The Color Purple Audiobook By Alice Walker cover art

The Color Purple

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The Color Purple

By: Alice Walker
Narrated by: Samira Wiley
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About this listen

Winner of the Pulitzer Prize and the National Book Award, this novel about a resilient and courageous woman has become a Broadway show and a cultural phenomenon.

A PBS Great American Read Top 100 Pick

Celie has grown up poor in rural Georgia, despised by the society around her and abused by her own family. She strives to protect her sister, Nettie, from a similar fate, and while Nettie escapes to a new life as a missionary in Africa, Celie is left behind without her best friend and confidante, married off to an older suitor, and sentenced to a life alone with a harsh and brutal husband.

In an attempt to transcend a life that often seems too much to bear, Celie begins writing letters directly to God. The letters, spanning 20 years, record a journey of self-discovery and empowerment guided by the light of a few strong women. She meets Shug Avery, her husband’s mistress and a jazz singer with a zest for life, and her stepson’s wife, Sofia, who challenges her to fight for independence. And though the many letters from Celie’s sister are hidden by her husband, Nettie’s unwavering support will prove to be the most breathtaking of all.

The Color Purple has sold more than five million copies, inspired an Academy Award-nominated film starring Oprah Winfrey and directed by Steven Spielberg, and been adapted into a Tony-nominated Broadway musical. Lauded as a literary masterpiece, this is the ground-breaking novel that placed Walker “in the company of Faulkner” (The Nation), and remains a wrenching - yet intensely uplifting - experience for new generations of listeners.

©1982 Alice Walker (P)2020 Audible, Inc.
African American Classics Historical Fiction Literary Fiction Movie, TV & Video Game Tie-Ins Sagas Tie-in Marriage Fiction Feel-Good Heartfelt Scary Thought-Provoking
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Samira Wiley Answers the Audible Questionnaire

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Editorial review


By Mysia Haight, Audible Editor

THE COLOR PURPLE IS A WRENCHING YET SPIRIT-AFFIRMING NOVEL ABOUT RESILIENCE, REDEMPTION, AND LOVE

The first time I read The Color Purple, I was in my 20s, single, living in New York City, and working as a book publicist. That was decades ago, and Alice Walker’s novel has stayed with me. Along with To Kill a Mockingbird and The Grapes of Wrath, The Color Purple is at the top of my list of great American novels, and over the years, I’ve recommended it to many women, including my daughter, Lucero, who’s now close to the age I was when I fell in awe with it.

About a year ago, a friend of my daughter was assigned to write an essay on The Color Purple for a college class. So, I wasn’t surprised when Lucero told this young woman, whom I’ll call Gina, that I’d be thrilled to help her. Two days before the essay was due, Gina popped into my home office and dropped a bomb—she hadn’t read the book. But, she assured me, the essay didn’t have to be long or complicated—she just needed to know the main theme. "It’s about slavery, right?" Gina ventured. I started to explain that yes, at its core, The Color Purple is about slavery—specifically, the legacy of slavery on race relations in early 1900s Georgia—and being enslaved due to gender oppression, poverty, abuse, and intergenerational trauma. But it’s also about freedom and empowerment, a young Black woman’s awakening to sexuality, love, and her self-worth, and about sisterhood, loss, family, friendship, redemption, forgiveness, faith, religion, God, and Africa. "That’s a lot," Gina said. I suggested she ask for an extension on her assignment and gave her my paperback copy of the novel. And that was the last I heard from Gina on the subject.

After that encounter, I kept thinking—yes, The Color Purple is a lot, and definitely worth revisiting. I’m a fan of the Audible Questionnaire, a fun video conversation with authors featured on select book pages throughout our site, and as soon as I finished watching the gorgeous, captivating Samira Wiley share her answers, I downloaded The Color Purple and plugged in. While listening to the novel, all of the powerful themes I remembered came across as even deeper and richer. And through Wiley’s brilliant narration, Celie—and all her pain and sorrow, her heartbreaking sense of abandonment and worthlessness, her righteous anger, her aching longing, her gradual awareness, and her ultimate triumph—came alive. It was a revelation.

Continue reading Mysia's review >

Featured Article: The Best Celebrity Narrated Audiobooks


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What listeners say about The Color Purple

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Stunning performance.

A landmark in literature and a heartbreakingly passionate performance by Samira Wiley. Outstanding in every way, this is an audio book for all audio books to be judged against.

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Fantastic Read

My favorite book and movie, well done! reading it again. thank you. most entertaining yea.

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Classic

Never get tired of listening to this story, reading the book or watching the movie. Love, love love it all.

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Amazing book and narrator

What an unbelievably beautiful narration of a classic! I wish Samira Wiley could win an Oscar for her narration.

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Beautiful

I loved the story! I've seen the movie, but of course the book is always better. I could happily listen to Samira read the phone book.

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Must read

The Narration was wonderful! Samira Wiley is very animated and passionate and can "play" each character well. Sofia was my favorite character as a strong, defiant black woman during a time of segregation and when woman were submissive. My only concern of the story was the end when Celie and Sofia go back to their abusive husbands, yet it was a different time.

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Amazing Story!

We loved the narration of this well-known story. This book, like the movie, tells a vivid and interesting story of the time.

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Phenomenal performance

I knew/loved the story, but the performance really blew me away. Incredibly impressed, truly enriched the story. Above and beyond.

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Excellent

I only know of the story from the movie. I never thought to read the book. I’m so glad I decided to listen to it because Samira Wiley did a phenomenal job! As per usual, the book is way better than the movie and I encourage all to listen to the audible read by Samira!

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Dear God

Please let all people hear a version of this story and open their hearts to the truth that we are all One!……
Exquisite Performance, Samira! And wow, what a story! Thanks for this glimpse into time, into an ever shifting culture, and how hardships can create the deepest appreciation for simplicity.

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