The Color Purple: A Memory Book of the Broadway Musical

by Lise Funderburg (Editor), Jennifer S. Altman (Photographer), Oprah Winfrey (Contributor)

From the Pulitzer-prize winning novel by Alice Walker, and the moving film by Steven Spielberg, has come a soul-stirring new musical and landmark Broadway hit that has critics and audiences on their feet. A musical that evokes a unique emotional response, it tracks the story of its heroine, Celie, from sexual abuse by her stepfather to physical abuse by her husband to "a roof-raising story of triumph." This gorgeously producedcompanion volume revisits what is so powerful about the show. The Color Purple: A Memory Book has the look and feel of a beautiful antique scrapbook, a keepsake for those who have experienced the musical and want to be able to experience its soaring emotions at any time, or who want to share Celie's journey with their loved ones. But it will also be a memory book of the road The Color Purple took — from Alice Walker's memories right through to the sketches for the costumes and sets, from the cast's own struggles to the entire libretto, all of which have given Celie's against-the-odds triumph new life. Revealing, poignant, and stunning, The Color Purple: A Memory Book is a must-have book for anyone moved by Celie's story.

176 pages, Hardcover

First published November 8, 2006

About the author

I'm a writer based in Philadelphia. I've written for many national magazines and newspapers, and my latest book is called "Pig Candy: Taking My Father South, Taking My Father Home." It's a memoir/social history about race, filial duty, mortality, and barbecue."

Reviews

[Josh]

I think that this book has given me a greater knowledge of what life is really like, and shut me up about complaining about what hardship is. This puts into words things i can't even describe. I found that reading this book opened my eyes to many conflicts and ideas i never thought of. The book throws out at you a different writing style and approach to telling a story, so much that you first get lost in the understanding of the language to getting lost in the characters emotional baggage, trauma and pain. In a way this book paved a way for me to a greater understanding of people, and their thoughts and motives. But also confused me as to how people allow themselves and others to be sucked into such experiences. This book is definitely one to read at least once, if not twice.

[Aaron Thomas · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is not Alice Walker's 1982 epistolary novel. This is a promotional, coffee-table style book about the 2005 musical - with a libretto by Marsha Norman and songs by Brenda Russell, Allee Willis, and Stephen Bray. The book includes the entire libretto and lyrics as well as dozens of interviews and other commentary from producers, designers, and the cast.

[Stanley · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book starts out with a person named Celie. This book are all letters to god from Celie. It is really sad at first. Celie had a baby and her father took and killed it. Same thing happened when she had another child. Later on in the letters, the mother died due to sickness. Mr. _______ wants to marry Celie's little sister, Nettie. The father doesn't allow Nettie to marry and instead offers Celie because she is the ugly one. Mr. _______ accepts. Nettie runs away from he family. Mr. ________'s actual lover is Shug. She became sick and Celie has to treat her. As time goes by, Celie knows that she is sexually attracted to Shug. Shug gave a letter by Nettie to Celie whom Mr. ________ was hiding all along. They found out the Nettie was in Africa along with Samual and Corrine. Corrine dies in Africa. Nettie and Samual gets married and comes home to Celie.

[Mary · Rating 5 out of 5]

In school we had a project in which we can pick whichever book to read. I choose The Color Purple. I loved this book it was very interesting. This book is about a girl named Celie who suffers a lot throughout her life, but eventually everything turns out good at the end. At the end she gets to see Nettie, her sister that she hasn't seen in a very long time and she gets to see her children. Celie wrote letters to God and she tells him about her life. Nettie also wrote letters to Celie, but Mr.__ ,her husband never gave it to her so she could read them. Evenutally, Celie reads her letters when Shug Avery comes to visit. She's a singer that Mr.___ is really in love with. I loved this book it was very good.

[Veronica Aranda · Rating 4 out of 5]

In school we had a project in which we can pick whichever book to read. I choose The Color Purple. I loved this book it was very interesting. This book is about a girl named Celie who suffers a lot throughout her life, but eventually everything turns out good at the end. At the end she gets to see Nettie, her sister that she hasn't seen in a very long time and she gets to see her children. Celie wrote letters to God and she tells him about her life. Nettie also wrote letters to Celie, but Mr.__ ,her husband never gave it to her so she could read them. Evenutally, Celie reads her letters when Shug Avery comes to visit. She's a singer that Mr.___ is really in love with. I loved this book it was very good.

[16rkim · Rating 5 out of 5]

Initially, I picked up this book because my favorite color is purple. I was not prepared for the depth of this heart wrenching novel. I immediately fell in love with the book because it was written in the form of letters, and reminded me of the writing style of The Diary of a Young Girl by Anne Frank. Although the beginning was downright depressing, the hopeful end made it a somewhat happy book. My favorite aspect of the novel is the fact that Alice Walker was not scared to talk about a potential homosexual relationship when homosexuality was deeply frowned upon around the time she wrote the novel. I would most definitely recommend this to high schoolers and older!

[Dina · Rating 2 out of 5]

During the 9th grade we had book groups and a few of my classmates had been choosen to read this book. They told me that it was intresting, but it really wasnt the kind of book that I was intrested in so i decided to skip it. When I saw that it was a choice on my reading list I decided to try it out. To my surprise when I was done I actually liked it. what I liked most was the way the book was written. The author wrote the way the characters spoke and that made me feel like they were real people. Overall it was a pretty good book.

[Cinthia Karina Martinez · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this book for school and its awsome . It's about a child that suffers a lot through out her life , but in the end reconsises that what happened was for a reason it not only made her stronger. This book has a lot of tragically sad moments and you have to pay close attention to it to understand it , since the spelling and grammatics of it are from that time period. However , its an awsome book.

[Fall · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was very sad. It made me realize that in those times woman had no choice but to listen to men and be abused by them. The book was written as if she was writing in her journal which was very influential because we got to hear what was going on inside her head. I really enjoyed reading this book and i would have to say its one of my favorites. I also like books that are written in first pov because i know what is going on in the main characters head.

[desi]

Loved it. Nettie is my sister's name too. Awesome.

[Connie Laster · Rating 5 out of 5]

The movie did not do this book justice. This book was nothing like to film. This is a great book to read and imagine the life of this character. My imagination was in overdrive.

[Donna · Rating 2 out of 5]

Have heard so much about this book (no I have never seen the movie) was curious and the book was a gift.

[⇐Yolanda Williams]

Seen The BRoad way Love it

[Shay · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is my favorite book

[crystal · Rating 3 out of 5]

two sisters taking two very different paths in life.... you'll have to read on to see if they re-unite. i heard the movie with whoopie/oprah was really good.

[Tabby · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one of the only books that i read with out putting down once!!
this book has givin me a new insite on what some people have/had to do to survive everyday!

[Drea · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well...this is just a masterpiece - hands down.

[Tangela Byrd · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thought that this books was good to read. Watching the movie and reading the book helped me a lot and it was more in depth between the two of them.

[crazy ty eargle]

i saw the movie and people tell be a read the book then