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Summary: Incredible.
Review: This is truly a must-read for anyone interested in 1920s history, African American history, etc. A wonderful read about a rather independent-minded woman and the loves and adventures of her life. This is the best-known of Zora's books, and (for me) is one of her two best (along with "Jonah's Gourd Vine")
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Summary: An American Classic
Review: Powerful writing, presents an impresive view of african americans living in Florida.
Impressively unbiased, defies political labeling. A must for anyone interested in American culture.
Rating: 
Summary: Their Eyes Were Watching God
Review: I was required to read this book in class. Although many of my peers disliked it, I found Their Eyes Were Watching God to be an interesting book. The vernacular dialect made it hard to read but I enjoyed the theme of love throughout the book. I was interested in the lessons that Janie, the main character, learned through each person that she met throughout her journey. I was interested in all of the African-American culture that filled this book. I would not recommend this book to everyone but it would be good for anyone who wants to broaden their horizons.
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Summary: True Definition of Love is found
Review: The definition of love varies from one person to the next, however has the same median with everyone; trust and faith. In "Their Eyes Were Watching God" the definition of love is hidden until the lead character, Janie, finds out the meaning on her own. Throughout the book, Janie meets many men who she feels she is in love with. Her Nanny tells her that love really means the amount of possessions they owned, such as land, home and money, etc... and that is what Janie thinks love is too. However, as the book continues and Janie is not being treated approprietly by her leading men, she realizes that Nanny's meaning of "love" is not correct. By the end of the book Janie finds true love with a man by the name of TeaCake. This book was difficult to understand for the first few chapters due to the complicated southern dialect, but as the book picked up, it became easier to read and comprehend. It is a good book for all ages to read. Love is the universal language. It connects people in many ways around the world. In the book the true definition of love shines through and helps a young woman stand up for herself and realize who she really loves.
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Summary: Zora as Muse
Review: Criticized for not writing a protest novel by some of her fellow African-American writers of the time, Zora instead wrote one of the most poetic novels ever written in the United States. Written in the vernacular of her African-American characters while narrated in standard form, this novel is a blues tale which uses both variations of the language to tranport the reader into the heart and soul of Janie, a young African-American woman in the 1930s on a search.Musical, heartbreaking, endearing, hilarious, and a novel where the issues of the day enter in horrific ways, this book's title has to best describe Zora as she wrote this book, divinely inspired. There is love, there is marriage, there is separation, there is an irrepressible woman who still speaks to all about the search all meaningful lives undertake. Alice Walker so loved this book and this author she restored her grave.
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Summary: A good read
Review: "Their Eyes Were Watching God" by Zora Neale Hurston is a book about the life of a Negro woman in the 1900s. The story begins with Janie telling about her life, but then the author takes over the book. In the beginning, Janie returns to see some people she used to know sitting on their porch. After they dine with food she brings, Janie begins to tell her story, with Hurston soon taking over the point of view. We first hear about Janie's grandmother wanting her to marry Logan Killicks, an older man. She protests her decision, but her grandmother wants her to have someone who can offer Janie the security and protection of his older age and a large potato farm. The marriage occurs in the next chapter, but soon after Janie leaves her new husband to be with another man - Joe Starks. Joe and Janie go off to another place in Florida. Joe becomes mayor of a new town, named Eatonville, of all black people. Joe also builds a store in this town. At first, Janie is enjoying this relationship. But after the town starts developing, Janie doesn't enjoy life with Joe as much. This is partly because Joe is becoming the man of the town and Janie feels left out. She is asked by Joe to run the store, as Joe is busy doing town duties as the mayor, such as getting a new street light installed. Later, many other events happen in the story, but if I told you anymore I'd spoil the book. The author, Zora Neale Hurston, uses the dialog of Negroes in the story. Phrases such as "Aw, Tea Cake, you just say dat tuhnight because de fish and corn bread tasted sort of good" let you imagine the dialect used by southern black people. The characters created by the author really do let us know that they were blacks. We know this because of the way they talk, and because of the life that they are living as explained to us by Hurston. One theme of this novel relates to man versus society. In this case, man is Janie and society is the men of the south. Janie finally realizes all the hardships she has been through and how her life has changed. In a nutshell, this novel tells the life a Negro woman trying to live a happy life through difficult times.
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Summary: Probably Hurston's greatest gift to world literature
Review: "There Eyes Were Watching God," by Zora Neale Hurston, is widely acknowledged as a beloved classic of American literature. This novel is truly one of those great works that remains both entertaining and deeply moving; it is a book for classrooms, for reading groups of all types, and for individual readers. In "There Eyes," Hurston tells the life story of Janie, an African-American woman. We accompany Janie as she experiences the very different men in her life. Hurston's great dialogue captures both the ongoing "war of the sexes," as well as the truces, joys, and tender moments of male-female relations. But equally important are Janie's relationships with other Black women. There are powerful themes of female bonding, identity, and empowerment which bring an added dimension to this book. But what really elevates "Their Eyes" to the level of a great classic is Hurston's use of language. This is truly one of the most poetic novels in the American canon. Hurston blends the engaging vernacular speech of her African-American characters with the lovely "standard" English of her narrator, and in both modes creates lines that are just beautiful. "Their Eyes" captures the universal experiences of pain and happiness, love and loss. And the whole story is told with both humor and compassion. If you haven't read it yet, read it; if you've already read it, read it again.
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Summary: Great book, much better than expected
Review: I didn't expect to like this book. This book was required reading and, to tell you the truth, I was going into the experience expecting not to like it. I had just read "I Know Why a Caged Bird Sings" and had heard this book was very similar to it. The people who told me that were blatantly wrong. This book has nothing to do with race. This book is the story of Janie and her microcosm of southern black culture. This book deals with cultural boundaries and cultural identitiesÑas WEB Dubois said "the reality of the hyphenated African-American." What I loved about this book was that it didn't deal with oppression or hatred, it simply celebrated the brilliant uniqueness of Janie's culture and all of its characters and lovable imperfections. Hurston did a good job with this book, as she showed the dichotomy between the American culture and the African-American culture through the use of dialogue and poetic prose. The story was interesting and Tea Cake was an intriguingly perfect character with so many imperfections. Reading this book, it is hard not to be engrossed in the culture of Eatonville and the other cities. Why only four stars? I thought Hurston tried a little too hard in some of the "poetic prose" sections and it sounded a little overdone. I think all meaning can be extracted from the exceptional dialogue of the book. A minor qualm. A great book nonetheless. milo
Rating:
Summary: An outstanding story
Review: Their Eyes Were Watching God was one of the best books that I've ever read. The book answered a lot of questions about life. We are faced with several conflicts in humanity with choices having to be made between Love, Good, Evil, Hope or reality, and Truth. It is a story about Janie, a young black woman, who tries to find herself through her grandmother's footsteps and eventually confronts herself to become the person she knows is of her own good. Taken along the memory lane in a small southern black town, "Their Eyes were Watching God" is a beautiful portrayal of the conflicts confronting Janie, not only about herself but also about how her society perceives her. Through an amazing creativity in characters, plot development, excellent narrative, lessons and dialogues and an easy ride through time, Zora successful made the reader to understand and appreciate black culture. This absolutely credible story is a highly recommended book to anyone with a taste for classic stories.
Also recommended: DISCIPLES OF FORTUNE, THE GREAT GATSBY, UNCLE TOM'S CABIN, THE USURPER AND OTHERS
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Summary: Great story-Difficult read
Review: Janie's story is fascinating. I found the character development very good and enjoyed the basic story line. However, I had a very difficult time concentrating every time I picked up the book and began reading again because it is written in the vernacular of the time and place. I understand that Ms Hurston was trying to convey a strong sense of who Janie is, but I feel it detracts heavily from the whole reading experience in this book.
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