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  • Their Eyes Were Watching God

  • By: Zora Neale Hurston
  • Narrated by: Ruby Dee
  • Length: 6 hrs and 44 mins
  • 4.7 out of 5 stars (300 ratings)
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Their Eyes Were Watching God

By: Zora Neale Hurston
Narrated by: Ruby Dee
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Summary

Their Eyes Were Watching God, an American classic, is the luminous and haunting novel about Janie Crawford, a Southern Black woman in the 1930s, whose journey from a free-spirited girl to a woman of independence and substance has inspired writers and readers for close to 70 years.

This poetic, graceful love story, rooted in Black folk traditions and steeped in mythic realism, celebrates boldly and brilliantly African-American culture and heritage. And in a powerful, mesmerizing narrative, it pays quiet tribute to a Black woman who, though constricted by the times, still demanded to be heard.

Originally published in 1937 and long out of print, the book was reissued in 1975 and nearly three decades later Their Eyes Were Watching God is considered a seminal novel in American fiction.

©1937 Zora Neale Hurston, Renewed 1965 John C. Hurston and Joel Hurston (P)1997, 2000, 2004 HarperCollins Publishers

Critic reviews

"For readers who know Hurston's work, this program will be a joy; for those who are lucky and wise enough to discover her here, it will be an exceptional experience." (AudioFile)

What listeners say about Their Eyes Were Watching God

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Fantastic story

I listened to this book in 5 days. It was so gripping I couldn’t put it down. The story was compelling and so well written. The descriptions and attention to detail transported me into another world. I could feel the words. The narration was brilliant! I could listen to this book again and would highly recommend it as a must read.

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5 people found this helpful

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Love is like the sea, its a moving thing

I really loved it. The narrators voice is perfect. I fell in love with Janie and Teacake, and all their wisdom.

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2 people found this helpful

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Fantastic book

I loved this book, absolutely charming, with wonderful characters, beautiful scenery, and a great plot.

The narrator was very good, and her voices and accents really brought the characters to life

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1 person found this helpful

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Just an amazing story truly exceptional writing.

Just an amazing story, truly exceptional writing and a great voice actor that creates unique personalities that makes it easy for one to follow the story.

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performance brings story to life

I started reading this in book form and struggled a little with the mixture of phonetic dialogue be and what seemed at times slightly high-flown prose, but the narrator made a real difference.

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Glorious book, beautifully read by the legendary Ruby Dee

Highly recommended! Beautiful performance of an absolute masterpiece. Great story, amazing use of language, and impeccable performance.

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Great voice- a small window into a distant place/time/culture

The reader was excellent, though I found it better to read at speed 1.25.. It was set in a time and place of which I know very little so I enjoyed gaining a deeper insight into a story far removed from my own life. I thought it was beautifully written...at times poetic. I also loved the dialogue between characters, where the language was often simple but so real.

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An unexpected gem

The short but wonderful story of Janey...I loved it and Ruby Dee was an incredible narrator. So glad the book was reissued.

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This is a true ‘epic’.

I loved this book, although written in the 1930s the motifs of practicality versus emotion remain as relevant today. Tracing one character through the bulk of her life the reader is invested in her story and what a story.

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  • Overall
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A stunning story of love and growth

The performance made Hurston’s words come alive. I feel like I went on a journey to places lost to time.

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