Alice Walker - The Color Purple [Paperback]

Since its publication in 1982, The Color Purple has polarized critics and generated controversy while delighting many readers around the world. Rachel Lister offers a clear, stimulating and wide-ranging exploration of the critical history of Alice Walker's best-selling novel, from contemporary reviews through to twenty-first-century readings.

This Reader's Guide:
opens with an overview of Walker's work
provides a detailed consideration of the conception and reception of The Color Purple
examines coverage of key critical issues and debates such as Walker's use of generic conventions, linguistic and narrative strategies, race, class, gender and sexual politics
covers the reception and cultural impact of cinematic and musical adaptations, including Steven Spielberg's 1985 film and the recent Broadway production.

Lively and insightful, this is an indispensable volume for anyone studying, or simply interested in, Alice Walker and her most famous work.

Acknowledgements .- Introduction.- The Conception and Reception of The Color Purple.- Defining The Color Purple: Questions of Genre.- The Color Purple and The Politics of Language.- Language and Subjectivity in The Color Purple.- Reading Race in The Color Purple.- Class and Consumerism in The Color Purple.- The Color Purple: Feminist Text?.- Gender and Sexuality in The Color Purple  .- Conclusion.- Notes.- Bibliography.- Index.

RACHEL LISTER is Lecturer in the Department of English Studies, University of Durham, UK.Since its publication in 1982, The Color Purple has polarized critics and generated controversy while delighting many readers around the world. Rachel Lister offers a clear, stimulating and wide-ranging exploration of the critical history of Alice Walker's best-selling novel, from contemporary reviews through to twenl3¦