Narrated by Bahni Turpin and Kenya Brome and Cary Hite and full cast, Collected Early Works (AmazonClassics Edition) by Zora Neale Hurston has a runtime of 1 hrs 51 mins on Audible.
Publisher’s Summary
Zora Neale Hurston is best remembered today for her work as a novelist, but she was also an accomplished dramatist, short story writer, and folklorist. That range of interests and styles is on full display in this collection.
In “Drenched in Light,” Hurston tells the tale of a plucky, life-affirming African American girl at odds with her irritable grandmother; “Spunk” follows the conflict between two men involved in a deadly love triangle; the prize-winning play “Color Struck” tracks the impact of colorism on a group of cakewalk competitors in the Jim Crow South; and “Sweat” portrays a woman in an abusive marriage who finds deliverance through a karmic twist of fate.
With their explorations of class, racism, family dysfunction, and female empowerment, these works beautifully represent both the energy of the Harlem Renaissance and the unique voice of one of its most influential contributors.
Revised edition: Previously published as Drenched in Light, Spunk, Color Struck, Sweat, this edition of Collected Early Works (AmazonClassics Edition) includes editorial revisions.
Full Cast for Color Struck:
Narrator: Tasha Johnson
John: Anthony S. Goolsby
Emmaline: Jeanette Illidge
Wesley: Enoch A. King
Emmaline’s Daughter, Lou Lillian: Tasha Johnson
Effie: Raven Brown
A Railway Conductor: Geoffrey D. Williams
The Doctor: Enoch A. King
The Man, Dinky: Enoch A. King
Man: Enoch A. King
Chorus: Tasha Johnson
Ada, Dinky’s Girl: Jeanette Illidge
Joe Clarke: Geoffrey D. Williams
Lizziemore: Geoffrey D. Williams
Directed by Cynthia D. Barker
Audiobook Details
- Narrated by: Bahni Turpin and Kenya Brome and Cary Hite and full cast
- Length: 1 hrs 51 mins
- Publisher: Brilliance Audio
- Release year: 2022
- Audible category: Literature & Fiction / Anthologies & Short Stories / Short Stories
Listener Ratings
Collected Early Works (AmazonClassics Edition) holds an average listener rating of 4.7/5 from 11 Audible ratings.
On Audible, ratings for this title break down into narration performance and story separately:
- Performance (narration): 4.9/5
- Story: 4.8/5
- 5-star ratings: 73% of all ratings
What Audible Listeners Are Saying
5/5 stars — “Captivating Voice”
End too soon would like it to last longer. Cannot think of anything else to add.— ewnstnhyns, Audible listener
5/5 stars — “Incredible writing”
Nothing to dislike in any way: writing and reading were superb. The reality of life that was exposed was sometimes hard but powerful.— Ayako E., Audible listener
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