Their Eyes Were Watching God CD [AUDIOBOOK] [UNABRIDGED] (Audio CD)

by Zora Neale Hurston (Author), Ruby Dee (Reader)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

Their Eyes Were Watching God, an American classic, is the luminous and haunting novel about Janie Crawford, a Southern Black woman in the 1930s, whose journey from a free-spirited girl to a woman of independence and substance has inspired writers and readers for close to 70 years.

This poetic, graceful love story, rooted in Black folk traditions and steeped in mythic realism, celebrates boldly and brilliantly African-American culture and heritage. And in a powerful, mesmerizing narrative, it pays quiet tribute to a Black woman who, though constricted by the times, still demanded to be heard.

Originally published in 1937 and long out of print, the book was reissued in 1975 and nearly three decades later Their Eyes Were Watching God is considered a seminal novel in American fiction.

Performed by Ruby Dee

About the Author

Zora Neale Hurston (1891-1960) was a novelist, folklorist, and anthropologist whose fictional and factual accounts of black heritage remain unparalleled. Her many books include Dust Tracks on a Road; Their Eyes Were Watching God; Jonah's Gourd Vine; Moses, Man of the Mountain; Mules and Men; and Every Tongue Got to Confess.

Product Details

• Audio CD
• Publisher: Caedmon; Unabridged edition (November 23, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0060776536
• ISBN-13: 978-0060776534
• Product Dimensions: 5.7 x 5.2 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 6.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #99,153 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Thier Eyes....wonderfully rendered, May 27, 2008

By	J. Walker (Phoenix, AZ USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This audio production on CD of Zora Neale Hurston's "Their Eyes Were Watching God" is beautifully read by Ruby Dee. Hurston was known for her ability to write in the dialect of the rural South, thereby imbuing her work with a verisimilitude that makes it possible for a modern reader to feel connected to her characters in a visceral way. However, while trying to read the print edition of this marvelous story, I found myself often reading aloud. In effect, I had to translate as I went, which was frustrating. By listenig to Ruby Dee's inspired reading, I was able to be transported directly to the time & place depicted in Hurston's masterwork. The story of Janie's life, her increasing awareness of herself as a woman, and then as a Black woman, during a time when both were de-valued, is full of drama, and hope. I'm very glad that Zora Neale Hurston was 're-discovered' in time for me to discover her for myself.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An outstanding reading of a seminal work of American literature, September 21, 2007

By	doc peterson (Portland, Oregon USA) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)

This was my first book on CD, and honestly I wasn't sure what to expect. _Their Eyes Were Watching God_ is a wonderful story about finding yourself, living, and love, but the Southern vernacular Hurston uses can be an obstacle in its reading. On the advice of a friend, I picked up the CD to try it out. Ruby Dee's reading of the story is masterful: rich, lyric and beautiful, much like the story itself. While I deeply love the book, I also highly recommend the CD as well. It is a sublime reading.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars much better to listen to then try to read, February 17, 2008

By	Gregory K. Day "Night time reader" (Moorhead) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This review is from: Their Eyes Were Watching God CD (Audio CD)

with the language in this book it is much better to listen to and get it done in 8 hours instead of trying to read it