that it is the triumphant heart, not the conquered heart, that forgives. And that love is both timeless and beyond time."
The real story behind the making of THE COLOR PURPLE in the author's own words In the early 1980s, The Color Purple was a runaway success, it had won the Pulitzer Prize and Steven Spielberg was making the book into a film. Yet behind all the critical success, Alice Walker suffered an extreme backlash as she became the object of attacks both personal and political. Her detractors claimed that she hated black men, that her work was injurious to black male and female relationships; and that her ideas about equality were harmful to the black community. Such was the ferocity of these attacks that she left her own community north of San Francisco and sought refuge in Mexico. On a personal level, her mother had suffered a major stroke and now Alice Walker herself fell gravely ill with the extremely debilitating condition, Lyme disease. To add to the trauma, her partner of many years announced he'd been having an affair. In her heartfelt and extremely personal account of this time, Alice Walker describes the experience of watching the film being made as she weathered the controversy surrounding it and came to terms with the changes in her own life.
The second novel written by Alice Walker, preceding THE COLOUR PURPLE is a heartfelt and moving story about one woman's personal revolution as she joins the Civil Rights Movement. Set in the American South in the 1960s it follows Meridian Hill, a courageous young woman who dedicates herself heart and soul to her civil rights work, touching the lives of those around her even as her own health begins to deteriorate. Hers is a lonely battle, but it is one she will not abandon, whatever the costs. This is classic Alice Walker, beautifully written, intense and passionate.
The narrative follows a woman's adventurous journey of self-discovery and spirituality, crafted by Pulitzer Prize-winning author Alice Walker, renowned for her work on 'The Color Purple.' The story delves into themes of personal growth and the quest for inner peace, showcasing Walker's signature style and profound insights.
And Other Writings on Complex Mother-Daughter Relationships
322 pages
12 hours of reading
A collection of writings by women on the tangled bonds they share with their(often) less-than-perfect mothers. Every woman has something to say on the subject of her mother. In fact, many of us spend our lives trying to figure out just how we are like-or unlike-them. And yet, as intricate as the ties that bind mothers and daughters can be, most women never let go of the desire to really know their mothers. In How I Learned to Cook and Other Writings on Complex Mother-Daughter Relationships, women authors explore what is perhaps the most complicated of family relationships. In this elegant collection of writings, daughters describe their relationships with mothers whose own lives sometimes stood in the way of their ability to fill society's ideal of what a good mother should be. With critically acclaimed authors-including Jamaica Kincaid, Paula Fox, and Alice Walker-sharing the page with emerging writers, How I Learned to Cook proves that every daughter has much to discover and understand about her mother.
"Sweet People Are Everywhere, an illustrated picture book featuring a poem by internationally renowned writer and activist Alice Walker, is a powerful celebration of humanity. The poem addresses a young boy getting his first passport, taking the boy--and the reader--on a journey through a series of countries around the globe where 'sweet people' can be found"-- Provided by publisher
Die grosse, alles erfüllende Liebe, die auf einmal verschwunden ist und für manche Beteiligten nicht einmal Erinnerungen zeitigt; die mutigen Lebensentwürfe, die in sich zusammengefallen sind, das äalles oder nichtsä, das sich zu einem ävielleichtä gewandelt hat - davon und von anderen Fährnissen des Lebens handeln diese Geschichten von starken Frauen, denen es gelingt - mögen sie noch so verletzt oder erniedrigt worden sein - über die Schwächen hinauszuwachsen und ihr Leben optimistisch zu gestalten.
A natural evolution from the earlier, much-acclaimed collection In Love & Trouble , these fourteen provocative and often humorous stories show women oppressed but not defeated. These are hopeful stories about love, lust, fame, and cultural thievery, the delight of new lovers, and the rediscovery of old friends, affirmed even across self-imposed color lines.
Mit liebevoller Genauigkeit und Intensität schildert Alice Walker in diesen dreizehn Geschichten Episoden aus dem Leben schwarzer Frauen in den Südstaaten der USA: Roselily betet an ihrem Hochzeitstag, umgeben von ihren vier Kindern, dass die Ehe mit einem ungeliebten Mann ihr endlich Achtung verschaffe; eine junge Schriftstellerin, ausgebeutet von ihrem Ehemann und ihrem Liebhaber, rächt sich mit bitterer Ironie; ein schwarzes Mädchen wird von seinem Vater verprügelt, weil es einen Weißen liebt; eine arme junge Frau findet keinen Arzt für ihr todkrankes Baby. So unterschiedlich dabei Herkunft und Schicksal dieser Frauen auch sein mögen - eines ist ihnen gemeinsam: die Würde und der Stolz, die sie sich trotz aller Niederlagen bewahrt haben.
Die Tagebücher 1965–2000 | Von der Autorin von »Die Farbe Lila« | Gedanken und Gefühle der Schriftstellerin als Frau, Afroamerikanerin, Feministin und Künstlerin