The Color Purple Collection: The Color Purple, The Temple of My Familiar, and Possessing the Secret of Joy

I have seen Ms. Walker at a reading and her spirit" matches her love of the Earth, Nature and People. My paper copy is tattered now from the words I so deeply needed to learn we are forever changing. I have reread "Temple of My Familiar" with each big event in my life good or bad; it's like each time I read this precious book I'm seeing me differently everytime and there's growth presented!! As I look at my pictures that's captured through the years I see all the different images; some I looked like my father, mother or siblings pushing me on my way EVERYTIME. The books with the Color Purple leading to The Temple of my Familiar and lastly My Joy shouldn't be an effortlessly flow but it's a true Masterpiece!! I've always wanted all three of the books made into a movie. Her descriptions is a 5k Color TV playing clearly in my head.

WOW! I couldn't stop reading. This collection of writings touches the heart of any woman, regardless of age, race, or nationality. And opened my eyes to the suffering of women who have survived this horrifying "procedure

The Color Purple, what can I say that hasn't already been said? In my opinion the movie was as ,good as the book thanks to the genius of Steven Spielberg. The Temple Of My Familiar, a learning experience for me. The story includes African history, legends, cultures, and introduces the reader to ways of seeing what could have happened, what may have happened and what did happen in the lives of this group of the most interesting, complex, characters you will ever hope to meet in Africa and America as their lives unfold. A book you will remember. Possessing the Secret of Joy, Another learning experience! This book was written as a protest to the practice of mutilating young girls in a rite referred to as circumcision in Africa and to a lesser,degree in America. The author made her point!

I liked this book, albeit grudgingly. I felt troubled by the near-universal bestiality of all the men in the story, but I must concede that this is the perspective of Celie, the narrator and protagonist, a Black woman in the rural South; the most oppressed of an oppressed people. As much as I find myself cringing at the oppressive conditions of life for Celie as a Black woman, it is even more painful to consider her observations of the relationship between Black women and Black men, and the always-dour undertones to the expectations of her and the other women in this tale that unfortunately stings with a ring of truth- regardless of perspective. Though one, including myself, might want to argue that there was more light, at least in flashes, in the darkness of their existence, one cannot argue from the protagonist's perspective, and must also concede, dully, that the near all-encompassing darkness did exist, and even vestiges still linger to this day....

Alice Walker is so great. I recently watched the movie and I wanted to get the rest of the story. The book and the movie are great companions. The movie was able to provide some moments the book was unable to offer. Together the two will complete the story. If you have seen the movie you owe it to yourself and to Alice Walker to read the book, you will be glad you did.

As gripping as ever the story captivates throughout the collection, well worth the purchase and definitely a timeless read.

Great collection of stories. I was lucky and saw it when Amazon had a really good sale, and I really enjoyed reading these. I had read the color purple years ago but it was great to reread .

I've been looking forward to reading Alice Walker's book Color Purple since I've seen the classic movie many times. Just getting the time to catch up on reading important books. Alice Walker is a great author! And I'll have three books to read in this Kindle collection.

February's book in Emma Watson's online feminist book club, "Our Shared Shelf" was The Color Purple, by Alice Walker. (It was hard for me to misspell the word 'colour!') I remember seeing Oprah Winfrey and Whoopi Goldberg in the movie version years ago, so I was familiar with the story, but I was unprepared for the blunt description of sexual assault in Alice Walker's opening scene. In fact, I found the violence, that the women in the novel had to live with, difficult to read. The book is set in Georgia in the 1930s, and is written as a series of letters from the main character, Celie, first to God and later to her sister, Nettie. Many of the book's black, female characters, Celie, Shug, Sophia and Squeak, rise above horrible situations to carve out lives for themselves. Not only do they have to deal with, the racism of the American south in the 1930s, but also a violent patriarchy from their own community. Some of the women are strong throughout the story. Others start out struggling in the midst of oppression, but eventually find their strength, with the help of each other. Not only does Walker address sexism and racism head on. She also explores gender roles, orientation, sexual intimacy, women's relationships, power imbalances, internalized oppression and cultural arrogance! 'The Color Purple' is a very rich read!