This book is a concise introduction to the life and literature of African American writer Zora Neale Hurston (1891-1960), one of the leading figures of the Harlem Renaissance. King (Pennsylvania State U.) first offers a brief overview of Hurston's life and career and then discusses historical, social, political, and cultural contexts of her life and literary productions. He then surveys her major and minor works, discussing major themes and different academic perspectives from which to explore plot, character, narrative, and structure. Finally, he explores how Hurston's works have been read and understood during her life and since her death in a variety of contexts. Annotation ©2009 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com) - (Book News)

Their Eyes Were Watching God is a key text in African American literature. Its author Zora Neale Hurston has become an iconic figure for her literary works and for her invaluable contribution to documenting elements of black folk culture in the rural south and in the Caribbean. This introductory book designed for students explores Hurston's artistic achievements and her unique character: her staunch individualism, her penchant for drama, her sometimes controversial politics, her philosophical influences and her views on gender relations. Lovalerie King explores Hurston's life and analyses her major works and short stories. Historical, social, political, and cultural contexts for Hurston's life and work, including her key role in the development of the Harlem Renaissance, are set out. The book concludes with an overview of the reception of Hurston's work, both in her lifetime and up to the present, as well as suggestions for further reading. - (Cambridge Univ Pr)

Their Eyes Were Watching God is a key text in African American literature and its author Zora Neale Hurston has become an iconic figure. This introductory book designed for students explores Hurston's artistic achievements, explores her life and analyses her major works and short stories. - (Cambridge Univ Pr)