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Their Eyes Were Watching God

A Novel

Audiobook
1 of 13 copies available
1 of 13 copies available

"A deeply soulful novel that comprehends love and cruelty, and separates the big people from the small of heart, without ever losing sympathy for those unfortunates who don't know how to live properly." —Zadie Smith

One of the most important and enduring books of the twentieth century, Their Eyes Were Watching God brings to life a Southern love story with the wit and pathos found only in the writing of Zora Neale Hurston. Out of print for almost thirty years—due largely to initial audiences' rejection of its strong black female protagonist—Hurston's classic has since its 1978 reissue become perhaps the most widely read and highly acclaimed novel in the canon of African-American literature. The audio is performed by the legendary Ruby Dee.

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  • Reviews

    • AudioFile Magazine
      Ruby Dee transforms herself many times during her narration of Zora Neale Hurston's famous novel about Southern African-American culture in the 1930s. Some of the time Dee is Janie Crawford, the young heroine; at other times, she's an old woman, old man, or adolescent boy. Dee is marvelous in all the roles in this stage-worthy performance. She switches voices and dialects seamlessly, and she uses pauses cleverly, giving listeners time to understand the sometimes intricate dialects and mysterious images that Hurston uses. A.C.S. (c) AudioFile 2001, Portland, Maine
    • Library Journal

      Starred review from August 1, 2014

      This beloved 20th-century novel is expertly narrated by Ruby Dee, who sets a deliberate pace and does a wonderful job distinguishing among the characters.

      Copyright 2014 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

    • AudioFile Magazine
      Zora Neale Hurston's notable story comes to life through Ruby Dee's fine interpretation. The story of Janie Crawford, her strength and gentleness, was written to be heard. Dee's deep, melodic tones enliven Hurston's evocative prose and powerful images. The colorful characters, Janie's three husbands, Mr. Killicks, Mayor Starks and Tea Cake, her friend Phoeby, and so many others emerge through Dee's strong command of dialogue and her mastery of dialect. She conveys Hurston's sense of drama and spiritual strength in a dynamic program. For readers who know Hurston's work, this program will be a joy, for those who are lucky and wise enough to discover her here, it will be an exceptional experience. R.F.W. Winner of AUDIOFILE Earphones Award (c)AudioFile, Portland, Maine
    • AudioFile Magazine
      So the beginning of this was a woman and she had come back from buryin' the dead . . . Janie Crawford, strong, beautiful, enduring and faithful, tells her story and, in doing so, celebrates a rich African-American community, culture and language. Woods presents Janie's story with such intimacy and nuance of phrase that the listener seems to sit with Janie's friend, Phoeby, on the back stoop in the gathering dark of a hot Florida night. Woods's soft, melodious dialect, murmurs of assent and sharp "Naw, Jody!" create a complete portrait. An audiobook like this is a rare achievement. Don't miss it! This is a masterpiece. L.R.S. Winner of AUDIOFILE Earphones Award (c)AudioFile, Portland, Maine

Formats

  • OverDrive Listen audiobook

Languages

  • English

Levels

  • ATOS Level:5.6
  • Lexile® Measure:890
  • Interest Level:9-12(UG)
  • Text Difficulty:4-5

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