The Colour Purple by Alice Walker

"The Color Purple" is a frank, sometimes painful examination of racism, abuse, and sexuality which led to it being extremely controversial. Alice Walker’s language is explicit and honest and does not shy away from telling it all as it is. The story takes place primarily in rural Georgia in the early 1900's, though it also follows one characters’ journeys abroad.

Though it is hard to read due to how emotional and raw it is, a novel like this aims to give an accurate picture of the lives of people like Celie: Black women in a post-Civil War but pre-Civil Rights American South.

This brilliant novel was also made into a film by Steven Spielberg, which was very poignant but much less graphic than the novel itself.

Bring your books and some favourite passages, and let’s talk about it over coffee and/or food!