Books by Zora Neale Hurston
Born: 01/07/1903; Died: 01/28/1960Zora Neale Hurston Biography & Notes
Zora Neale Hurston was born in an all-black Florida town where her father was the mayor. Her mother died when she was 9, her father married a woman with whom she didn't get along, and she spent her childhood living with various relatives. When she was 14, she began to support herself, working as a manicurist, a waitress, a maid, and finally a wardrobe girl in a theatrical company. She became a part-time student at Howard University, where she began writing. In 1925 she moved to New York City to work as secretary to the popular novelist Fannie Hurst and attend Barnard College on a scholarship. She studied anthropology and, after graduation, went back south to study folklore. Later she also traveled to the Caribbean. Hurston was an important member of the Harlem Renaissance, writing fiction that was based on her own personal experiences and that also reflected her Southern background, her racial heritage, and her strong interest in black folklore. She was married twice, both times very briefly, finding that marriage and career were not compatible. Her life changed when, in 1948, she was accused of corrupting a minor; she was acquitted but devastated by the humiliating publicity--"I care nothing for anything any more," she wrote in a letter. She left New York, dropped all her friends, and returned to Florida, where for the rest of her life she struggled to survive, working as a maid, borrowing money, taking odd jobs. She died after a stroke in the St. Lucie County Welfare Home, and was buried in an unmarked grave. She died a pauper, but, as the minister said in her funeral eulogy, "The Miami paper said she died poor. But she died rich. She did something."
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African American Audio Experience by Langston Hughes, Gwendolyn Brooks, Zora Neale Hurston, Richard Wright, Nikki Giovanni, Lorraine Hansberry ( 2003) The leading voices of African-American letters come together in this essential collection of poems, prose and theater performance. One of the most significant occurrences in America during the 20th century was the rise of African-American writers to the forefront of literature. Documenting their views on American culture and its tragic and glorious history, African-American writers' contributions reflected their struggle for equality and paved the way into a brighter future for their country. This collection includes selections of some of the best of those works, with an original introduction by Nikki Giovanni: Black Boy by Richard Wright. A classic of American autobiography, this subtly crafted narrative chronicles one man's coming of age in the Jim Crow South. Performed by Brock Peters. A Raisin in the Sun by Lorraine Hansberry. An emotionally lacerating landmark of American theater, Lorraine Hansberry's A Raisin in the Sun is presented here with a full cast performance starring Ruby Dee and Ossie Davis. Excerpts from The Nikki Giovanni Poetry Collection. A collection of poems from one of the most commanding voices to grace America's political and poetic landscape. Read by the author. Excerpts from the "Tall Tales" Chapter of Every Tounge Got to Confess by Zora Neale Hurston. Collected in the 1920s, these stories pay tribute to the richness of Black vernacular and reflect -- with wit, wisdom, compassion, and style -- the sorrows and joys of the African-American heritage. Performed by Ruby Dee and Ossie Davis. Excerpts from Langston Hughes Reads. A rare and exceptional recording on one of the greatest American poets of the 20th century. Three poems by Gwendolyn Brooks. "We Real Cool," "Malcolm X," and "The Sermon on the Warpland." Performed by Ruby Dee. |
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Collected Essays by Zora Neale Hurston ( 2003) |
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Complete Stories by Zora Neale Hurston ( 2008)
These stories, written during the years 1921 to 1960, reflect Hurston's major interests--folklore, feminism, jazz, black history, and culture. As in her novels, Hurston employs rich language, inventive metaphors, and black American dialect to bring her characters to life. This collection includes several stories that have never been published before.
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De Turkey and De Law by Zora Neale Hurston ( 2008) |
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De Turkey and De Law by Zora Neale Hurston ( 2008) |
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Dust Tracks on a Road An Autobiography by Zora Neale Hurston ( 1985)
A Southern novelist recalls her impoverished childhood, her successful career as an anthropologist, and her first attempts at writing.
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Dust Tracks on a Road by Zora Neale Hurston ( 2006)
A moving presentation in her own words of the life of an African-American woman who rose from poverty to become an author whose work is read the world over is accompaned by an inspiring foreword by acclaimed poet Maya Angelou.
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Dust Tracks on a Road by Zora Neale Hurston ( 1996)
"I have been in Sorrow's kitchen and licked out all the pots. Then I have stood on the peaky mountain wrapped in rainbows with a harp and a sword in my hands." First published in 1942 at the crest of her popularity, this is Zora Neale Hurston's unrestrained account of her rise from childhood poverty in the rural South to prominence among the leading artists and intellectuals of the Harlem Renaissance. Full of wit and wisdom, and audaciously spirited, Dust Tracks on a Roadoffers a rare, poignant glimpse of the life -- public and private -- of a premier African-American writer, artist, anthropologist and champion of the black heritage.
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Dust Tracks on a Road The Restored Text Established by the Library of America by Zora Neale Hurston ( 1997)
First published in 1942 at the crest of her popularity as a writer, this is Zora Neale Hurston's imaginative and exuberant account of her rise from childhood poverty in the rural South to a prominent place among the leading artists and intellectuals of the Harlem Renaissance. This is a book full of the wit and wisdom of a proud and spirited woman who started low and climbed high.
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Dust Tracks on a Road/an Autobiography by Zora Neale Hurston ( 1991)
The exuberant autobiography of the late Zora Neale Hurston. "A rich and winning book by one of our few genuine, Grade A folk writers."--The New Yorker
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Every Tongue Got to Confess Negro Folk-tales from the Gulf States by Zora Neale Hurston, Carla Kaplan ( 2002)
Every Tongue Got to Confess is an extensive volume of African American folklore that Zora Neale Hurston collected on her travels through the Gulf States in the late 1920s.
The bittersweet and often hilarious tales -- which range from longer narratives about God, the Devil, white folk, and mistaken identity to witty one-liners -- reveal attitudes about faith, love, family, slavery, race, and community. Together, this collection of nearly 500 folktales weaves a vibrant tapestry that celebrates African American life in the rural South and represents a major part of Zora Neale Hurston's literary legacy. |
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Go Gator and Muddy the Water Writings from the Federal Writers' Project by Zora Neale Hurston, Pamela Bordelon ( 1999)
Edited and with a Biographical Essay by Pamala Bordelon, Ph.D. A wonderful discovery of folklore writings-many previously unpublished-by Zora Neale Hurston, author of Their Eyes Were Watching God. When Pamala Bordelon was researching a work on the Florida Federal Writers Project, she discovered writings in the collection that were unmistakably from the hand of Zora Neale Hurston, one of the leading writers of the Harlem Renaissance. Over half of the works included here have not been published or are only available in the Library of America edition of Hurston's works. As Hurston's fans know, all of her novels draw upon her deep interest in folklore, particularly from her home state of Florida. Here we see the roots of that work, from the wonderful folktale of the monstrous alligator living in a local lake to her recording of folk songs to her work on children's games and the black church. There are also fiery and controversial essays on race and the work of black artists. In a biographical essay, Pamala Bordelon, with the help of Hurston's niece, has re-created the years during which Hurston was working for the FWP and living in Eatonville. She has put together the portrait of a serious writer and folklorist who was running tight on money, but big on spirit. This book is an important new addition to Hurston's work.
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Jonah's Gourd Vine by Zora Neale Hurston ( 2008)
John Buddy Pearson, a Baptist minister, is a good preacher but a bad husband. His adulterous adventures are condemned by the black society of his southern town--something he is unable to comprehend. Hurston's first novel was published in 1934.
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Jump at De Sun The Story of Zora Neale Hurston by Zora Neale Hurston, A. P. Porter ( 1992)
Follows the career of a writer and literary anthropologist who worked to promote African-American culture as its own unique heritage separate from white culture.
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Lies And Other Tall Tales by Zora Neale Hurston, Christopher Myers, Joyce Carol Thomas ( 2005)
Presents a compilation of tall tales collected by folklorist Zora Neale Hurston during her travels in the Gulf states during the 1930s.
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Moses Man of the Mountain by Zora Neale Hurston ( 1984)
A retelling of the story of Moses serves as an allegory for the struggle of American Blacks for release from slavery.
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The Mule-bone A Comedy of Negro Life by Langston Hughes, Zora Neale Hurston ( 2007) |
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Mules and Men by Henry Louis (AFT) Gates, Zora Neale Hurston ( 2008) |
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Novels and Stories Jonah's Gourd Vine; Their Eyes Were Watching God;Moses, Man of the Mountain; Seraph on the Suwanee;Selected Stories by Zora Neale Hurston ( 1995)
Part of a two-volume set of works by Zora Neale Hurston, Novels and Stories features the acclaimed 1937 novel Their Eyes Were Watching God--plus Jonah's Gourd Vine, Moses Man of the Mountain, Seraph on the Suwanee, and selected stories. Includes a newly researched chronology of Hurston's life, detailed notes, and a brief essay on the texts.
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The Prize Plays and Other One-Acts Published in Periodicals by Zora Neale Hurston, Marita Bonner, Eulalie Spence ( 1996) |
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Roy Makes A Car by Mary E. Lyons, Zora Neale Hurston ( 2005)
After building himself a turbocharged, non-collision automobile, Roy Tyle--the best mechanic in the state of Florida--builds a vehicle with wings, which flies up to Heaven and that God buys on the spot.
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The Sanctified Church The Folklore Writings of Zora Neale Hurston by Zora Neale Hurston ( 1982)
This powerful collection includes Zora Neale Hurston's essays on African-American folklore, music, voodoo, and legend, as well as on the Southern Black Christian Church in which she was raised.
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Seraph on the Suwanee A Novel by Zora Neale Hurston ( 1991)
The acclaimed novelist, folklorist, and anthropologist brings us a warm and very human look at life among the white "Florida Crackers."
"A moving novel."--Saturday Review of Literature |
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Seraph on the Suwanee by Zora Neale Hurston ( 2008) |
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The Six Fools by Zora Neale Hurston, Joyce Carol Thomas ( 2006)
Based on a story collected by the author during her travels along the Gulf States, a tale finds a young man searching for three people more foolish than his fiancTe and her parents.
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The Soul of a Woman by Zora Neale Hurston, Nella Larsen, Harriet E. Wilson, Jessie Redmond Fauset ( 1997)
Who is the Black Woman? She is a student. A graduate. A wife. A professional. A divorcee. A mother. A lover. A child of the ghetto. A product of the bourgeoisie. A warrior. A person who never dreamed she would write books. A peacemaker. A solitary individual. A conscious woman. A gentle humanist. A violent reactionary. The Black Woman is angry and tender, loving an hating. She is all these things -- and more. And for the first time ever she is represented in a collection of fiction which allows her to truly bare her soul and speak her mind. From the world's greatest black women writers, to people everywhere... The Soul of A Woman is powerful. Gripping. Eloquent. Moving. Intense. Bitter. Shattering.
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Spunk The Selected Stories of Zora Neale Hurston by Zora Neale Hurston ( 1985)
These eight stories--which include intense love stories, stories of family relationships, and insightful pictures of black life in the South--were written between 1924 and 1942. The title story won several awards when it was published in 1925.
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Sweat by Zora Neale Hurston, Cheryl A. Wall ( 1997) |
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Tell My Horse Voodoo and Life in Haiti and Jamaica by Zora Neale Hurston ( 1990)
Published in 1938, Hurston's second book about black folklore chronicles her own experiences with voodoo in Haiti and Jamaica. She also writes about the politics of the islands.
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Tell My Horse Voodoo and Life in Haiti and Jamaica by Zora Neale Hurston, Ishmael Reed ( 1990)
A firsthand account of the weird mysteries and horrors of voodoo. "An unusual and intensely interesting book richly packed with strange information."--New York Times Book Review
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Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston ( 1991)
"Hurston's prose is newly invigorated by Dee's reading . . . this tape succeeds in its rich descriptions and freshness of dialogue, delivering in terms that are alternately funny and moving."'Publishers WeeklyIn this rediscovered classic, first published in 1937, you will meet the unforgettable Janie Crawford.Fair and long-legged, independent and articulate, Janie sets out to be her own person . . . no mean feat for a woman in the 30's, and a black woman at that.Zora Neale Hurston's most highly acclaimed novel traces Janie's quest for identity, through three marriages, on a journey back to her roots.Here is one black woman whose life is not defined by regret, fear, or foolish romantic dreams.As Janie says, "two things everybody's got tuh do fuh theyselves.They got tuh go tuh God, and they got tuh find out about livin' fuh theyselves."
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Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston, Valerie Boyd ( 2008)
Zora Neale Hurston's now-classic novel about Janie Crawford, the granddaughter of an ex-slave, and her three husbands: Mr. Killicks, Mayor Starks and, finally, Tea Cake--the love of her life. The novel is set in a black community in rural Florida, and the characters speak in dialect--a technique that inspired both anger and praise from other black writers. THEIR EYES WERE WATCHING GOD, first published in 1937, is a landmark novel of the black experience in America and also--because of Janey's stubborn insistence on her independence--of feminism.
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Three Classic Works by Zora Neale Hurston Their Eyes Were Watching God, Dust Tracks on a Road, Mules and Men by Zora Neale Hurston ( 1991)
Features the author's novel, "Their Eyes Were Watching God," her autobiography, "Dust Tracks on a Road," and her study of African American folklore from Louisiana and Florida, "Mules and Men"
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The Three Witches by Zora Neale Hurston ( 2006)
When two brave children, a courageous grandmother, and a number of protective dogs stumble upon three bad witches with a hearty appetite, collective wits and bravery will be essential to keep the family free from harm.
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What's the Hurry, Fox And Other Animal Stories by Zora Neale Hurston, Joyce Carol Thomas ( 2004) Acclaimed anthropologist, folklorist, and novelist Zora Neale Hurston traveled the back roads of the rural South, collecting stories from men, women, and children in Florida, Alabama, Georgia, and Louisiana so that the spirit and richness of the oral storytelling tradition could be shared and preserved. What's the Hurry, Fox? is a sampling of stories from Every Tongue Got To Confess, Ms. Hurston's third volume of folktales collected from the Gulf statesin the 1930s. They have been carefully adapted and shaped by National Book -- and Coretta Scott King Award–winning author Joyce Carol Thomas to appeal to the sensibilities of young readers. Caldecott Honor -- and Coretta Scott King Award-winning artist Bryan Collier adds his unique vision with collages that capture the rich heritage and rural community setting of the stories that are Ms. Hurston's legacy to us. |
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Zora Neale Hurston A Life in Letters by Zora Neale Hurston ( 2008)
This massive collection of letters--over 500 in all--illuminates the life of Zora Neale Hurston and her circle. Written to, among others, Langston Hughes, Carl Van Vechten, Fannie Hurst, and Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings, Hurston's letters are sharply intelligent, fiercely individual, and heartbreakingly explicit as they chronicle her rise and fall as a major figure of the Harlem Renaissance. A New York Times Notable Book for 2003.
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Zora Neale Hurston A Life in Letters by Zora Neale Hurston, Carla Kaplan ( 2003)
“ I mean to live and die by my own mind,” Zora Neale Hurston told the writer Countee Cullen. Arriving in Harlem in 1925 with little more than a dollar to her name, Hurston rose to become one of the central figures of the Harlem Renaissance, only to die in obscurity. Not until the 1970s was she rediscovered by Alice Walker and other admirers. Although Hurston has entered the pantheon as one of the most influential American writers of the 20th century, the true nature of her personality has proven elusive.
Now, a brilliant, complicated and utterly arresting woman emerges from this landmark book. Carla Kaplan, a noted Hurston scholar, has found hundreds of revealing, previously unpublished letters for this definitive collection; she also provides extensive and illuminating commentary on Hurston’s life and work, as well as an annotated glossary of the organizations and personalities that were important to it. From her enrollment at Baltimore’s Morgan Academy in 1917, to correspondence with Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings, Langston Hughes, Dorothy West and Alain Locke, to a final query letter to her publishers in 1959, Hurston’s spirited correspondence offers an invaluable portrait of a remarkable, irrepressible talent. |
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Zora Neale Hurston's 1939 Recording Expedition Into the Floridas and Collection of "Cold Keener Reveu" Plays by Zora Neale Hurston ( 1999) |
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