The Color Purple is a classic. With over a million copies sold in the UK alone, it is hailed as one of the all-time 'greats' of literature, inspiring generations of readers. Set in the deep American South between the wars, it is the tale of Celie, a young black girl born into poverty and segregation. Raped repeatedly by the man she calls 'father', she has two children taken away from her, is separated from her beloved sister Nettie, and is trapped into an ugly marriage. But then she meets the glamorous Shug Avery, singer and magic-maker – a woman who has taken charge of her own destiny. Gradually Celie discovers the power and joy of her own spirit, freeing her from her past and reuniting her with those she loves.
The Color Purple Collection Series
This collection delves into the lives of Black women in the early 20th-century American South. It chronicles their struggles against oppression and violence, charting their journeys toward self-discovery and empowerment. Through compelling female characters and their interconnected relationships, these works illustrate how love and hope can be found even in the darkest circumstances. It is a powerful narrative of resilience, forgiveness, and the enduring strength of the female spirit.



Recommended Reading Order
- 1
- 2
The temple of my familiar
- 432 pages
- 16 hours of reading
'A romance of the last 500,000 years' from the Pulitzer prize winning author of THE COLOR PURPLE. A visionary cast of characters weave together their past and present in a brilliantly intricate tapestry of tales.It is the story of the dispossessed and displaced, of peoples whose history is ancient and whose future is yet to come. Here we meet Lissie, a woman of many pasts; Arveyda the great guitarist and his Latin American wife who has had to flee her homeland; Suwelo, the history teacher, and his former wife Fanny who has fallen in love with spirits. Hovering tantalisingly above their stories are Miss Celie and Shug, the beloved characters from THE COLOUR PURPLE.
- 3
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