I love this book. She has a turn of phrase that is lyrical and frequently poetic, and a strong singular voice in her writing. The only thing that spoiled it a little for me, was the constant thought that if anyone had written the book this way in today's times, the thought police would have come to get them.

This is a lovely story. A woman grows to believe in herself, her life, her love.
Hurston tells this story in dialect. It slowed my reading down; thus making me really read the words, immerse in the story. It's diabolically clever of her.
Janie's story is one I'll remember. She's a wonderful, warm, loving character.
A terrific read.

Just added to my favourites of all time list!

Loved, loved, loved this book. Read it years ago and love it even more now. I was captivated by the idiomatic black voice which lent surprising imagery to the dialogue even though it slowed me down, because I wanted to really hear it in my head. Such a noble story of a woman discovering the indomitability of her spirit despite being mired in the lower echelons of society. Hurston has it all here – themes of love, race, power, gender, spirituality – eloquent and unhurried as she brings the protagonist into self-realization.

Hurston's achingly beautiful novel captures one woman's journey for self-discovery. Janie Crawford leads a life of hardship and struggle until she finds happiness and the realization of what living means with Teo Cake. The romance they share is incredibly genuine and pure. Although sadness befalls the temple of love they build for each other, the story exalts the sacrament of loving someone forever. This book covers all of life's value lessons: finding one's self; learning to love, trust, endure, and believe; dealing with adversity, grief, and loss; and struggling to survive and move on. Hurston is a gifted writer, and she creates a vernacular dialogue as rich and mesmerizing as Mark Twain's Huckleberry Finn. She has captured the culture and dialect of the African American experience in the South, and it is easy to see the influence of Hurston’s work on such accomplished writers as Toni Morrison and Alice Walker. Their Eyes Were Watching God is an unforgettable novel by an artist at the height of her abilities. It is truly an amazing reading experience.

There Eyes Are Watching God, by Zora Neal Hurston a historical master work!
It been years since reading it but the story lingers in my mind. A romance coming of age
story of a young girl who becomes a woman through the post Reconstructionist segregated
South in the Black Experience. As a young girl, the main character is charmed by a well dress, worldly traveler, with huge ambition and a plan for success, with whom she runs away and later marries.
Life is grand as good fortune and security take hold in their sleepy small town, as they become the statues quo of middle classes values. But like all great stories a series of tragic events interrupt their upwardly mobile life styles, For example a horse dies in the middle of the street and lingers decomposing a sign of things to come. Secondly, she is still young and very attractive, and he seems much older, preoccupied with work and physically less appealing as time passes quickly. Then throw a mysterious younger man in the mix, who is talented and has all the small town girls swooning and you've got bad mixture. The handsome younger man begins hanging around the couple's store and does adds a certain amount of excitement to both their lives, but drama and tension begin to mount.

"Their Eyes Are Watching God"does have some action adventure and strange twists with the two young people becoming lovers, venturing off, and living in the woods eventually becoming loggers in a great forest. You will have to see what happens next, but its enough to create a special effects movie version starring Hailey Berry and Terrence Howard, produced by Oprah Winfrey! One of the truly great novels features a female protagonist and narrative insights by her. A must read...

Ghettostone Publications Group Highly Recommends This One!
Leader of the Best Sellers Book Club was unanimously in favor of this title as a must read!
For all the book lovers enjoy this summer classic...

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A black woman, granddaughter of a slave, finds her voice in 1930's Florida. Moving American classic focuses on family dynamics.

A masterpiece. Deserves a place on literary shelves with the likes of Steinbeck and Pushkin.

Big issues seen through the littlest of eyes, Janie tells you a tale that will whip you around until you feel dizzy. THEIR EYES WERE WATCHING GOD is not one of my favourites, but I can see why it is a very important book. It provokes emotions, without question, and those emotions are often tied to big ideas, thinking beyond her story while staying planted firmly within the intricacies of the relationships in Janie's life. While she recounts the steps she's made through life, Janie is also tackling the grand scale. It is a feminist text, but not in the overt way that makes some people cringe (cough, chauvinist misogynists, cough). Her courage and the strength of her decisions are important in a time that cannot fathom why she dare have the conviction to take action when she's just so darn pretty. But, to Janie, it's not what's on her face but in her head that matters. She deals with what life hands her and there is a spiritual element that courses through her, egging her on to be who she wants to be. While some parts of the book dragged, others chugged along mighty strong. And while I didn't particularly like what I felt was a rushed resolution in order to conclude the novel, I can understand that it may have been a stylistic choice reflecting the ebb and flow of life itself. As we all well know, sometimes a week can feel like years and then a year can feel like days. Sometimes, we are waiting for the second hand to tick over; other times, we are begging for another hour in the day. I can understand why this is the favourite novel of one of my friends. It may not be mine, but I don't, for a second, regret reading it. For anyone with the patience to walk a mile in someone else's shoes, I recommend THEIR EYES WERE WATCHING GOD.

A love story about a woman who dares to be unabashedly herself. Against all odds, she remains a strong feminist way before her time yet is able to put her own life on the line for love. She is not swayed by her first rich husband who "big-bellies 'round and worships the things of his hands." She settles for nothing less then what her heart demands. Glorious storytelling in a folklore-laden culture of the deep south. MKO