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Tara Penry's avatar

I love this choice. Like David, I have my own appreciation for this book. And I agree with you: part of the magic comes from Janie, and part comes from Hurston's indomitable craft. When I wrote the new About page to go with the Hallelujah Book & Hope renaming, a line from this book was one of my first illustrations of my goals. Nobody evokes the "Hallelujah" feeling of love's extravagance like Hurston. From the new About page:

"I write to share lines so luminous they lift burdens. The ones that elicit The Big Yes. Lifeline lines. They remind me that joy outlasts suffering. You know the ones:

“Lawd!” Pheoby breathed out heavily, 'Ah done growed ten feet higher from jus’ listenin’ tuh you, Janie.' — Z. N. Hurston, Their Eyes Were Watching God"

Thank you for making sure this excellent book is in the Hope Library! :-)

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David E. Perry's avatar

“Ah know all dim sitters-and-talkers gointuh worry they guts into fiddle strings till dey find out whut we been talkin’ ‘bout. Dat’s all right, Phoeby, tell ‘em. Dey gointuh make ‘miration ‘cause mah love didn’t work lak they love, if day ever had any. Then you must tell ‘em dat love ain’t somethin’ lak a grindstone dat’s de same thing everywhere and do de same thing tuh everything it touch. Love is lak de sea. It’s uh movin’ thing, but still and all, it takes its shape from de shore it meets, and it’s different with every shore.”

Janie Woods

Their Eyes Were Watching God

I heartily second your motion to include Zora Neal's 'Their Eyes Were Watching God' in the hope library. It is a magical look into the soul of mature love and true friendship, and was way, way ahead of its time. An absolute masterpiece of storytelling and imagining. I go back to it, again and again.

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