Their Eyes Were Watching God

by Zora Neale Hurston

Introduced by ZADIE SMITH

'One of the greatest writers of our time' Toni Morrison

'She was stretched on her back beneath the pear tree soaking in the alto chant of the visiting bees, the gold of the sun and the panting breath of the breeze when the inaudible voice of it all came to her . . .'

When sixteen-year-old Janie is caught kissing shiftless Johnny Taylor, her grandmother swiftly marries her off to an old man with sixty acres. Janie endures two stifling marriages before she finally meets the man of her dreams - who offers not diamonds, but a packet of flowering seeds.

'Their Eyes Were Watching God is one of the very greatest American novels of the 20th century. It is so lyrical it should be sentimental; it is so passionate it should be overwrought, but it is instead a rigorous, convincing and dazzling piece of prose, as emotionally satisfying as it is impressive. There is no novel I love more' ZADIE SMITH

• ISBN10: 0060931418
• ISBN13: 9780060931414
• Publish Date: 1 December 2003 (first published 1 January 1900)
• Publish Status: Active
• Publish Country: US
• Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers Inc
• Imprint: HarperPaperbacks
• Format: Paperback
• Pages: 240
• Language: English

Reviews

[layawaydragon]

I read this book several years ago for a Literature class in college. I loved it so much. It's deep, moving and so beautifully written. I'll have to go back into it to give a better review but I remember it's a great book. I absolutely recommend this book to everyone.

[Stephanie]

It's a diction thing again. Hard to get into but interesting all the same.